One resident wanted to publicly protest against the backlash of Youth for Tomorrow's participation in the Unaccompanied Minor Program; however, after several threats, she became concerned for her safety.
Saturday afternoon she stood at front of the YFT campus with another supporter brandishing a sign that read "Honk If U Care About Kids and Human Rights 4 All - Psalm 82:4"
"Two death threats, then several others that keep driving by calling me names, yelling profanities, and flipping the middle finger," she said.
However, those detractors did not deter the woman, who did not want her identity revealed for fear of reprisals against her family.
"There were lots of honks and many people brought me cold drinks and I was told the kids at Youth for Tomorrow sent out candy to thank me for holding the sign."
Saturday morning, she was driving by the campus for at-risk youth when she saw a man holding up a sign in protest of the facility sheltering the children as part of their Unaccompanied Minor Program. She did not like his message and decided to stage her own counter-protest.
Pushing politics to the side, she explained she is primarily concerned about the children.
“These are children and I felt that this was hatred," she said.
The children sheltered at Youth for Tomorrow are part of Unaccompanied Minor Program supported by the Federal Government Department of Health and Human Services. The program gained media attention last week when a local blog questioned whether Board of County Supervisor Chairman At-Large Corey Stewart knew the immigrant children were being housed at YFT, and escalated Tuesday, when the Board of County Supervisors agreed to draft a letter to the Federal Government, inquiring about the sheltering of the minors in the county.
Feeling very passionate about presenting a different perspective, she grabbed the board that listed her grandchildren's chores, created a sign and situated herself at YFT with others who shared her perspective.
She said it was not easy as she received two death threats in the first ten minutes.
However, she had off-duty police and YFT staff nearby, and she was also receiving honks of support from about every 10 vehicles as they passed by.
She said it is not so much about whether or not the country or the county should be inviting illegal immigrants, but whether or not residents of Prince William can show compassion to those who are already here at Youth for Tomorrow, describing it as a private, religious facility that just happens to be in our county.
“I believe in basic human rights. Illegal or not, parents made the difficult choice [to send their children on a dangerous journey], risking life and limb, because this situation is that bad,” she said.
To another supporter, a resident of Bristow, the situation was more complex. Although he does not believe the nation should have laws encouraging illegal immigrant minors, he also found himself upset over the message another protester was holding. He said he believed it had a “negative connotation.”
In response, the man first considered writing some witty retort. Then, he decided it would be kinder to simply stand besides the woman.
He does not agree with the law that allows illegal immigrant minors to stay, thus possibly encouraging more to make the harrowing journey, but neither does he think protesting in front of YFT is the best way to affect a change in policy.
“I actually support the law being changed. If you watch Latin news, dozens of children have been found dead in the desert. Girls have been sexually assaulted. But, they have to get hearings and have to be housed somewhere,” he said.
He encourages those who disagree with the laws to contact their representatives or protest in front of the White House or Capitol Building. His concern is that when the protest happens in front of a facility that houses and educates children, those children will be negatively affected.
He also feels strongly that while children are awaiting trial, they need to be housed in someplace safe and comfortable, not in prison or old military bases. Lastly, he pointed out, some of these children did not even choose to come to the United States, but had parents who sent them on the journey.
While the man is a Republican and the woman a Democrat, they explained that while they do not agree on everything, they are both still able to engage in “civil discourse.” He said he wishes that more of our country’s politicians would be able to reach across the aisle and do the same.
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