First Lady Melania Trump underscored the “power of love” at the International Women of Courage Award ceremony as her husband President Donald Trump continues to deport people en masse.
The first lady and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the 19th annual awards ceremony Tuesday, honoring eight women from all across the globe.
“Throughout my life, I have harnessed the power of love as a source of strength during challenging times,” Melania said. “Love has inspired me to embrace forgiveness, nurture empathy, and exhibit bravery in the face of unforeseen obstacles. Today we celebrate courage, a strength that is based in love.”
Their remarkable stories speak to the power of love, she said.
The award recipients “came from diverse backgrounds and regions yet love transcends boundaries and territories,” she continued.
“Their courage propels us of humanity forward by advocating to end violence against women and girls, promoting democratic governance, defending human rights, championing education and fighting injustice,” the first lady said.
The first lady’s comments come in sharp contrast to many of her husband’s policies.
Before returning to the White House, Donald Trump vowed to conduct the “largest deportation operation in American history.” Now, just two months into his second term, his deportations have already sparked legal battles while many families across the country plead with the president to find empathy as their relatives run the risk of deportation or have, in some cases, already been deported.
In the latest example, Immigration and Customs Enforcement admitted to accidentally sending Maryland father Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to a prison in El Salvador — which his lawyers described as a “torture center” — claiming he was a member of the MS-13 gang. He fled El Salvador in 2011 to escape gangs that allegedly stalked, assaulted, and threatened to kill and kidnap him, court filings say.
“On March 15, although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” the government wrote in a filing Monday in a lawsuit brought by Abrego Garcia’s family. His relatives are demanding the U.S. government request the country return him to the United States.
The White House has defended his deportation saying he was a member of a gang.
In another example that has rocked the nation, the federal government has moved to revoke the green card of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.
The student activist, who says he mediated discussions between the university and pro-Palestine students last year, was arrested and detained in early March. The Trump administration has labeled him as “pro-Hamas” and accused him of “antisemitic activities.” Protests have erupted across the country, calling to free Khalil.
Meanwhile, some fear the state of human rights and democracy in America is at stake as the U.S. was recently added to a global watchdog’s watchlist of countries of “faltering civic freedoms” as the Trump administration pushes the bounds of executive authority and implements sweeping executive orders.
The first lady also spoke of championing education, despite how last month the president ordered the closure of the department of education. Melania added that the recipients taught that while “courage drives us forward, it is love that lays the groundwork for lasting impact, each act of love can spark a ripple of transformation.”
Eight women were honored at Tuesday’s ceremony: Henriette Da of Burkina Faso, Amit Soussana of Israel, Major Velena Iga of Papua New Guinea, Angelique Songco of Philippines, Georgiana Pascu of Romania, Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit of South Sudan, Namini Wijedasa of Sri Lanka and Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj of Yemen.
Rubio also spoke at the ceremony, thanking the recipients for their contributions toward creating a “safer and more secure and just world.”
“The importance of protecting women and girls and promoting their wellbeing are American goals but they also happen to be a strong goal of our president,” the Secretary of State said.
Source: independent.co.uk
