Several members of the Horry County Democratic Party joined Grand Strand Action Now (GSAT) June 20 to urge Rep. Tom Rice (R-Dist. 6) to oppose President Trump’s forced separation of immigrant children from their parents at the US southern border.
Later that afternoon, President Trump signed an executive order allowing migrant families to be held in detention centers together. The order does not end the administration’s “no tolerance” policy in dealing with migrants who enter the US illegally.
Protestors lined the street in front of Rice’s Myrtle Beach office carrying signs that read “Children Matter,” “No Cages for Kids”, “Families Belong Together” and “Caging Children is UN-American!”.
Rice is a co-sponsor of hard-line immigration legislation backed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA). That measure addresses family separations, but critics say the solutions would result in entire families being detained, in some cases without proper safeguards for minors.
“This action by the Trump administration is unconscionably cruel and unnecessary,” said HCDP Chair Don Kohn. “Rep. Rice has done nothing to stop this situation. Presumably, he has influence with the President. He should use that influence to find a permanent solution that will prevent this from ever happening again. Hopefully, the new executive order will provide some relief for families who have been separated, but this crisis is not going away.”
For a photo album of the demonstration, please click here.
