Rallies against the Trump administration's immigration policies are being held around Long Island and across the country on Saturday.
A demonstration in Setauket is among the more than 770 rallies that are taking place nationwide. The events come amid backlash over the Trump administration policy that led to migrant children being separated from their parents who were detained after crossing the U.S. border.
"People are outraged over these terrible pictures and audio we’ve seen of these children being taken away from their parents -- parents that are coming here to seek asylum from dangerous situations in their own home countries," says protester Susan Perretii, who attended the Setauket rally. "And we are here to say that this zero-humanity policy is not acceptable, and it’s inhumane, cruel, and not American."
Across the street, a counter-protest was being held.
"It baffles me why they’re protesting when it was taken care of a week ago," says James Robitsek, who participated in the Setauket counter-rally. "The president heard the outcries from everybody, and he corrected it."
Other immigration rallies were being held Saturday in East Meadow, Rockville Centre, Westbury and Huntington Station.
The events coincide with demonstrations Saturday in places like in New York City, where protesters were marching across the Brooklyn Bridge; in Washington, D.C., where lawmakers, activists and celebrities where gathering for a massive protest; and in other U.S. cities coast to coast.
Republican Rep. Peter King took to Twitter Saturday morning to defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement.