Hundreds of DACA supporters rally in march on Las Vegas Strip
September 10, 2017 - 11:13 pm
Updated September 10, 2017 - 11:49 pm

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Miriam Garcia, a graduate from California State University, Dominguez Hills, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Jasmine Fernandez march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Police gather as several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Angel Meneses, 9, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Angel Meneses, 9, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Maria Garcia De Los Santos, center, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Rico Ocampo march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Itzel Gallegos march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Magali Leal, left, Luz Leal, top right, and Jesus Orozco, bottom right, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including UNLV graduate and teacher Marcela Rodriguez Campo march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Paulina Alvarez march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Yamell Vazquez, left, and Peony Vazquez, right, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Rep. Ruben J. Kihuen, left, and UNLV graduate Marcela Rodriguez Campo, right, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Police officers follow when several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Natalia Leal march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Lizbeth Godoy-Lua, left, and Graciela Zamarripa, right, march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters including Erin Adams march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Tourists watch as several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Security personnel block the entrance to the Aria as several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Several hundred Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters march down the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

Rep. Ruben J. Kihuen speaks during a rally of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients and supporters in the Strip in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto
Several hundred DACA supporters marched down the Strip Sunday evening to call on President Donald Trump and Nevada elected officials to protect the Obama-era initiative that has shielded 800,000 so-called Dreamers from deportation.
After congregating near the Trump International for the “We Rise for the Dream” Rally, demonstrators then moved to the Strip to make their case, marching peacefully south to the New York-New York.
The protest came less than a week after President Trump’s decision to begin a winding down of DACA — the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — program and to strip deportation protections for DACA recipients beginning in March.
Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Grant Rogers estimated some 400 people participated in the rally and march.
There were no immediate reports of arrests or major traffic issues from the march.
Patricia Hernandez, 33, said she has been in the United States since she was 2. She said DACA has given her a chance at a normal life. She said she has been able to buy a car and a house, and said she doesn’t fear going out in public.
“We’re not asking for a free ride,” she said. “We’re just asking for a chance to work.”
Hernandez has lived in Las Vegas for 17 years and works at a hotel on the Strip. She said her kids are afraid of the possibility of deportation.
The march drew the support of several Democratic politicians, including U.S. Rep. Reuben Kihuen, state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford and state Assemblyman Edgar Flores.
Other than a few head shakes and brief arguments, the demonstration did not appear to draw much opposition from onlookers or counterprotesters.
However, representatives of two Republican organizations shared opposing views later Sunday night.
Terry Ochal, who works for the Clark County Republican Party, said anyone who is frustrated by Trump’s announcement should blame Barack Obama. He called the 2012 White House policy change unconstitutional.
Jacob Deaville, president of the College Republicans at UNLV, said he also believes the Obama-era policy change was overreaching.
“He had no authority to put in place a change to immigration law,” Deaville said.
Deaville said Trump’s decision to rescind DACA returns power to voters by making congress work on immigration legislation.
Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.