TODAY -- Pictured: Ms. Rachel on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 -- (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
NEWARK, N.J. - Ms. Rachel is using her massive platform to call out family separation and immigrant justice.
What we know:
The YouTube star and children's educator, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, visited families outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark this week as she condemned policies that are "traumatizing precious children."
Accurso took to Instagram with several videos, including one talking to the daughter of a man detained in the facility after living in the United States for 20 years and working as a truck driver.
"Please let their kind, loving father be with his family again," she wrote in the post. "I spoke with many traumatized kids who are scared to sleep at night. Why are we terrorizing children?"
Another video showed Accurso sitting with families and immigration activists singing, "Together we'll sing down the walls everywhere... together we'll sing until everyone's free."
She says that they will continue singing every night until everyone is free, encouraging her followers to sing along.
The other side:
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson fired back against claims of family separation in a statement to FOX News Digital.
"ICE does not separate families," the spokesperson said. "Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates."
6 arrested during Delaney Hall protests in Newark, including repeat offenders
Six individuals were arrested over the weekend during protests at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey,
The backstory:
The demonstrations at Delaney Hall began after immigration advocates reported that detainees inside the facility had launched a hunger strike to protest poor living conditions. Over the last several weeks, the situation has intensified into physical standoffs.
According to authorities, the protests escalated into chaos when demonstrators linked arms to form human chains to block vehicles and personnel from entering or exiting; used trash cans, umbrellas and other makeshift items as shields and barricades; surged into police barriers, allegedly throwing rocks and spraying tear gas at officers; and clashed with counter-demonstrators in "pro-ICE" groups.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the Ms. Rachel's Instagram profile, FOX News Digital and previous reporting by FOX 5 NY.