Anti-Illegal Immigration Rallies Held Across Arizona

By Jude Joffe-Block
Published: Friday, July 18, 2014 - 10:12am
(Photo by Jude Joffe-Block - KJZZ)
About 45 people rallied against illegal immigration at the Arizona capitol early Friday morning.

Hundreds of protests against illegal immigration are planned around the country Friday. They are a response to the tens of thousands of migrant families and children who have arrived at the United States-Mexico border in recent months.

About 45 protesters were gathered at the Arizona capitol Friday morning to protest illegal immigration and call for secure borders. Among them was Vince Ansel.

"People over here represent a lot more people who haven’t been able to make it here because they are at work," Ansel said. "We are protesting the open borders policy of the Obama administration. We are having hoards of people coming here illegally. It’s got to come to an end."

Protester Valerie Roller says she is concerned that arriving migrants bring diseases.

"It is nothing more than a modern-day smallpox, but also the abuses. These folks that are coming into the country breaking the law are being treated better than our own veterans," Roller said.

Those protesting feel the Obama administration has mishandled immigration and border security.

Rallies are also planned in Kingman and Tucson on Friday, and some groups will also protest on Saturday.