A group of about 200 protesters gathered on the Galveston Seawall and Menard Park on Saturday (02/08/25) to voice their opinions over immigration policies, particularly affecting Latinos or Hispanics decent. In Galveston’s tourism-based economy, immigration is a perennially lively topic. Vanessa Mayorga, one of the organizers, said she was motivated by news reports highlighting family separations and workplace raids targeting Hispanic communities. “What inspired me were all the news media outlets reporting on our children—Hispanic children—being separated from their parents, and innocent men and women being taken from their jobs and treated like criminals,” Mayorga said. She organized the protest by creating a flyer and promoting it on social media, leading to a turnout of supporters who shared her concerns. “If people are contributing to our taxes, to our community, and are moving forward with us, I don’t see why it’s an issue,” she added. Among the attendees was Alejandro Gutierrez, who emphasized the protests were not in defense of criminals but against what he called “ridiculous laws” that discriminate against the Hispanic community. “We belong in this country. We’ve been here for many years, and they try to treat us like criminals. We’re not. We are hardworking people,” he stated. The rally reflected a variety of perspectives, including Fernando Gonzalez, who acknowledged the complexities of immigration enforcement. “Every sovereign state has the right to protect its borders and carry out immigration enforcement,” he said. However, he also recognized the human side of migration. “Everyone has the right to fight for whatever future they want. If someone in Mexico decides to take the risk and cross the border, that’s their right. At the same time, this country has the right to process them duly.” The protest also drew younger voices like Allison Bell and Emerson Aya Quintell, who emphasized the importance of diversity in the United States. “Immigrants built this country. We should be focusing on immigrant protection and rights, whether they’re here under a visa or not,” Bell stated. “Erasing diversity is a huge disservice to everyone here.”

Posted by i45NOW Staff Report at 2025-02-09 01:35:59 UTC