USA: Faith leaders arrested in peaceful protests against ICE

Police handcuff Marie Dennis, in red coat, in Senate Hart Building, Washington DC

Source: Action Network/Pax Christi USA

Dozens of faith leaders were arrested in Washington yesterday (Thursday) as they held peaceful protests against President Donald Trump's immigration policies and the activities of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, (ICE).

One of those arrested was Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of Faith in Action. Marie Dennis, director of Pax Christi International Catholic Institute for Nonviolence was also briefly taken into custody.

More than 80 faith leaders participated in civil disobedience in the Hart Senate Building atrium in Washington DC, carrying banners that read: 'Do Justice, Love Kindness, Abolish ICE.'

Those taking part included the US Federation of the Sisters of St Joseph, Faith in Action, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the Ignatian Solidarity Network, Faithful America, Pax Christi USA, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), CWS, Sojourners, and Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice.

Two members of the CWS advocacy team, Thea Holcomb and George Devendorf, led teams visiting key Senate offices to urge them to "demand accountability and provide robust oversight of this administration's increasingly violent and indiscriminate immigration enforcement efforts."

The 'Faith in Action' organisers said in a statement: "Today, powerful faith leaders took action in the halls of the US Senate. It said ICE, has been "terrorizing" communities.

A US Capitol Police spokesperson said "it is against the law" to demonstrate inside congressional buildings. He said 54 demonstrators had been arrested.

Videos from the event show police making arrests as demonstrators sang while seated on the floor after officers warned them to leave.

Many more protests have broken out across the United States against Trump's immigration policies after the killing of two American citizens: Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota by federal immigration agents. More than 70,000 people are currently in ICE detention.

LINKS

Video from the day: www.facebook.com/reel/1418790479705078

Action Network Appeal Letter: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-ice-and-cbp-funds