Louisville immigration rally: 5 things to know

Louisville turned out in big numbers to the Muhammad Ali Center on Monday night for Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's "Rally for American Values," held to protest President Donald Trump's temporary ban on refugees and immigrants from some Muslim-majority nations.

Here's what you should know:

1. Crowds larger than expected

An estimated 5,000 to 6,000 Louisvillians showed up, a turnout that caught the wave of national protests at airports and elsewhere. Crowd sizes are tough to estimate, but a city spokesperson said the amphitheater holds about 3,800 people, and large crowds spilled down the stairs to the amphitheater and out into adjacent streets. Some argued the numbers may have been higher than 6,000.

Either way, it showed sizable opposition to one part of Trump's promised crackdown on immigration that also includes completing a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which Mexico says it has no intention to pay for.

2. Sanctuary City?

After Cincinnati's mayor did so Monday, some hoped that Fischer would also declare Louisville a so-called sanctuary city. There's no strict definition — and in some ways, it's a political term — but some such cities have policies that bar city employees from cooperating with federal immigration authorities seeking to deport unauthorized immigrants.

Fischer didn't do it, calling it in an interview "politically divisive." Possibly also at play is that Trump has threatened to cut funding to such cities. Miami officials have caved, but other cities such as Chicago have vowed to fight on. Fischer did reiterate that Louisville Metro Police do not arrest people for immigration violations. Advocates who want such a policy might look to the Metro Council.

►MORE: Should Louisville be declared a sanctuary city?

►MORE: Trump order 'devastating' to local refugees​

3. Fischer makes passionate case

Still, some supporters said that Fischer — who likes to tout Louisville as a "compassionate city" — gave one of his more passionate speeches. At one point, he acknowledged that "we must continue our offensive against those who want to kill us. But not (against) their victims, most of whom are Muslims themselves. The fact that they share a religion or nationality does not justify a shared indictment," he said.

"As a white Christian man, an American man, I certainly hope people don't look at me and assume there was no meaningful difference between me and people like Timothy McVeigh, Dylann Roof or David Duke," Fischer said. "We owe that same respect to our Muslim neighbors."

4. Small scuffle breaks out

A small group of pro-Trump supporters wearing military fatigues argued with rally-goers in the overflowing streets over whether refugees from nations like Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen presented a terror threat. At one point, an apparent scuffle broke out between the groups, but police quickly separated them. Rally attendees shouted, "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here" at the group.

Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Jim Stansbury on Monday also supported Trump's "temporary ban on immigration from countries identified as hotbeds of terrorism" explaining, "our immigration laws must be enforced."

5. Refugee admissions soon to end

Trump also ordered an indefinite suspension of Syrian refugees, a suspension of the U.S. refugee program for 120 days to review the screening process. They'll resume once the secretary of homeland security, the secretary of state and the director of national intelligence have determined security procedures are adequate.

While President Barack Obama had agreed to take 110,000 refugees in the fiscal year 2017, which started last fall, Trump cut it to 50,000. All that will likely have a big impact at Louisville refugee resettlement agencies of Catholic Charities and Kentucky Refugee Ministries. Some advocates are going the airport holding protest signs for refugees at the time they'd been scheduled to come but were turned back.

►MORE: Ky., Ind. colleges warn students over travel ban

►MORE: Does US 'sanctuary' crackdown affect Louisville?

►MORE: ​Trump immigration protests spread to Louisville​

Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at ckenning@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4697.