Ocasio-Cortez Calls on Immigrants to 'Flood the Border' to 'Protest Trump'

Calls for mass protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policy

© press Ocasio-Cortez is calling for migrants to flood the border in protest against Trump

The Democratic Party's rising star, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has called for illegal immigrants to flood the US border to protest the Trump Administration's immigration policy.

The New York congressional hopeful, who made headlines after defeating a 10-time incumbent in a primary race last month, has issued a called to action for migrants and US citizens to unite against the US President.

Expounding on her views in an interview this week, shortly after her surprising victory over U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley on the strength of her democratic socialist platform, Ocasio-Cortez urged refugees to flood the border whilst calling on "activists" to "occupy" airports and ICE offices.

Just last month, former US Vice President Joe Biden called on Mexicans and other Latino communities to rise up against President Trump in protest.

Biden demanded an uprising whilst attending a fundraiser for Latino "resistance" groups, calling on supporters to reject the elected US President.

© press Ocasio-Cortez called on migrants and citizens alike to flood the US border

Western Journal reports: Speaking to those who oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Ocasio-Cortez defended her decision to visit the border days before the primary election as part of a demonstration she said needs to expand in order to affect national change.

Saying that there is “no convenient time” to “stand up against human rights violations,” she said that it was important for her to leave her district to protest with those at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I may have had a primary three days after I went down there, but we’re not going to win if we don’t stand for everything,” she said.

“We have to show people that we’re willing to walk the walk and put our money where our mouth is.”

As part of her plan for the future of the so-called “Abolish ICE” movement, the 28-year-old candidate said migrants and citizens in opposition of the current immigration policy must “occupy” every point of entry into the U.S.

Ocasio-Cortez went on to describe what she said was the nation’s “moral crisis,” referring specifically to the family separations that occurred as part of the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy.

“Every day that we allow the continued violation of those children’s rights is the day that I believe the moral character of the United States is at stake,” she said.

© press Ocasio-Cortez calls for 'activists' to 'occupy' every airport, ICE office and border

In response, she said those aligned with her view should make their grievances known through widespread and disruptive demonstrations nationwide.

“We have to occupy all of it,” she said, encouraging activists to push for a “rapid response” to their concerns.

Ocasio-Cortez elaborated on her call for demonstrations, mentioning “every airport,” “every border” and “every ICE office” as scenes for protests “until those kids are back with their parents, period.”

Though “Abolish ICE” has been a controversial movement since it grew out of the policy implemented earlier this year, Ocasio-Cortez said the effort is largely misunderstood by its critics.

“First of all, ICE is not (U.S. Customs and Border Protection),” she said.

“When we talk about abolishing ICE, we’re talking about ending family detention.”

She added her belief that ICE is “not accountable to the U.S. Department of Justice” despite “often tak(ing) on things that look a lot like enforcement activities.”

According to Ocasio-Cortez, given ICE’s status “outside of the accountability of the Department of Justice, it’s no surprise to see the violation of civil and human rights that we’re seeing right now.”