Hundreds take part in “Hugs Not Walls” rally

(KTSM) More than 300 families from both sides of the U.S. and Mexico border gathered in the middle of the Rio Grande Saturday for a “Hugs Not Walls” reunion.

The event is typically held biannually, in October and May, but the gathering scheduled for Mother’s Day this year was canceled at the request of Customs and Border Protection who cited construction of the new border fencing and other security concerns.

“It was canceled last year because we didn’t have the political conditions to do it and I think that is probably an understatement that last year many things happened in our community, we saw children in cages, construction of border walls,” Border Network for Human Rights Executive Director Fernando Garcia said.

For only a few minutes, the border is opened to families on both the El Paso and Juarez, Mexico side to reunite with hugs, tears and smiles. Families participating said current immigration policies keep them from seeing each other across the border.

“My mom is undocumented and my grandma lives on that side as well so she is also undocumented,” Jennifer Frescas said. “They haven’t seen each other in probably 10 years so they’re only able to talk to each other physically through this event here.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/368F4hL