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A Lights for Liberty rally planned in North Charleston on Fri. July 12 that will speak out against Trump administration immigration detention practices is coordinated along with hundreds of others across the country.
The event, planned for 8:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, is billed as a “vigil to end human detention camps.” Attendees are encouraged to wear white T-shirts and bring signs if they wish to show solidarity with those critical of the administration’s move to detain migrants seeking asylum in the United States along the country’s border with Mexico. Candles will be provided, but attendees are welcome to bring their own.
Nearly 700 demonstrations are planned nationwide by Lights for Liberty, a group founded by Elizabeth McLaughlin and supported by various labor, immigration, and justice groups. Official government reports uncovered overcrowded conditions inside detention facilities run by border law enforcement in June. After the reports, President Donald Trump pushed back, calling them “beautifully run” in a press conference last week. At least five children have died after being held by U.S. border agents, according to AP.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also scheduled to target migrant families with court-ordered raids in at least 10 major American cities this weekend, according to a New York Times report.
ICE has had a presence in Charleston County for a while, with a training facility near Riverfront Park in North Charleston and a longstanding current cooperation agreement with Charleston County Sheriff’s Office to handle immigration issues including detention at the Al Cannon Detention Center as needed.
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