MIAMI (WSVN) - In a big show of support for the migrant community, members of the Catholic Church in South Florida held a Mass before marching toward the immigration court in downtown Miami to stand in solidarity with migrants.
Faith leaders and community members gathered on Wednesday afternoon at Gesú Church for a service. 7News cameras captured a large group sitting in the pews, praying and listening to the Mass.
Then, despite the cold weather and some showers, over 100 people stood in front of the immigration court to pray for the migrants who have their hearings inside and for those detained by immigration officials.
Outside the court, faith leaders and people affected by the strict immigration policy nationwide spoke to raise awareness of the situation.
“Our faith calls us to welcome the stranger. Our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering. Since when one member suffers, all suffer. You are not alone,” said a speaker.
During the event, 7News spoke with Melissa, the 18-year-old daughter of two detained migrants, who is now taking care of her minor siblings after her parents were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“My other sister and I have to take care of our younger siblings, and we can’t really focus on school, looking into colleges, and all of that because we have to work hard for our parents,” she said.
Melissa said her parents were both landscapers and had their own company when they were detained. Her father has been held in detention for six months, while her mother was detained just before Thanksgiving and remains in custody.
“[My mom] was on her way to work. She took over my dad’s company after he was taken, and they took her and my uncle. My uncle is now in Guatemala because he self-deported,” said Melissa.
Mariana Blanco with the Guatemalan Maya Center provided more details of the case.
“They gave their identification, and two members of the vehicle were taken with their 15-year-old son and their 20-year-old daughter watching. We tried pleading with the officer, letting them know that four children would be left behind if they took the mother because their dad was already in detention, and the officers just said, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do now,'” she said.
Melissa and her siblings are now being helped by Blanco’s group, but she said much of the responsibility still falls on the older siblings.
“It’s really hard for us because I’ve never been without my mom. It’s hard because I’m kind of forgetting how my dad looks like. It’s been almost a year,” said Melissa.
Melissa’s story was just one of many that were shared during Wednesday’s event. She said she remains hopeful as her parents’ case remains ongoing in Georgia and Arizona.
“I’m hopeful because my parents aren’t criminals. They didn’t do nothing wrong,” she said.
The event wrapped up late Wednesday afternoon with a call to action from faith leaders for people to speak up against injustices.
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