ALBANY, N.Y. -- A protest Friday outside a Capital Region field office for citizenship and immigration services had a simple message -- abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But employees weren't at work Friday morning -- the office was closed. A statement from ICE read: "For the safety of the public and our employees, USCIS, like other tenants at this location, opted to close due to anticipated protests, in accordance with office policy. What these demonstrators may not realize, is that they are actually hurting the people they are trying to help when their actions prevent immigration officers from doing their jobs, adjudicating benefits for those who have applied and now are unable to attend their scheduled appointments."

 

 

The demonstrators who showed up echoing a larger call to end the related branch of immigration and customs enforcement -- due to its part in enforcing President Donald Trump's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy.

"It’s disgusting; it's repugnant. We're talking about people who have been in the community for a decade or more, people who are working, paying taxes. They need to be with their kids,” said Richard Ring, a protester. "ICE has only existed since 2003. It needs to go, and we're going to stay here until it's gone."

Protesters say they had no plans to block the doors, or disrupt anyone trying to attend citizenship appointments or other business.