Mexican activist Elvira Arellano, who returned to the United States last Wednesday, March 19 thanks to a humanitarian visa, led her first protest against deportations in Chicago on Thursday, March 27
According to a report published by Univisión, the defender of immigrant rights participated in a protest which gathered almost 500 people who left from Chicago's Federal Plaza to the doorstep of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The activist strongly denounced the immigration policies of President Barack Obama and detailed that she is prepared to travel to more than 10 cities and universities in the country to demand that the federal administration undertake measures to prevent hundreds of undocumented immigrant families from being separated in the United States.
"I'm protesting today to ask President Obama to stop the raids, deportations and separation of families, have him sign a moratorium, he has the power," the activist told Univisión during the public act which ended with the arrest of 37 people who were standing outside the ICE offices.
According to Mexican newspaper Excélsior, among the people temporarily arrested were 10 priests of Methodist churches and three Latino councilmen, who will have to face charges of civil disobedience and breaking and entering.
On Tuesday, March 24, the Mexican activist led the fourth and final group of immigrants, part of the campaign "Bring Them Home", which in recent weeks gathered over 100 deportees to cross into the United States from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego with the intention of asking for asylum or humanitarian visas to reunite with their families, according to The Huffington Post.
A day later, the activist was freed and she was able to enter the United States and met with her son Saúl, a 15 year old American national.
Video via Univisión