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“Deport Me No Way!”: Immigrant Youth Protest Tonight’s GOP Debate In Houston

by Gabe Ortiz on

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Immigrant youth in Texas are protesting tonight’s Republican Presidential debate, set to take place at the University of Houston, which will feature anti-immigrant candidates including Donald Trump and Marco Rubio.

The demonstrators — including leaders from Youth Empowerment Alliance and United We Dream — unfurled a banner reading “Deport Me No Way! Dacamented Here To Stay!” over on an overpass, and plan to protest shortly before the debate tonight as well, along with other groups.

While Trump launched his Presidential campaign on a racist platform proclaiming that Mexicans are “rapists,” he’s dragged candidates like Rubio — who once championed an immigration bill, only to disown it in a politically-motivated move — to the far right on immigration.

Recently, Rubio moved from saying he would eventually undo DACA at some point, to saying he would undo it on day one of his Presidency, leaving 700,000 DACAmented youth at risk of deportation. He has also backed off citizenship in favor of “enforcement first” policies, which is a popular Republican talking point meaning “immigration reform never.”

Just as importantly, the youth want to let Republican candidates know that hate is not welcome on their campuses or in their state. Just last year, the activists successfully defeated an anti-immigrant Republican-led state effort to undo the state’s DREAM Act.

Images from the action earlier today are below, as well as on UWD’s Facebook page here.