Protesters in Bradenton support immigration as President Trump begins dismantling DACA

Despite Hurricane Irma’s threat to Florida, protesters took time Wednesday evening to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this week to eliminate deportation protection for hundreds of thousands whose immigrant parents brought them into the country illegally as young children unless Congress acts in the next six months.

On Tuesday, Trump tweeted, “Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!”

Trump did not say what steps he would take to make true his campaign promise to eliminate President Barrack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, but did stress his commitment to putting hardworking citizens first.

More than 20 people gathered at the northeast intersection of Cortez Road and U.S. 41 protesting Trump’s announcement to begin his plan to dismantle DACA.

“Immigration welcome here,” protesters chanted as many drivers honked their horns in support during the evening commute.

Among those protesting was Patricia Lara, 29, who was a DACA recipient.

My message today is that we are not criminals,” Lara said. “We are lawyers, doctors. We work for Fortune 500 companies or like myself a victim advocate who supports victims of sexual assault on a daily basis.”

Lara came to the United States from Mexico at age 5 and has done all her school here, she said.

“It is not OK that they are taking away basically our services to the community,” Lara said. “Since my DACA got rescinded, if Congress does not move quickly, I may not be able to do the job that I do on a daily basis.”

Lara said she didn’t know if betrayal was the appropriate word but it was the best she could do to describe how she felt.

“I have poured my soul into this country,” Lara said. “All we want to do is give back to the community, contribute to the economy, work and help our community. That’s all we want.”

Brian Ellis, an organizer of the rally from local activist group Answer Coalition, felt the timing of the protest was important despite the potential threat from Hurricane Irma in the coming days.

“I think it deserves an urgent response,” Ellis said. “There’s protests all around the country and we are part of that movement.”

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 9:28 PM with the headline "Protesters in Bradenton support immigration as President Trump begins dismantling DACA."