Immigration tensions hike as AR-15-wielding Michigan residents rally

At least 50 people carting weapons, flags and posters expressing anger with the porous border took to Vassar, Mich., streets to rally against a plan to ship some of the illegal minor-aged immigrants to their community.

Many in the crowd carried AR-15 rifles and handguns — the latest sign of the growing unrest around the nation that’s marking the federal government’s response to tens of thousands of illegals crossing into U.S. territories in recent months. They also carted “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and a “Second American Revolution” flag, a design that includes the basic Betsy Ross pattern with the Roman number II and a circle of 13 stars, Raw Story reported.

And they marched from Vassar City Hall to the Wolverine Human Services’ Pioneer Work and Learn Center, where several boys from Central America between the ages of 12 and 17 are set to be temporarily housed, The Saginaw News reported.

“We’re not against kids,” said protest organizer Tamyra Murray, in the newspaper. “We have sympathy for the kids being used and exploited by the feds.”

Up to 120 minor-aged illegals are set to stay for up to four weeks in Vassar, an eastern Michigan town with a population of about 2,700, Raw Story said.

Part of the tensions over the border have been due to the federal government’s refusal to provide information on where the children crossing the border illegally would be shipped.

Murrieta, Calif., Mayor Alan Long said a few days ago — amid a sea of locals who rallied to turn back busloads of illegals — that he’s asked repeatedly for information about the number of buses of immigrants his town could expect to receive, but heard nothing back from the feds. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman said similarly just this week.

“Governors and mayors have the right to know when the federal government is transporting a large group of individuals, in this case illegal immigrants, into your state,” Mr. Heineman said, Fox News reported. “We need to know who they are, and so far, they are saying they’re not going to give us that information.”