By Louis Casiano, contributing writer

Protestors demanding an end to the separation of immigrant families gathered in Long Beach on Saturday, in conjunction with similar rallies held nationwide aimed at reuniting families and keeping the conversation about immigrant rights alive.

Around 1,300 people with homemade signs met at Cesar Chavez Park and marched to the Glenn Anderson Federal Building to voice their anger and concern over the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward undocumented immigrants that has resulted in the separation of children from their parents since being enacted in May.

“I see those pictures and I cry,” said Anaheim resident Theresa Hill, referring to children being held in detention. “This is ridiculous. I just can’t believe that this is happening.”

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

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Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)



Maria Lopez speaks to the crowd gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)



Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)



Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)



Congressman Alan Lowenthal spoke to those gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. Lowenthal called for President Trump to be placed in a cage which got a huge applause from the crowd. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach on Saturday, June 30, 2018 then marched to 501 W Ocean Boulevard, in protest of the Trump administration policy of separating children from their families at the border. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press Telegram/SCNG)

No counterprotesters were visible at the rally, but earlier this week Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, known as FAIR, said the laws regarding minors showing up to the border to claim asylum are flawed, adding that countries must take more responsibility in serving their citizens.

“It is just not feasible for the United States to be expected to provide for every person who is living in a country whose government is either so corrupt that it just doesn’t care or so incompetent that it can’t protect and serve their basic interest,” Mehlman said. “At some point these countries have to take responsibility.”

Beyond those policies, organizers of the #FamiliesBelongTogether march demanded the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, and that Donald Trump be removed from office.

Related: Tens of thousands march through Downtown Los Angeles and around Southern California

The idea that all immigrants are criminals and calling them names is not only irresponsible, but has dangerous consequences, said Jonathan Solorzano, a community organizer with the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition.

“Trump has been pushing that narrative since he began campaigning,” Solorzano said. “It’s becoming a problem where people are literally getting hurt.”

Demonstrators accused Trump of using the children as pawns to get his much-promised border wall built.

“They’re alyssum seekers,” said Long Beach resident Dorothy Von Zumwalt. “What we’re doing is criminal. Not them. This is not American. He’s created this mess for his wall.”

She carried a sign that read “Keep Your Policies Off The Babies.”

Von Zumwalt also criticized the federal government’s handling of the children.

“They haven’t even given us an exact number,” she said. “We match up parents to children better at a Chuck E. Cheese.”

Many held signs and wore t-shirts declaring “We are all immigrants,” “Why Do Republicans Hate Babies” and “I Really Care, Do You?,” a jab at a jacket worn by first lady Melania Trump enroute to a migrant detention center in Texas earlier this month.

Congressmen Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, compared the family separations to the internment of Japanese families during World War II.

“Now we bring people who are seeking freedom and rip their children away and send them to detention centers, to prisons… 1,000, 2,000 milles away,” Lowenthal said to the crowd. “This must end. We should put the president in a cage and see what he thinks.”

Throngs of pedestrians and motorists honked and cheered in support of marchers as they made their way down Pine Avenue toward Ocean Boulevard.

Chants of “No ban. No Wall. Sanctuary for all” and “Children Do Not belong in Cages” rose from the crowd. Others criticized the detention centers holding immigrant children, describing them as concentration camps and child prisons.

In front of the federal building, the crowd demanded ICE be “shut down,” with some calling the federal agency “rouge” and a “terrorist organization.”

Steve Avila’s family came to the U.S. illegally from Guatemala in the 80s because of increasing violence. The lack of empathy has led to resistance to welcoming immigrants from poorer nations, the Carson resident said.

“We worry about what we have… and that’s it,” Avila said. “We need to think about the world. The world is our family.”

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order banning the splitting of immigrant families. Those detained hail from mostly Central America where violence has resulted in a wave of migrants traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border to claim asylum.

More than 2,300 undocumented children have been separated from their families since the zero-tolerance policy went into effect. Under the policy, adults caught crossing into the country illegally were referred for prosecution and their children went sent to federal detention centers.

No plan on how to reunite families has been announced.

Long Beach resident Sofia Ledezma said her mother come to the U.S. illegally from El Salvador and was granted amnesty under Ronald Reagan. The 41-year-old said out of control gang violence is the major factor why people risk their lives cross the border.

“I feel for these kids,” Ledezma said. “I would like for the other side to put their children’s faces to these children’s faces.”