Immigrant activists walk 100 to protest border policies

Immigration rights activists are in their third day of a 100-mile walk.
They are doing it to protest what they call a militarization of the border and the unfair treatment of young children crossing it.

Members of the Border Network for Human Rights and their supporters started the walk in Las Cruces Thursday.

Saturday afternoon many of them looked sunburned and tired but not tired enough to stop trying to raise awareness of what they say are misguided immigration policies and the need for reform.

“It is a expression of resistance. It is also the voice of the communities that don’t have a voice in the national debate,” said Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights.

Garcia, supporters of his group and immigrant advocates are walking 100 miles to bring awareness to immigration issues that in their eyes need to change.

“I think border communities of the region, Southern New Mexico and El Paso they have got to come together and say we need to work and we need to work for justice and for our children,” said Garcia.

Garcia is referring to the influx of undocumented children that continue crossing the border.

The group believes many of the young border crossers and others seeking asylum are being denied due process.

They also said the recent deployment of the Texas National Guard to the border sets a dark precedent.

“America is about due process, America is about respect, America is about justice and if we don’t defend those values it doesn’t matter if you’re not at the border then you’re going to have a militarized Kansas, then you’re going to have the National Guard in San Francisco or you’re going to have the national guard in Missouri,” said Garcia.

Garcia said when it comes down to it, the walk is about human rights, dignity for undocumented immigrants and all Americans.

“Human rights are a very important part of the equation. It is in the founding fathers thinking that America should be the beacon of liberty, the beacon of rights in the world. So we need to be sure that is happening in America also,” said Garcia.

Gov. Rick Perry, who called for the deployment of Texas National Guard along the border says the National Guard is meant to, “Be a visible presence to deter criminal activity and contribute additional eyes and ears to assist law enforcement and border patrol agents along the border,” said Perry.

The “Walk for Our Children and Our Dignity” will end tomorrow at the Laura Aguilar Human Rights Center in Montana Vista.

The group has about 40 miles left to go.