Members of the group, Nashville Community Defense, held a news conference outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office Wednesday afternoon.
Nearly 20 people held signs and condemned the recent U.S. Department of Homeland Security's memos detailing policies on immigration enforcement.
After @POTUS administration released immigrant enforcement memos yesterday, local protesters stood outside Nashville's ICE office @NC5 pic.twitter.com/QRgkqg87Np
— Brandon Marshall (@NC5_BMarshall) February 22, 2017
Part of the memos released mentioned that federal agents could seek to deport people in the country illegally who were convicted of any crime, no matter how minor. DHS would also look to hire nearly 10,000 officers and agents at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 5,000 more at U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.
Catherine Carrillo, 21, was born in Nashville. Her father was sent back to Peru after getting deported. Prior to that he worked in construction for 20 years.
"It's not just random people, they're taking away fathers, mothers, and these are American citizen children who are going to be missing their parents, Carrillo said.
She's physically seen her father twice since his deportation. They communicate via Skype and Facebook.
Carrillo doesn't want other children to grow up in a broken home.
"These children are the people who are paying the consequences. The Nashville Community Defense is here to help avoid that from happening to help stop our community from being attack, to help against children from being targeted," Carrillo said.
Nashville's Public Affairs Officer Thomas Byrd released a statement about Wednesday's news conference.
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fully respects the rights of all people to voice their opinion peacefully without interference. As Secretary Kelly said this week, ICE officers, along with their law enforcement partners, have and will continue to enforce our nation’s laws to protect public safety, national security, and to preserve the integrity of our immigration system."
Congressman Marsha Blackburn said if illegal immigrants are not a criminal, they are probably needlessly worrying. However, Blackburn believed people should take the time to become citizens the right way.
"They are saying ok we understand this, and we want the efforts to be there to support legal immigration and to hold accountable those that have come into the country illegally," Blackburn said.
Carrillo wants to be the voice for those living in fear. She said the group would continue to help support those uncertain of their future here in America.
The group created an online pledge to "to take action to stand with and support my neighbors when any raids or harassment of our immigrant or Muslim community members occur."
Despite Wednesday's opposition, a new poll by Middle Tennessee State University of 600 voters showed more than half of Tennesseans approve of President Trump.
51 percent approve of the job he's doing, 27 percent disapprove and 17 percent didn't know, or didn't answer.
