Protesters take to Fayetteville streets over White House Executive Orders
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Over 100 protesters gathered Tuesday at the corner of College Avenue and Dickson Street, voicing their concerns over recent executive orders from President Donald Trump.
Many said they were speaking out to be a voice for those they believe are no longer heard.
Abrielle Mendez, a Hispanic Arkansas native, was among those in attendance, advocating to end mass deportation and protect human rights she fears are slipping away.
'Our culture—and people love our culture so much—but they don't want the people who bring it here,' Mendez said. 'My father's from Mexico. He's fought his entire life to be here. Whether people realize it or not, I think Mexicans are the backbone of this country.'
As cars passed, some horns blared in support. Protest organizer Vye emphasized that her goal was not to create division, but rather to unite the community and foster dialogue between those with differing perspectives on issues like mass deportation.
'I feel like we could often come to a middle ground more easily than we can now,' Vye said. 'Whereas now, it's very extreme—'I don't want to hear you.' It's very hate-centered. I feel like nobody really wants to question their ideologies anymore or what's behind those ideologies.'
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also weighed in on the issue, affirming her support for mass deportation policies and the current administration's stance on border security.
'We're going to work closely with the Trump administration,' Sanders said. 'We have to be a country that has law and order. We have to be a country that has a secure border. And we finally have a president back in the White House who understands that and is actually taking steps to enforce it.'
The protest remained peaceful, with demonstrators continuing to push for dialogue and action on immigration and human rights issues.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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