BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – A Southern Tier group is protesting the recent separation of children from their families, along with potential new health care measures.

In the past five weeks, nearly 2,000 kids were reportedly split from their parents.

On Wednesday, Father Tim Taugher joined local residents and faith leaders to speak out against the current immigration measures. They're calling on Congresswoman Claudia Tenney to oppose the current law.

Taugher says what's happening at the border goes against everything taught to Americans.

"It's sickening. I'm sick, emotionally drained to see this happening in our country. It's such a moral part of our faith tradition as a Catholic and as so many other faith traditions," said Taugher.

Taugher and local students will hold another protest at the Supreme Courthouse in Binghamton next Saturday.

Members of Citizen Action also held a protest in front of Congresswoman Claudia Tenney's office Wednesday. The group is opposing the potential repeal of the individual mandate. But those opposed to lifting the mandate say it could end up raising health insurance premiums nearly 12 percent.

One protester, who has a pre-existing condition, claims his rates have already gone up.

"It's very important to me, but I know it's so important to millions of others and the actions that have been taken by the government of the past year have not been to make things better," said Mike Hermann, a resident of Vestal.

Currently, the mandate says anyone who doesn't have health insurance that complies with the ACA could face a tax penalty of $695.