Across the state this weekend, people made their voices heard in opposition to President Trump's actions that take aim at immigrants in the U.S. illegally, while also temporarily halting the arrival of refugees, and issuing a 90-day ban on citizens traveling from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
Sunday afternoon, one protest was held on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Hundreds gathered at VCU’s Compass Plaza, to protest the Trump administration’s recent travel ban and plans to build a border wall. Protesters chanted, and some bore signs reading “No Borders”, “Resist,” and “Say No to a Muslim Registry.”
VCU Junior Sanaz Ghodsi spoke with emotion to the crowd. Ghodsi’s parents immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.
“I am Iranian. My parents are immigrants from Iran,” she said, struggling to control her emotions.
A man from the crowd yelled back to cheers "And we love ‘em!”
Near campus, the Grace and Holy Trinity Church opened its doors to protesters. Associate Priest Kimberly Reinholz posted the invitation on Facebook after recognizing the intersection between a struggling faith community and campus life.
“The recent events with refugees and the wall and the election has caused a lot of strife within the campus community, and I’ve been involved in many conversations about how do we respond to the community,” said Reinholz.
In Charlottesville, About 700 people gathered outside the University of Virginia’s Rotunda Sunday to protest the recent series of executive orders.
A group of UVA students over the weekend wrote University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan.
Sophomore Hannah Melissa Borja read the open letter before Sunday’s crowd. She is a member of the DREAMERS on Grounds, a UVA group that advocates for undocumented students.
"We demand that you, as a university, take long overdue action. Prove to your students that you care, that you stand behind them, and that you will protect their access to higher education at all costs," she read.
Our commitment to our international students, faculty, staff and patients is unwavering. We will continue to do everything within the law to support and advocate for the international members of our community.
Several other students spoke, as did Charlottesville Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy.
The crowd marched down the UVA Lawn circled through campus and rallied in front of the Dean of Students office.
At the same time, Virginia’s universities are reiterating a commitment to their international students.
More than 100 students at Virginia Tech come from the seven countries impacted by President Trump’s ban -- that’s according to a letter Tech’s president wrote to the university community Sunday evening.
In the statement, Tim Sands said the school was reaching out to those students and scholars and advising them not to leave the country.
In a similar statement, the University of Virginia told students if they have any concerns to go to the International Studies Office, and that the school will be holding a forum to answer questions in the coming days.
At Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, school leadership said they would do everything in their power to support and advocate for their international students.
"Our commitment to our international students, faculty, staff and patients is unwavering. We will continue to do everything within the law to support and advocate for the international members of our community," the statement reads.
