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Dream Act supporters take cause to Tacoma’s streets

By Kenny Ocker
About 35 people chant and hold signs in downtown Tacoma on Friday night. They want to push Congress to vote to avoid deportation of non-citizen residents who have lived in the United States for most of their lives.
About 35 people chant and hold signs in downtown Tacoma on Friday night. They want to push Congress to vote to avoid deportation of non-citizen residents who have lived in the United States for most of their lives. Peter Haley phaley@thenewstribune.com

Dozens of demonstrators took to downtown Tacoma on Friday evening to rally in support of rights for undocumented residents of the United States.

The rally started after 5 p.m. at Tollefson Plaza at 1548 Commerce Street, went across the Murray Morgan Bridge and ended at the Northwest Detention Center on the Tideflats.

Outside the for-profit, GEO Group-run detention center, the demonstrators planned a vigil to honor the people they say have been put at risk by President Donald Trump’s stances on immigration-related policies.

U.S. Senators are voting Friday night on a government funding bill in which Democrats have tried to gain protection for “dreamers,” undocumented migrants who came to the United States as young children. If Congress does not pass a funding bill, the federal government will shut down.

Staff photographer Peter Haley contributed to this report.

Kenny Ocker: 253-597-8627, @KennyOcker

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 7:12 PM with the headline "Dream Act supporters take cause to Tacoma’s streets."

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