Over a thousand women arrived from all over the US in Washington DC, on Thursday to protest US president Donald Trump’s immigration policy. The #WomenDisobey march was organised to protest Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy at the US-Mexico border. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had announced the policy in April, ordering criminal prosecution of anyone who entered the US illegally. Migrant children were separated from their parents as a result of the policy. Heart-breaking images and audio were broadcast across the US, creating intense uproar, leading to Trump signing an executive order to keep migrant families together. During the Thursday protest, US Capitol police held 575 women and charged with with unlawful assembly, a misdemeanour. They were escorted out of the Capitol building during a mass demonstration calling for the end of the US immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. Earlier, the activists largely comprising of women marched through the streets of Washington, chanting ‘we care’ and ‘Abolish ICE’ slogans (ICE is an acronym for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency). As the protestors passed the Trump International Hotel, the crowd started shouting ‘shame’ and ‘where are the children’. On reaching the front side of the US Senate building, the women gathered and staged a sit-in, blocking the traffic on the street. Kathy Newman, who travelled from Ohio to participate in the march, said, “as a woman, an American and a mother, I had to be here to protest against the appalling treatment women and children are getting.” Gladys, who travelled from New York, also echoed this view, “women have to unite to drive out this disgusting inhumane treatment of immigrants. We mustn’t forget our roots – we’re a country that’s always welcomed immigrants.” The #WomenDisobey march was organised by the Women’s March. Event organiser Linda Sarsour said, “Women are outraged at the separation of families. We don’t trust this administration to follow through. We’re also demanding answers for the hundreds of children who have already been separated from their families. The administration has not told us how it plans to reunite children with their families.” Migrant have been separated from their parents as a result of the policy announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in April. the policy seeks criminal prosecution of anyone who enters the US illegally. Published in Daily Times, June 30th 2018.