Latino and immigrants rights groups held protests Tuesday against Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York over what they called his extreme stance on immigration reform. Protesters in several cities criticized Schumer for prioritizing enforcement and border security over keeping families together, and called on him to return tens of thousands of dollars in donations from the private prison industry. Esther Portillo-Gonzales of the group Families for Freedom joined the protest in front of Schumer’s New York office.

Esther Portillo-Gonzales: “We are targeting Senator Schumer because of his ties with prison companies that are incarcerating thousands and millions of immigrants. So one of our major demands is that his ties with prison companies come to an end and that his comprehensive immigration reform bill be based on family unity and not on detention and deportation, as it currently stands.”