Latest news with #BNHR
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigrant advocates gather in Downtown El Paso in ‘solidarity' with Los Angeles protests
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Immigrant advocate organization, the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR), is gathering Tuesday evening, June 10 in Downtown El Paso at the San Jacinto Plaza in 'solidarity' with communities in Los Angeles who took to the streets over the weekend to protest immigration raids being carried out by ICE. What to know about Trump's deployment of the Marines and National Guard to LA's immigration protests The protests in Los Angeles made national headlines as they escalated this past Sunday with protesters blocking a major freeway and vandalizing self-driving cars and law-enforcement vehicles. President Donald Trump also announced that he was deploying National Guard and Marines to quell the protests. The initial 2,000 National Guard troops arrived Sunday. On Monday, the president announced he was sending an additional 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines. In El Paso, the BNHR calls Tuesday evening's demonstration a 'peaceful vigil,' in which they will also call for an end to ICE's 'terrorizing' immigration enforcement tactics and for the immediate withdrawal of military forces from Los Angeles and the border. 'What we're seeing in Los Angeles is not new. It's the amplification of a strategy we've endured at the border for years,' said Fernando Garcia, the executive director for BNHR, in a news release. 'ICE has become a political weapon used to terrorize our communities,' Garcia said. 'This administration is exploiting law enforcement and military personnel, placing them at the center of an anti-democratic agenda that undermines the very freedoms they swore to defend. We're not here to vilify individuals in uniform. We're here to demand accountability from the leadership that is weaponizing them against our people.' Meanwhile, Michael Aboud, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, said that while people have the right to protest, he condemned the vandalism that transpired over the weekend. 'If you come here illegally, you're not allowed to stay, period. The ones that are destroying property, they're burning the U.S. flag and they're flying foreign flags. That's what's concerning. You want to protest in peace? We've allowed that since the beginning of our country, OK. But the ones that are the problem are the ones that are doing all the destruction. You can have a wrong opinion and be able to speak about it,' Aboud said. Aboud praised the Trump administration's immigration efforts and shared a message for El Pasoans who will demonstrate Tuesday evening. 'They don't get to decide what the law is. They don't get to decide that. They go to any foreign country and go there illegally and stay and then tell those people what the foreigner's wishes are. Listen to what law enforcement says to you. Cooperate and go home peacefully,' Aboud said. Alan Lizarraga, communications manager for the BNHR, stressed the importance of El Pasoans demonstrating in light of what occurred at Los Angeles. 'What has been unfolding in Los Angeles was an intended provocation. It is a manufactured crisis for the government to be able to excuse what they're doing in our communities. If we don't stand up against what's happening in L.A., what guarantees that tomorrow they're not going to start doing the same here in El Paso.' Lizarraga said. 'What we have to understand is that El Paso has been the center point to the policies that we're seeing nationwide. We have seen militarization of our border. We've seen how immigration enforcement has turned into a paramilitary operation now. So what communities in Los Angeles saw over the weekend was just that. It was armed soldiers and armed vehicles going after hard-working individuals,' Lizarraga added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Border group hosts event to honor mothers in El Paso region
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Border Network for Human Rights canceled what would have been its 12th rendition of its Hugs Not Walls event, shifted gears and had another protest event along the border this weekend in its place. BNHR canceled Hugs Not Walls after the federal government created a 'Texas defense area' associated with Fort Bliss for purposes of increasing immigration enforcement. So the group decided to hold what it called Madres de La Frontera: Love Without Borders on Saturday, May 10 at Paisano Park, 1800 W. Paisano in the border area near UTEP. About 200 people — evenly split on both sides of the border — attended the event, according to KTSM crews on the scene. BNHR called it a 'binational, peaceful protest to honor the courage and advocacy of mothers across our borderlands — and to denounce family separation and border militarization. The event will feature mothers, children, and families on both sides of the border, accompanied by mariachis, giant puppets, and remarks from community leaders.' Fernando Garcia, executive director for BNHR, said the event sent a strong message that families are still separated by the border. 'These separations still exist. It has not disappearted. To do this was a reaffirmation of that,' Garcia said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Border Network for Human Rights holds march, rally in Downtown El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Dozens of community organizations, faith leaders and advocates filled San Jacinto Plaza in Downtown El Paso for the 'Reclaiming Our Dignity and Rights: Community Mobilization' march on Saturday, May 3. According to the news release by the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR), the march 'marks the kickoff of the Second Journeys of Resistance, a statewide initiative to reclaim the dignity and rights of marginalized communities across Texas.' The Border Network for Human Rights organized the event. The organization bills itself as one of the leading human rights advocacy and immigration reform organizations in the country with over 7,000 members in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. 'At a time of growing militarization of border communities, expanding poverty, attacks on public education, health care, and housing, and the ongoing criminalization and dehumanization of immigrants, Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, and working-class communities, El Paso will rise to declare: We Are America,' BNHR said in a news release. The march began at the corner of Father Rham and El Paso Street and ended at San Jacinto Plaza with a rally, according to the BNHR. 'This mobilization is a public affirmation that, as border militarization expands under the false guise of security, and as families continue to be torn apart, our communities will stand united to proclaim a bold truth: We All Are America,' Fernando García, executive director of BNHR, said. According to the BNHR, the march is in collaboration with Border Workers United, Abara, Border Agricultural Workers Project, Texas Rising El Paso, La Mujer Obrera/Familias Unidas del Chamizal, Prince of Peace Christian Fellowship, Spirit of the Lord Ministries, El Paso Teachers Association, Central Labor Union of El Paso, SEIU, and Common Defense-Latine Veterans Caucus. 'We will lift up the histories that define us, name the injustices that continue to wound us, and reclaim the dignity and rights that belong to every member of our communities,' García said. We have reached out to the Republican Party of El Paso for a comment on this march and rally. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Escobar: Even citizens on edge because of immigration enforcement
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Four out of five El Paso residents are Hispanic, 22.3 percent were born in another country and 66.4 of the population here speaks a language other than English at home. That July 24 census data may explain why even U.S. citizens are expressing fear and disgust of being caught up in stepped up immigration enforcement north of the Rio Grande. 'Many times, despite one being a citizen or being in the country legally, there is concern and fear someone is going to accuse us of not being legal,' said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. 'Many people are afraid of what could happen if they don't have their documents with them' at all times. Her comments come as some citizens in a nearby suburb on Wednesday reported they were questioned by federal agents about their immigration status and community groups like Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) feel the need to put on 'Know your rights' presentations in city neighborhoods. That is happening as President Trump begins to follow up on his tough rhetoric against illegal immigration with efforts to ramp up deportations. He has freed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from not being able to enforce immigration laws in schools, hospitals and churches and sent troops to the border to help Border Patrol agents keep migrants out. 27 religious groups are suing Trump over refusal to block immigration arrests in houses of worship The White House maintains it is first going after migrants with criminal records, but activists and Democratic lawmakers doubt that. 'With the end of enforcement priorities, everyone becomes a target. This administration wants to have a blank check to go after anybody that they perceive or believe does not have documents,' said Fernando Garcia, executive director of BNHR. 2 top ICE officials reassigned amid White House's frustrations over immigration arrests His group's presentations include detailed explanations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution, which protect anyone present in the U.S. – legally or not – from unreasonable searches and seizures and the right not to incriminate themselves. 'I know many members of the community are afraid right now,' Escobar said during an online briefing with reporters. 'It is important that all persons, undocumented or not, need to know their rights under the constitution and the law.' She added that a slew of lawsuits from community groups like Las Americas Immigrant and Advocacy Center and local governments like El Paso County will, at least, ensure transparency. El Paso County joins lawsuit challenging Trump's executive order on removing birthright citizenship 'I am very proud of all the organizations, local and state governments that are suing to prevent egregious overreach we see happening in the Trump administration,' Escobar said. 'What lawsuits do accomplish is the ability to get information to create that transparency for the American taxpayer.' She was referring to the use of military airplanes to repatriate migrants she says are 'exponentially more expensive' than using commercial flights. She also wants to know how much it will cost to house migrants at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Visit the homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border 'Although members of Congress are not able to get in, I do intend on taking a trip to Guantanamo Bay to provide oversight,' she said at her press briefing. 'It obviously cannot be a surprise inspection.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
