Public and political outrage continues to grow toward the Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' policy separating immigrant families seeking asylum that cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
By the administration’s own count, nearly 2,000 children were separated from 1,940 adults in the six-week period from April 19 through May 31.
On Monday, Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, announced nationwide rallies on June 30. The "Families Belong Together" rallies will protest the Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' immigration policy.
The tent pole rally will be held near the White House, at Lafayette Park, at 11 a.m. EST.
"We see that this has to be taken right to the White House, right to Donald Trump, to stop the family separations," Jayapal told MSNBC's Chris Hayes.
Jayapal said she visited a detention center on June 9. She spoke with some of the 200 asylum seekers currently held at the Sea-Tac Bureau of Prison facility.
"This is not a political issue. This is about right and wrong," Jayapal continued.
Other Washington leaders spoke out against the Trump administration policy.
Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson signed a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session and Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Monday.
Together, Inslee and Ferguson demanded answers to their questions about the 200 immigrants currently detained in the Sea-Tac detention center. They also asked the Trump administration to "stop lying" about family separations.
Also Monday, Representative Suzan DelBene, WA-01, held a press conference with invited asylum seekers, giving them an opportunity to tell their personal stories.
"We hear stories of children, even babies being ripped away from their mothers. Parents thrown in prison and having no idea where they're children are taken. It's cruel, it's frightening and it's immoral," DelBene said.
DelBene is a cosponsor of the Keep Families Together Act that would ensure parents and children are not separated unless the children are abused or used for trafficking.
The King County Council also published a letter Monday, calling for "an immediate end of the Trump administration policy" that is separating families.
“Separating children from their parents is a cruel and unnecessary act that does nothing to make our country safer,” said Council Vice Chair Claudia Balducci, prime sponsor of the motion. “As a mother—and as a human being—it is heartbreaking to imagine the trauma and suffering this inflicts on both the children and the parents. We cannot stand silently and allow this to continue happening or allow King County resources to be used to needlessly tear families apart.”
In addition to ending family separations, the council called on the county's congressional delegation to urge the Trump administration to reunite families for the duration of the asylum claim process.
On Father's Day, several "Families Belong Together" rallies popped up across the country.
Hundreds rallied at Seattle's Westlake Park. It was organized by the NW Immigrants Right Project, CAIR Washington, ACLU Washington and the group behind Womxn's March Seattle.
