Chrissy Teigen tells anti-Trump march she's 'proud to be a daughter of an immigrant'
'Making America greater most definitely doesn't mean turning asylum-seekers away or kidnapping their kids to turn them away from coming here'
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Chrissy Teigen has won praise for delivering a passionate speech at the Families Belong Together March in LA on Saturday, where thousands of people gathered to protest against the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies.
Speaking at a podium while holding her six-week-old baby son Miles, Teigen took the opportunity to preach about the virtues of immigrants in America, adding that she’s “proud to be a daughter of an immigrant”.
She was joined by husband John Legend, who delighted the crowd by performing various tracks, including Marvin Gaye’ “What’s Going On?” - the 1971 political anthem inspired by police brutality - and urged protesters to act: “You can’t just talk about it or tweet about it. You’ve got to do something,” he said.
Beginning her speech, Teigen said: “We love that the American story is filled with people who come from all over the world to have a better life here.”
“Making America great doesn't mean building walls to keep people out; it means continuing to embrace the dreams of immigrants who add to our culture, our economy, and our humanity.”
She went on to impersonate the President - who famously blocked her on Twitter last year - and lambaste the government’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy, which saw children being separated from their parents at the border in Mexico.
"Making America greater most definitely doesn't mean turning asylum-seekers away or kidnapping their kids to turn them away from coming here," she said.
The policy was implemented in April and led to thousands of asylum-seeking families to be separated at the Mexico border, with hundreds of children being sent to detention centres in Texas where they were reportedly allowed outside for just two hours a day.
After sparking global outcry, President Trump ultimately signed an executive order calling for an end to family separations at the border.
However, just 500 out of the 2,300 children separated are estimated to have been reunited with their families, leaving hundreds unaccounted for.
17 states have since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in light of the policy, arguing that the executive order did not put a finite end on family separations at the border and was only a “vague” declaration.
In addition to the march in LA, which was attended by 55,000 people, rallies against the policy also took place in New York City, Boston, and Ohio.
Teigen's speech at the march was a resounding hit on social media, with fans praising the former model for her heartfelt words and for bringing her young son along to the proceedings.
"Love that @chrissyteigen brought her kids! Never too young to protest!," enthused one person on Twitter.
"The power of Chrissy holding Miles in her arms today while delivering her speech was truly touching," added another.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments