Downtown L.A. rally protests Trump's new deportation plans

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- President Donald Trump had planned to launch new deportation operations Sunday, but at the last-minute postponed the effort to give Congress time to act.

Still, immigration activists and local families took to the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday to protest the president's plans.

They held signs and chanted, directing their anger toward Trump and demanding he stop separating families.

"The fear he's bringing into our community is not OK," said one protester, who identified herself as Zuleya.

Last week Trump tweeted about deporting millions of, in his words, "illegal aliens."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were targeting about 2,000 people in "family units" who had already received final orders to leave the country.

That meant families were worried about being torn from their loved ones.

Then Saturday, the president postponed that sweep for at least two weeks, saying he would give Democrats a chance to work out a border security package.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights held the rally Sunday in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Protesters gathered on a side of the detention center where buses come in and out of the facility. Detainees could be heard rapping on windows from the building above, so protesters chanted their support.

"It is very unconscionable to see a president use fear to divide the community for political purposes," said Jorge Mario Cabrera with CHIRLA.

The uncertainty is sending fear through immigrant communities, affecting even American-born citizens.

"This is really emotional," said Alejandra Franco of Los Angeles. "My mom crossed and that's why I have the opportunity to live here and be a citizen and to study and I can't not support the people who are also fighting for their children."