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Thousands Protest Across U.S. Against Trump Immigration Policy


Demonstrators protest the Trump administration's immigration policies at a rally in Houston, Texas, on June 30.
Demonstrators protest the Trump administration's immigration policies at a rally in Houston, Texas, on June 30.

WASHINGTON -- Thousands of people have rallied in the U.S. capital and in cities across the United States, protesting President Donald Trump's immigration policies, including one that separates immigrant families.

Hundreds of demonstrations were scheduled across the country, amid mounting anger about the policy which has resulted in thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents.

In a square opposite the White House, protesters chanted "Shame! Shame!" Some carried signs saying "Where are the children?" and "Stop cruelty" And "We are America."

Trump's administration has pushed a "zero-tolerance" policy that called for detained migrants who enter the United States illegally.

But that had resulted in parents being separated from their children, and images of children living in chain-link cages sparked widespread outrage. Trump later moved to reverse the separation policy, as Congress sought to pass more sweeping immigration reform.

Cracking down on illegal immigration was a central theme of Trump's 2016 election campaign, targeting, in particular, immigrants from Latin America.

Trump has defended the policies, saying he is trying to enforce U.S. law and also asserting a link between violent crime and migration.

With reporting by AP
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