YBOR CITY, Fla (WFLA) — Hundreds gathered in Ybor City’s Centennial Park on Sunday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
On Friday, President Trump issued an executive order banning citizens of seven Muslim majority countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days. It also suspends the admission of all refugees for 120 days.RELATED:Starbucks to hire 10,000 refugees over next 5 years
Rachel Miller teaches government, and at first thought she was misinterpreting or misreading the order.
“I believe very strongly in the constitution. That’s what I teach. My children believe very strongly in rights for everyone,” said Miller. “My eleven year old, well, now she’s twelve, she has Muslim friends and she’s cried on multiple occasions worried about this.”
Justin Diaz is an attorney in Tampa. He believes the president should represent the nation as a whole. He does not believe President Trump’s recent actions reflect that.
“This is not what we want our president to do,” said Diaz. “And this is not acceptable to ban people for no other reason than the place they are born. Or the place they reside.”
Lawmakers are also chiming in on the recent activity in Washington.
Senator Bill Nelson’s office issuing a statement saying, “We have to do everything we can to protect ourselves from those who want to do us harm, but a hastily-issued policy that bans everyone from one of these seven countries from entering the U.S. – including the Iraqi interpreters who served alongside our troops in Iraq – is not the answer.”
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor also released a statement saying in part, “President Trump’s executive order targeting and banning legal permanent residents and refugees from war-torn areas is illegal, immoral and un-American. It has made us less safe. If the President wants to empower jihadists, this is the way to do it.”
The protesters then marched through the streets of Ybor City and down 7th Avenue. They hope their message will be heard and hope others will join their cause.
Ezekiel Rotan believes it’s a message of inclusion and love.
“I hope that this right here extends throughout the nation and we can actually come together and break down these borders, these boundaries,” said Rotan. “And create a system of love. A society of love.”
