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People Gather For 'Refugee Remix Rally' At Chicago's Trump Tower

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Around 100 activists, artists and clergy gathered Saturday in front of the Trump Tower in Chicago for a protest and rally.

WBBM's Mike Krauser reports.

The Inner-City Muslim Action Network organized the inter-religious, multiethnic event, calling it the "Refugee Remix Rally." Rami Nashashibi, the executive director of the organization, said the name comes from wanting a platform for new voices.

"In many cases the ideas and the voices of refugees are often left out of the conversation," he said.

The rally featured performances by immigrant artists. It also had testimonies from Commissioner Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia and from faith leaders such as Father Michael Pfleger.

IMAN organized the protest as a response to the intensified raids targeting undocumented communities. Rally attendees referenced President Trump's exploitation of division and bigotry, including Jeff Zeluda of the Jewish Council of Urban Affairs. He said his organization will never normalize that.

"We know that as Jews, if we fail to stand up for our neighbors in times of distress, what kinds of Jews are we," he said.

In a press release, IMAN said the "Refugee Remix Rally" should showcase the organization's "proven model of intersectionality, connecting issues of immigration and criminal justice with a fusion of community organizing work and artistic expression."

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