Eau Claire Residents Stage Sit-In Protest at Van Orden Office

Eau Claire residents and congressional candidate Laura Benjamin staged a sit-in protest at Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s office this week.

On Wednesday afternoon, the group visited Congressman Van Orden’s office to share their thoughts on the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The group of a little over a dozen area residents was not able to enter the office, so they shared their thoughts in the hallway outside.

Laura Benjamin, who recently announced her candidacy for the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, said the group was demanding accountability and action in response to recent immigration enforcement activities.

“In your April 26th interview with Breitbart, you indicated our country is rapidly closing in on a very serious constitutional crisis,” she said, reading from a letter addressed to Congressman Van Orden. “On that we agree. However, you went on to state that the blame was on out of control jurists, which is blame misplaced on the Judicial branch rather than where it belongs, on the Executive.”

The comments came following the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan. Judge Dugan is facing obstruction charges after being accused of helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest by federal immigration agents.

Benjamin also called on Congressman Van Orden to publicly condemn the lack of due process and forced abductions being undertaken by immigration authorities, demand an investigation into human rights abuses at the CECOT prison in El Salvador, and reaffirm his sworn duty to uphold the constitution.

As the group waited outside prior to the sit-in, the owner of the building contacted law enforcement authorities. He agreed to allow the group to remain as long as they did not block doors or disrupt other tenants. The group soon dispersed to join the regularly scheduled Wednesday protest outside the federal courthouse in Eau Claire.