A peaceful protest took place in Houston Sunday to push for immigration rights and protection for undocumented immigrants in Texas.
The event began at Ervan Chew Park at around 3 p.m. The protestors marched through Montrose to Hermann Park and back.
As the rally grew, it temporarily shut down several intersections on Richmond Avenue and, at one point, the Southwest Freeway. The protest lasted for more than six hours, concluding at around 9:30 p.m.
The protest was organized by FIEL Houston (an acronym for “Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha,” or “Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight”), an immigrant-led civil rights organization.
SEE ALSO: By the numbers: ICE daily enforcement updates provide arrest, detainer statistics
According to the organization, around 20,000 people assembled in protest.
“We are coming together to demand justice, dignity, and protection for immigrant families,” Instagram user @djobedient said in a post announcing the details of the assembly. “This is a peaceful protest to stand against unjust immigration, racial profiling and inhumane ICE raids.”
Jade Gallardo, a young protestor, shared her personal connection to the cause, saying, “I came out here to protest because my mom is an immigrant and she crossed over the border and she had to work a lot, and so is my dad. My dad had to work a lot to come over the border to try to give me and my siblings a better life in America so I could go to a good school.”
ICE clarifies no raids or sweeps in Houston targeting undocumented immigrants despite rumors
Jay Martinez, another protestor, expressed a broader perspective, stating, “I’m protesting for all people, not just Mexicans. A lot of people are being discriminated against.”
Hector Marien highlighted the fear faced by many immigrant families, saying, “I’m out here protesting for my family because they’re immigrants and they’re really, really scared of coming out.”
Ada Govea noted the growth of the protest, explaining, “It’s expanded all across the city. We walked down Westheimer [Road], which was really bold. It’s a big street. But sometimes protests aren’t about sitting on the side and holding a sign. Sometimes it’s about disruption.”
Despite its size, the protest remained peaceful, with no arrests reported. FIEL Houston stated that no other protests have been planned at this time.