JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of people from Jacksonville’s Hispanic and Latino communities made their voices heard in Lakewood Monday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policy that calls for mass deportation of anyone who is in the United States illegally.
The protest was held in the parking lot of the Mariscos El Pacifico Seafood Bar and Grill, near the corner of University Boulevard and Powers Avenue.
“They’re calling us criminals but in reality, we’re just hard-working people trying to make a living here. We’re trying to make life better for not only ourselves but every individual in this nation,” Daniel Juarez said.
RELATED: Trump administration ends temporary deportation protection for 350,000 Venezuelans
The protest was a response to the Trump Administration’s plan to revoke the legal status of certain immigrants from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti who entered the U.S. under the Biden Administration.
Recent arrest numbers by U.S. Customs Enforcement showed a significant increase in arrests of individuals believed to be in the U.S. illegally.
“I am scared. I’m scared for my friends. I’m scared for the parents. I’m scared for the children,” Yvonne Shaffer said.
Briany Herieia, who is in the U.S. legally, added, “Even for me, I’m here legally and it’s scary to go to court. It’s scary to go out and if it’s scary for me, I can imagine the people who don’t have help or a work permit.”
Joseph Howard is a refugee case manager in Jacksonville. He said the average American has no idea of the gang and cartel violence many immigrants are trying to get away from.
“In the U.S., White people like me can’t fathom the horrors that these gangs inflict on the population. We don’t know the desperation. We’re privileged enough not to know the desperation.”
Protestors emphasized that not all illegal immigrants are violent criminals and highlighted their contributions to the economy.
“We move the economy. Without us, there is no food on your table. Without us, there is no construction. Without us, a lot of things don’t happen,” Shaffer said.
Organizers of the protest indicated that this event is just the beginning of more public demonstrations to make their voices heard. During the protest, pamphlets were distributed to minors with instructions on what to do if they encounter ICE agents at school. Duval County Schools confirmed that there have been no reports of such encounters.