Minnesota abortion opponents express conflicted views on ICE at rally
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On Thursday afternoon, more than 200 Minnesotans came to the Capitol for the state’s March for Life event. The gathering was held in tandem with a national march to limit abortion access and promote what organizers describe as “the protection of unborn life.”
But as ICE and federal border patrol offices continue their activity in Minnesota, some attendees at the rally say their anti-abortion rights philosophy includes immigrants, too.
“I say, from conception till natural death. Taking care of immigrants, you know, they’re protecting their life also,” said Jeff Burr.
Burr said he supports all life, and he believes in law enforcement, but he doesn’t like what he’s seeing on the news.
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“I’'s tough to find the fine line that we need to enforce our laws, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it, and what they’re doing isn’t — no, it’s not the right way,” Burr said.
Liz Eiden, 18, said her views on ICE are shaped by her Christian faith.
“I think it’s important to treat all people with respect, and so with the events. You know, not everybody agrees completely on what’s going on all the time, but to be led with love,” she said. “Whatever you do, whatever you think, whatever you say, do it out of love for Christ.”
Some attendees expressed a middle-of-the-road view, saying they are troubled by how ICE is operating in Minnesota but are not opposed to the agency itself.
“I'm very much in the middle because of experiences in the past where a relative was in a foreign country, and they were forced to leave because their visa had expired,” said Barb Kramber, attending the march with her friend.
“They were met at the airport, and I thought, that’s the way it is. So I don’t like all this stuff that’s happening. I feel very sorry for Minneapolis, but I mean, I’m not taking sides anywhere.”
Gloria Schiermeister said she watches the news every day, and she feels bad that interactions between ICE and Minnesotans are getting violent.
“I feel that it could be structured better,” Schiermeister said. “I don’t dislike ICE. I wish they were a little bit less intense, but they’re doing their job, and I feel that’s important too, and we should stay back, not make more trouble.”
— Kyra Miles, MPR News
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