Protestors urged to understand rights and laws before marching

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Opponents of President Donald Trump’s Administration are set to rally in hundreds of cities on Saturday.

The “No Kings” protests coincide with the president’s birthday, and a number of them will be held in the Rio Grande Valley.

For those participating, how much do they know about their rights as protestors? What cannot be done, as several people have been arrested throughout the United States this week while taking part in ICE raid protests.

Local attorney Carlos Moctezuma Garcia says people have a right to protest as long as they do not break the law. However, he has a major warning for non-citizens thinking of hitting the streets to protest.

“People in this country have a First Amendment right to advocate for whatever position they would like to advocate for," Garcia said. "So people can feel free to demonstrate. Of course, you have to follow the rules, laws, and ordinances that are set in place.

Garcia says people can protest as long as they do not trespass or destroy any property and always obey all city ordinances. He adds that those planning to take part in the protest should always know vital information from organizers.

“Where you're going to be and what the parameters are," Garcia said. "Do we have permission to walk on the street, or do we have to stay on the sidewalk? Can we go onto a property that is private, or do we not have permission to do that? So those kinds of things should be shared by the organizers.”

Garcia says he has received many calls from Trump supporters who say they are not happy with what is going on and that it is too much. Garcia hopes the McAllen Police Department respects those protesting, as it has in the past.

“I believe that there is a large protest that's going to take place in McAllen. The City of McAllen Police Department has always been extremely professional when people are voicing their opinions, and I believe that this will continue to happen," he added.

ValleyCentral reached out to the City of McAllen to see how the city is preparing, but did not comment. However, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and other Valley-area mayors through the South Texas Alliance of Cities issued a joint statement focusing on the local raids.

“These actions are being carried out solely by federal authorities, and our municipal governments were neither informed of nor consulted about these operations in advance," the statement said. "The current lack of communication and transparency has led to confusion, concern, and operational disruptions, particularly for small businesses that are the backbone of our local economies.”

Garcia issued a strong warning to non-citizen immigrants who are thinking of protesting.

“If you're an immigrant in the United States, you have a process with immigration, or even if you're a lawful permanent resident, I'm going to tell you to be very careful, because you don't want to jeopardize that status in any way, shape or form," Garcia said.

Protests are expected to happen in several cities across the Valley on Saturday.