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Hunger strike begins amid reunification deadline in San Ysidro

Local immigrant activists initiated a hunger strike Tuesday in San Ysidro to peacefully demand the immediate abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Local immigrant activists initiated a hunger strike Tuesday in San Ysidro to peacefully demand the immediate abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Advocates say ICE is being used to terrorize immigrant communities and carry out the immoral ‘zero-tolerance’ policies of Trump’s administration.

The hunger strikers call on State and local government officials to publicly proclaim that they support the abolition of ICE.

They are also calling for the reunification of all families separated by the inhumane immigration system that has separated about 3000 children from their families, an act they say is in violation of human rights and international law by the United Nations human rights office. Strikers called the countries immigration system inhumane.

Some of the protesters say they’ve tried to make their voices and concerns heard in other ways by attending rallies and writing letters but now they are stepping it up.

"In the age we are living today it’s not enough just to go to a one day protest and then go back home. It's not enough to create a hashtag and then the next hashtag -- an escalation of tactics is needed,” one protester said.

The strike comes as a San Diego Judge is supposed to get an update on the migrant children. Specifically, the children under age 5 who were separated from their parents as part of the "zero-tolerance" policy.

Judge Dana Sawbraw had previously requested that they be reunited with their families by Tuesday, and older children by July 26.

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