US: Nationwide demonstrations against family separations June 30

Event

Civil society groups have called for nationwide demonstrations to take place on Saturday, June 30, to denounce controversial border policies, including the separation of families seeking asylum. According to the organizers of the demonstrations, rallies will be held in the following cities:

• Washington, DC: beginning at Lafayette Square at 11:00 (local time)
• Chicago: beginning at the Richard J. Daley Center at 11:00
• Los Angeles: beginning at Grand Park at 11:00
• Atlanta: beginning at the Atlanta City Detention Center at 10:00
• New York: beginning at Foley Square at 10:00

Similar demonstrations are also expected to take place in other cities throughout the US, for more information on the location of the demonstrations, visit the organizer's website. Anticipate a heightened security presence and associated transportation disruptions in the vicinity of any gatherings.

Context

The main controversy stems from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) practice of separating families seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border. The Trump administration has introduced several controversial immigration policies, including the prosecution of asylum-seekers with illegal entry at the border. Families traveling with minors who are detained at the border have also been separated. Under federal law, minors are protected from being housed in detention facilities and are instead housed in shelters or with sponsors.

On June 20, President Trump signed an executive order to keep family members together who have illegally entered the US from Mexico to seek asylum amid an international outcry as well as condemnation by political and religious leaders over the border policies. However, protests are expected to continue as questions remain over the implementation of this new order, and the immediate fate of children already separated from their parents remains unclear.

Advice

Individuals throughout Niger should exercise vigilance when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted by an attack (government buildings, prominent hotels, etc.) and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Many Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to areas located in the north and west of the country, as well as areas along the Nigerian border to the south, due to the high risk of terrorist activity.