Hundreds of protesters in St. Paul rally in support of man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, decry government response
Hundreds of protesters in St. Paul, Minnesota, rallied after the U.S. Justice Department said Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador after a clerical error.
"If he can do that to Mr. Abrigo Garcia, he can do it to you. It's the rule of law," said Roseville resident Keith Wilson, who attended the protest, referring to President Trump.
Franciso Sigovia, who's a naturalized U.S. citizen from El Salvador, was another protester.
"When I was asked, 'Hey, you as a Salvadoran, can you speak?' Of course, I wanted to speak," Sigovia said. "I believe what's happening right now is against human rights."
Others were motivated by their hopes for the future.
"We have young grandchildren growing up. We don't want them to come into this America," one protest attendee added.
"My grandson, Grayson, my sign says it all," said Barbara Freeman, who attended from Minneapolis. "I can do what I can do, and I can be here."
While their message is clear, Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber questions their priorities.
"The idea that these protesters care more about the deportation of an illegal immigrant who's an alleged member of a notorious foreign terrorist organization than the brutal murders of Americans like Laken Riley and Rachel Morin shows you all you need to know about their so-called priorities," Stauber said. "Joe Biden allowed millions of illegal immigrants into the country over four years, and Americans and the innocent are paying the price."
While the courts sort out the case of mistaken deportation, demonstrators continue to question the legality of his deportation.
"People who swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States are now trying to dissolve it," said Lydia Kelly, an attendee from Minneapolis.
The protest was organized by organizations, Hands-Off Coalition of Indivisible Twin Cities, Minnesota 50501 and Women's March Minnesota.
