A Picanha Steak taco truck cook is surrounded by media and protesters during a “Taco-Truck-Wall” Culinary Union Local 226 protest at Trump International, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016.
Published Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 | 12:42 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 | 12:58 p.m.
A crush of Donald Trump detractors gathered outside the GOP presidential nominee’s namesake Las Vegas hotel this morning to rally for Democratic candidates ahead of the final presidential debate at UNLV.
Near the protesters was a line of food trucks creating a makeshift wall — an ode to Trump’s plan to build a barrier along the United States’ southwestern border to keep out illegal immigrants, and a riff on the viral comment made by Marco Gutierrez, founder of Latinos for Trump: “My culture is a very dominant culture, and it’s imposing and it’s causing problems. If you don’t do something about it, you’re going to have taco trucks on every corner.”
Culinary Workers Union Local 226, one of the most powerful groups in the state, helped organize the pre-debate event, which drew occasional honks from passing motorists and cheers from the crowd.
A number of other politically active groups attended the rally, including NextGen Climate Nevada, the Nevada State AFL-CIO, Mi Familia Vota, Battle Born Progress, American Bridge and unions representing electricians and teachers, among others.
Congressional candidate Ruben Kihuen, a Democrat and son of a housekeeper, spoke about how his family immigrated to this country when he was 8 years old. He fears other immigrant children won’t be afforded the same opportunities to find success here if Trump is elected president.
“Unfortunately, we have a presidential candidate who does not support the American Dream,” Kihuen said.
Later, he commended hard-working people like his mother, calling them the foundation of the United States. “It’s not people like Donald Trump that make America great,” Kihuen said.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who appeared at the rally, implored the attendees to “vote for hope ... vote for workers ... vote to raise our wages.”
Jackson, a former presidential candidate, said American voters have a choice to make this election — to embrace diversity and work out issues related to immigration or mass deport people living illegally in the United States, as Trump previously has suggested.
“We need bridges, not walls,” Jackson said, echoing a phrase political activists have frequently used this election season.
The anti-immigrant rhetoric during this election irks 44-year-old Lilik Sargsyan, who moved to the United States in 2005 from Armenia after winning an immigration lottery. She works as a housekeeper at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
The United States, she said, is a nation of immigrants. That’s why Sargsyan, a first-time voter, didn’t hesitate when asked whom she supports for president.
“I have to give my voice for Hillary Clinton,” she said.
Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas is steps away from the Las Vegas Strip and three miles from UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center, where he and Clinton will square off tonight for the final presidential debate.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy