Patricia Okoumou says she still does not regret climbing the base of the Statue of Liberty, even though a federal judge convicted her on all counts for her one-woman protest against President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

"The world got to see the ugly side of our history," she said. "It's up to us to stand up, as I did on the Fourth of July, to do right by our issue. Because our children are watching, our children are listening, and the world is laughing at us."

Prosecutors said she put herself, other visitors and law enforcement officials in danger. The incident forced authorities to evacuate thousands of people from Liberty Island.

But testifying on her own behalf, Okoumou said images of migrant children separated from their parents at the border and placed in cages gave her nightmares. She said she needed to take bold action to draw attention to policy she finds immoral.

"Instead of welcoming them like Lady liberty symbolizes, instead of treating them with kindness, what we show them is cages," she said.

Federal Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein convicted Okoumou of misdemeanor trespassing, interference with government agency functions and disorderly conduct. He said he did "not doubt the sincerity of her beliefs" but that whatever her motive, she broke the law. 

Okoumou's lawyers, including Michael Avenatti, who represented Stormy Daniels in her case against the president, said they were not surprised yet still disappointed because they felt their client had been in the right morally, if not legally. 

"Patricia Okoumou acted out of the deepest and most profound sense of conscious in this extremely fraught and perilous time in the history of our republic," said Ronald Kuby, one of Okoumou's lawyers.

"Sometimes, you have to stand on principle, and history will be incredibly kind to Patricia," Avenatti said. 

A point echoed by supporters, who joined her in court and outside. 

"She sparked a conversation that the nation needed to have," said Hawk Newsom, the founder of Black Lives Matter NY.

Okoumou faces up to 18 months in federal prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 5.