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Protesters rally outside congressman's office to protest DACA decision

A group of protesters in Pittsburgh may not be affected by the shutdown of DACA, but they loudly voiced their opposition to that decision Wednesday.

"Get up, get down, Pittsburgh is an immigrant town," they chanted.

President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protected undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children from deportation, has spurred a backlash among many.

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"Defending DACA is super important,” said Eva Westheimer of Regent Square. “Immigrants are my neighbors, my friends, my coworkers."

The group gathered in front of Rep. Tim Murphy’s office in Mt. Lebanon.

A spokeswoman for Murphy had no comment on the protest.

"We want Congressman Murphy to understand that he works for us!" said one protest leader.

Maria Montano’s niece was born in Mexico, and the Beechview resident says the rhetoric surrounding DACA is causing her family anxiety.

"They had their first child in Mexico and my niece, who is now getting ready to into middle school,” Montano said. “The day after the election, she asked us as a family if we're going to get deported."

The move to end DACA could force Congress to act on broader immigration reform, including issues like sanctuary cities, an issue that remains controversial in Pittsburgh.

In an interview with Channel 11 last week, Sen. Pat Toomey said he’s strongly against. Pittsburgh being a sanctuary city.

"(Undocumented immigrants) should be handed over to federal immigration,” he said. “They've already demonstrated they are a danger by virtue of their criminality. They're here illegally and they should be dealt with."

Other protesters gathered in front of Rep. Keith Rothfus' Ross Township office.

 

Cox Media Group

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