AURORA, Colo. -- Following widespread condemnation from around the globe after it was revealed that thousands of children — some just months old — had been separated from their families in the wake of the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy against illegal immigration, some in Colorado are taking to the streets hoping for change.
One of those people is Lynn VanderWeilen, who arrived at the ICE facility in Aurora Wednesday morning to express her concern about the policy.
"After reading about the children who are my son's age, being ripped from their mothers, it was really tough to read,” said VanderWeilen. She stressed the need for a broader immigration conversation
"There's not one single solution can that be signed with a pen, today, tomorrow or next week that will solve the challenges our country's facing in terms of inclusion, in terms of welcoming families, individuals," she said.
Immigration activists told Denver7 they are aware dozens of recent cases where mothers have been separated from their children here in Colorado.
According to Syracuse researchers, there have been 5,088 juveniles in deportation in our state since 2005 - just over half were not represented.
Republican Mike Coffman, R-Colorado, who has been critical of the policy, said he's glad to see the reversal.
"He (President Trump) said that he did not have the legal authority to do this and now he does," said Coffman. "Yeah it was just it's a very sad chapter," he said.
At the same time, Democrat Diana DeGette tweeted, "Americans have placed tremendous pressure on @POTUS to end family separation; our advocacy is working."
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