Port Hadlock Shows Strong Support for “Families Together”

Port Hadlock may be a small community, but that doesn’t mean it has a narrow view of the world. More than 250 Jefferson County residents showed up at a JCIRA-organized event there on Friday, June 22, to protest the Trump Administration’s latest immigration practices.

As the crowd lined the roads at the four-way intersection near the QFC, the peaceful protest was frequently punctuated with honking car horns and waving passengers showing support for the demonstration. Signs such as “Where are the Children?” and “Keep Families Together” elicited strong approval from passers-by, who often smiled and flashed a “thumbs up.”

Although a federal judge has ordered the administration to reunite the families and stop most separations at the border, the administration will fight back. Trump signed an executive order halting the practice, he appears to regret it. As of this writing, there are still more than 2000 kids who have not yet been reunited with their families.

“The response to the Port Hadlock protest was heartening,” says Libby Palmer, a JCIRA board member. “But it’s critical
that we continue to make our voices heard in upcoming events and keep the pressure on public officials. There is too much at stake.”  (See more information below.)

Join us! Make your voice count on June 30 and July 1.
Be part of the nationwide mobilization to protest the separation of families in Port Angeles on June 30 at the Border Patrol Headquarters (Penn Street at the corner of East First Street) at 11 a.m. It’s energizing to be with others who share your values. Carpools will leave from the Park & Ride lot near the Port Townsend Safeway at 9:45 a.m. 

Join us also for the Solidarity Day protest at the NW Detention Center in Tacoma on Sunday, July 1 at 1:30 p.m. Stand with the families as they visit their loved ones who are incarcerated at the center. You’ll need to organize your own transportation—no carpools or good public transportation options. Allow 2 hours to arrive from Port Townsend. Bring water and snacks. 

Make a difference. Speak up to reunite families and end the tragedy of kids in cages.

​- Contributed by Rachel Imper
- Photo by Bob Pearson