Indian American congresswoman arrested at immigration protest

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Concgresswoman Pramila Jayapal was led away by police as she sang "This Little Light of Mine."

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL, D-WA, was among the 575 people arrested in a "mass civil disobedience" demonstration that involved about 1000 people, most of them women.

“I just got arrested with a group of over 500 women who took over the center of the Hart Senate Building, protesting the inhumane and cruel zero-tolerance policy of Donald Trump and this administration, the separation of families, the caging of children, the imprisonment of asylum seekers,” she said. “These women understand, they’re from all over the country...they understand that this is far beyond politics, this is about right and wrong. We have to step up and put ourselves on the line.”

“I’m proud to have been arrested with them, to put myself in the camp of people who believe that the United States of America is better,” she added. “As a member of Congress, I refuse to let this president and this administration do what they are doing to children, parents, and asylum-seekers in my name.”

Jayapal was processed at the site of her arrest and then released. On June 30, Saturday, she paid her fine.

One of the reasons for the protestl was because Congress is set to break for a week-long recess, without having passed any legislation as a solution for the growing crisis at the United States-Mexico border.

The Women’s March organized the protest against Donald Trump's immigration policies. Most of the participants were women and at one point, were joined by Democratic Senators Tammy Duckworth, Illinois; Mazie Hirono, Hawaii; and Kamala Harris, California.

Duckworth, who joined the protest with her newborn baby strapped to her chest, later said, "I wanted to show my support for the folks here today." She added, "I could only imagine what it would be like to have my daughter — my breastfeeding child — ripped away from me the way some of these other moms' babies have been."

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth brought her baby to her first protest.

When the demonstrators reached the Hart Senate Building, about half the demonstrators entered, chanting, "We Care," and sat on the floor. Some of the women were draped in the tinfoil blankets, similar to one issued to the children separated from their parents.

According to the AP, the protesters were charged with “unlawful demonstration,” and were released at the scene after being processed.

Today's protest is a warmup for larger protests slated for Saturday, with “Families Belong Together” that will take place throughout the nation. 

• Click here to find a protest near you.
• Stand Up: If you can't attend an event, there are other things you can do.

Linda Sarsour, a co-founder of the Women’s March, said she hoped the protests, apart from sending a message to the administration and Congress, would mobilize people to vote in the midterms. 

“We believe that women voters are going to commit to going to the polls and make sure that we win back the House and the Senate this year,” she said.

(UPDATED: June 30 7:30 p.m. to add Pramila Jayapal paid her fine.) _______________________________________________________________________________