WASHINGTON—Tens of hundreds of individuals, together with some first-generation People, attended the annual White Home Easter Egg Roll on Monday, an occasion geared towards youngsters and family-friendly occasions. However not everybody celebrated the vacation by racing to the end line with a brightly coloured hard-boiled egg and a picket spoon in hand.
Much like a political rally, some adults and kids wore “Make America Nice Once more” hats. Some first-generation People have traveled from out of state to help President Donald Trump and his immigration insurance policies.
Philip Nicozisis and his spouse introduced their 2-year-old daughter from Palm Seaside, Florida. The son of a Greek conflict refugee, he mentioned he approves of the president.
“My grandfather lived in our home together with my dad … so three generations residing within the residence with the immigration perspective,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless, the invaders of the final 4 years, 5 years … all of them have to return in legally. And so I believe the president’s received it proper the place these individuals who broke the regulation must be held accountable and particularly the dangerous guys must be expelled rapidly.”
Trump has made fast expulsions of immigrants a focus of his presidency. Starting in March, the Trump administration ordered the aircraft deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members beneath the wartime Alien Enemies Act, which advocacy teams have challenged in court.
On Monday, the District of Columbia District Courtroom postponed to Could 7 a movement listening to on these deportations. Most lately, the Supreme Courtroom blocked new deportations of immigrants on the Bluebonnet facility in Texas in response to a movement the American Civil Liberties Union filed.
Nevertheless, when requested by a Medill reporter on the Egg Roll, Trump caught by his insurance policies.
“I used to be elected to wash up the mess on this nation. We had thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of individuals are available in who’re criminals, who’re murderers, who’re every part you may think about. Drug lords, drug sellers,” Trump mentioned to reporters as he walked by the gang on the White Home Monday. “They got here in from prisons and from psychological establishments. And I used to be elected to maneuver them out, amongst many different issues. And that’s what we’re doing.”
Nicozisis, who was visiting the White Home for the primary time, mentioned the judges had been working a “judicial dictatorship” and “standing in the way in which of imposing immigration legal guidelines.”
An estimated 40,000 folks attended the egg roll, in accordance with Trump.
Johnny Huerta flew from Van Vleck, Texas, to D.C. along with his grandchildren, ages 5, 7 and 10. His daughter, a Border Patrol agent, beforehand labored on the southern border.
“It’s an superior factor to be right here with any individual that believes in basic ideas,” Huerta mentioned. “I help closed borders, and there needs to be regulation and order, and that’s in each nation.”
Rosie Rios, a first-generation Mexican American, leads America250, which deliberate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Her dad and mom are from Guadalajara.
“Because the daughter of immigrants, my dad and mom came visiting to this nice nation in 1958. My mother who ended up staying in the US to boost all 9 of us as a single father or mother and one way or the other ship all 9 of us off to varsity. That’s the American dream,” Rios mentioned.
Trump spoke for about three and a half minutes to open the occasion round 11 a.m., emphasizing Easter’s function and mentioning Pope Francis’ demise.
“He was man. Labored onerous. He cherished the world, and it’s an honor to try this,” Trump mentioned of the pontiff who died hours earlier than the occasion.
Trump signed an government order to fly federal and state flags at half-staff in honor of the 88-year-old pope, who had been hospitalized in February for double pneumonia.
Francis was recognized to oppose Trump’s harsh immigration insurance policies.
In a February letter to United States bishops, Francis known as Trump’s migrant deportations a “main disaster.”
Francis wrote on the time, “The household of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants in Egypt and refugees there to flee the wrath of an ungodly king, are the mannequin, the instance and the comfort of emigrants and pilgrims of all ages and nation, of all refugees of each situation who, beset by persecution or necessity, are pressured to depart their homeland, beloved household and expensive associates for international lands.”
Cowl Photograph: A younger lady grabs dyed Easter eggs from a desk on the White Home South Garden through the annual egg roll competitors on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Ashley Soriano/Medill Information Service)
Ashley Soriano is a reporting fellow from Northwestern College
