Indian American congresswoman arrested at immigration protest

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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.) _______________________________________________________________________________ 

Marches, rallies launch a year in which women hold the key to cultural shift

Luisa Blue used her powerful voice and message to excite those at the Las Vegas women's rallly.

ON OUR way to the Women's Rally in Las Vegas we asked our Lyft driver if he was registered.

"I was a precinct captain," answered Grover, our driver. "In 2016 I was registering up to 60 people a day."

Grover was a black man, about 50 years old, but he was up with current events. "We're turning this state (Nevada) blue." He proceeded to lecture us about all that was wrong with this country, from the White House occupant on down to the white supremacists. 

Donald Trump has inspired ordinary people like Grover to get off their seat, stop complaining and start organizing and doing something to turn this country around.

That was the theme heard around the country last weekend as people marked the one-year anniversary of the Women's March and also, the end of the first year of the Donald Trump administration.

SEIU national executive vice president Luisa Blue, a Filipina Americans, got the Las Vegas crowd riled up citing what the newly revitalized women's movement has in common with labor unions: If you believe in affordable housing, then you have something in common with us, she said. If you believe in a living wage, then you have something in common with us. And she went on, from education, health care, a workplace free from sexual harassment, and so on.

San Francisco Jane Kim, who presides in a largely Asian/American district in her city, spoke in Las Vegas, saying that the majority of mayoral candidates are women, and if a woman is elected mayor of San Francisco, it would become the largest U.S. city with a woman mayor.

Speaker after speaker encouraged the audience to advance to the next step in the women's movement, from marching to running for office, from signing petitions to sighing up voters, to move from the streets to the voting booth.

The Las Vegas rally closed out a weekend of marches and rallies which drew millions of people across the country, from New York to Los Angeles. Over 200,000 marched in New York City, raising their middle finger when they passed the Trump Tower. In Los Angeles where 500,000 marched, chanting, "This is what democracy looks like."

National organizers decided to hold the national event In Las Vegas because Nevada is seen as a state turning from Republican to Democrat with a Republican governors and a U.S. Senate seat seen as vulnerable this year. It is also a state that elected its country's first Latina U.S. Senator, Catherine Cortez, who won her seat in 3026 in the same election that Hillary attracted more votes than Trump.

With the momentum built up by the womens' resistance and the work of people like our Lyft driver, Las Vegas indicates that the odds are in favor that Nevada will turn blue this year.

This story is developing. Check back later for updates.

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Actress Constance Wu,  center, with Natalie Portman, right and Eva Longorio at the Los Angeles march.

In Los Angeles, actress Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat) recounted an incident when she was called "bitch."

"I want to tell you about the first time I refused a man's sexual advances," said Wu at the women's march in L.A. "He called me a bitch. He said he didn't even really want me. He said, 'don't flatter yourself, you're not that hot.' He said, 'who do you think you are?'

"You see, my rejection of him made him so uncomfortable that he had to retaliate with insults," she continued. "He had to protect his ego by demeaning me."
Wu's comeback is classic: 

"I would just like to say to the abusers who have called me a bitch, who have said, 'who do you think you are?': I am Constance Wu," she said to cheers. "And as for the 'bitch' part, if you didn't try to do bitch-ass things to us, then we wouldn't have to be bitches back to you. So stop and listen."

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., like other U.S. senators remained in Washington to work on getting a budget that is acceptable enough to end the government shutdown. However, she did issue a statement of support for her supporters in her home state:

"Whether or not you were able to participate in the march last year or this year, this is a moment in time that is demanding all of us to dig deep and take ownership of the future. Be brave and stand with us in fighting for the people. 

"We are strong when we raise our voices together and that is precisely what we did one year ago — and what we will continue to do in the difficult weeks, months, and years ahead. 

"When people of all ages, colors, religions, and backgrounds come together, unified in our collective struggle for justice, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. Stay involved!"_______________________________________________________________________