A group of progressive Ohioans braved the cold weather in Medina, to protest a spate of issues, but one issue that drew some sharp opinions was President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
“I think when you fire immigration judges when you have a backlog of immigration cases, it shows that you don’t actually have an immigration policy,” one protestor said. “I think when you have an immigration policy, you’re actually trying to process immigration policy. I think when you have an immigration policy, you want to pass laws about an immigration policy.”
One official has cited six sanctuary cities in the Buckeye State. The Center for Immigration Studies identifies Franklin, Hamilton, Lorain and Mahoning counties as sanctuary jurisdictions, though others likely exist — even in a quasi-official capacity.
“It’s cruelty; it’s illegal,” a protestor said. “He’s going to end up focusing on even those who are legal immigrants, and he’s destroying our economy because nobody’s paying attention to what they actually do. There’s two points. I believe $5 or $8 billion that they actually help support by being regretfully underpaid and abused.”
Another protestor, however, suggested that authorities target businesses hiring illegals rather than those who broke a federal immigration law to enter the country.
“They always want to go after the immigrants. They never want to go after the companies that are hiring them,” another protestor said. “We should punish the companies and not the people that are just trying to not starve to death.”
What happens if authorities punish the companies and illegal aliens lose their jobs?
“Other people will get jobs because those jobs do need to get done,” the protestor said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ efforts have included several Ohio communities in the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas following President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Reports of similar raids nationwide, including in liberal cities such as New York City and Chicago, have surfaced, delivering a campaign promise for the 47th president, and reports indicate they have netted thousands of arrests.
“Our image, our country is established by immigrants, and we need them, and we are having issues where these next generations are not having as many kids,” a protestor said. “And guess what? How do you solve that? Let the immigrants in. Let them let our country grow as they have for years.
“There should be a process; I believe there should be a process,” the protestor added. “And even though some people came over illegally, the act was their way of becoming a part of the process that eased that transition.”
Some Ohio lawmakers say that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi should investigate Ohio’s sanctuary cities next.
“We are a country that has been founded on immigrants,” another protestor said. “We took this land from the indigenous people. But that is a side note. What I guess I’m getting at is that there should be a process in place for any and all that want to come to this country because that’s what our foundation has always been.”
Ohio lawmakers could soon consider House Bill 26, the Protecting Ohio Communities Act. The bill would require the state’s law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal officials to enforce federal immigration laws, including sharing arrestees’ information with federal immigration authorities.
The protestor agreed that some illegal aliens facing criminal charges should be deported.
“I feel that they should most likely be processed appropriately and maybe go back to their country in order for them to deal with them with regard to their criminality,” the protestor said. “It’s a very hard question to answer appropriately because I guess you could say I feel mixed with regard to what this country can offer those here illegally, regardless of their criminality.”
