Local Democrats picket Rep. Valadao's office protesting immigration policies

By Ed Martin, Editor

A committed group of 13 local Democrats, aligned with the Kings County Jimmy Carter Club, spent much of Friday morning protesting in front of Kings County’s local congressman, David Valadao’s Irwin Street office in Hanford.

The small contingent wielded signs and shouted slogans for about three hours Friday morning, all concerned with the detention of young immigrant children. Congressman Valadao was not at his office.

Connie Wlaschin (left) and Klara East (right) spent Friday morning (June 22) at Congressman David Valadao's Hanford office protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Connie Wlaschin (left) and Klara East (right) spent Friday morning (June 22) at Congressman David Valadao's Hanford office protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Gary Feinstein/Feinsteinfotos

“It’s heartbreaking when you see the pictures of those babies, and the crying. You look at the cages and the kids are really quiet.” It’s horrifying,” said Lemoore’s Connie Wlaschin, a member of the Jimmy Carter Club and Kings County Democratic Central Committee. “The country is better than that. It’s frightening. That’s kidnapping as far as I’m concerned.”

Last week Valadao did issue a statement expressing his disappointment with the Trump administration’s policy of separating young children from their parents. “The substantial increase of minors at our southern border is both a humanitarian and national security crisis,” stated Valadao.  “While we must work towards a solution that reduces the occurrence of illegal border crossings, it is unacceptable to separate young children from their parents. This is exactly why passage of a compromise solution, such as that being discussed in Congress right now, is absolutely necessary.”

Hanford’s Valadao further stated that he is “dedicated to repairing the broken immigration system of the United States” and cited his personal connection to immigration and a “deep understanding” of the issues, especially as it relates to agriculture and the guest worker program.

The president issued an executive order earlier this week ending the policy of separating children from parents who cross the southern border illegally. However, the government’s plan for reuniting children with their parents has so far fallen short, and many children are in limbo as the government seeks solutions to solve the problem.

“When you arrest people, you give them an inventory of their possessions,” said Wlaschin, “And you don’t even give them (immigrants) a piece of paper for their children? What’s going on here? He’s (Trump) is using them for blackmail. Taking children out of their mother’s arms? That’s absolutely obscene.”

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