On March 28, a middle school student who attended a ‘No Kings’ protest in Washington, D.C., alongside a parent, said she could not stand to grow up in a country where immigrants were not allowed to live. She made the remarks during an interview with a Fox 5 DC reporter when asked why she showed up, and her response is now gaining attention, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.
The girl told the news outlet, “Immigrants built this country. There’s no denying that. They built everything that we have. So if you wanna take them away, you can fight us. I’m not gonna have suppression on who I love and the people that I surround myself with.” She added that many of her friends were immigrants and that they had the right to live in the country.
The student’s mother also spoke during the interview, sharing a little about their background and how her family’s views have evolved over time. “[My parents] were lifelong Republicans… very conservative people,” the woman said. “My mom became more and more enraged as she saw what was going on with the country. And I have always been enraged with injustice. We’re ready to fight. We’re ready to stand up. We’re ready to be peaceful about it, but we’re ready to be here.”
She added that she was proud of her children for being part of the ‘No Kings’ movement and using their voice for change.
The video was shared on the outlet’s TikTok page and has received over a thousand likes, though the comments section has been very divided.
People’s Mixed Reactions to the Student’s Message
In the comments, some viewers praised the student and her mom for speaking confidently on issues they care about and showing support for immigrants. “That right there is a smart person,” one person said. Someone else wrote, “Now this is what america is about.” Another added, “This is a diverse country, and it will always be. There is no America without. immigrants. Point blank.” A fourth commented, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GOD BLESS ✝️❤️🫂.”
However, another group of people criticized their perspective. “More privileged white Americans, who have no idea what really goes on in illegal/undocumented communities,” one TikTok user said. “Doesn’t mean that immigrants can just come over illegally without going through the process,” another comment read. “They’re being paid to say this… they wouldn’t do it unless they were being paid,” a different netizen speculated.
As of now, the video is still picking up traction online. NBC News has also reported that organizers expect millions of protesters to gather across all 50 states and around the world.
