About 100 locals turned out for a candlelight vigil at City Park in support of those held in detention facilities at the southern border.
The Cortez Lights for Liberty vigil was one of hundreds held across the country amid reports of poor conditions in immigration detention facilities, and as U.S. President Donald Trump announced potential immigration raids this week.
“We are holding a candlelight vigil in support of those who have been held in detention facilities at our southern border – and particularly for the children who have been subjected to inhumane conditions we would not wish on our worst enemy,” wrote Lance McDaniel, one of the event’s organizers, in an email invite for the event.
The event was hosted by Montezuma Alliance for Unity.
Trump on Saturday delayed the planned nationwide sweep to deport people living in the United States illegally, including families, saying he would give lawmakers two weeks to work out solutions for the southern border.
The move came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump on Friday asking him to call off the raids. But three administration officials said scrapping the operation was not just about politics. They said Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders had expressed concerns that officers’ safety would be in jeopardy because too many details about the raids had been made public.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to speak about private discussions.
The operation, which sparked outrage and concern among immigrant advocates, had been expected to begin Sunday and would target people with final orders of removal, including families whose immigration cases had been fast-tracked by judges.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
