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FACT: More people have been deported under President Obama than under any other president.
image by Victoria Bouloubasis
Despite the hype about comprehensive immigration reform, we can smell the horse manure from miles away. We continue to get calls from people in our community who are getting deported. Mothers like Lorena and Maria Juana, fathers like Isaias, grandfathers like Miguel, and dreamers like Flavio, are the gangbangers President Obama has tried to deport.
This was taken at McLeansville Elementary School. It is a note Maria Juana Perez dropped off at the front desk explaining why her daughters, 9 year-old Nayely and 7 year-old Blanca, missed school the previous day. They were at Senator Hagan’s office asking her to help stop their mother’s deportation. Maria Juana was set to be deported 6 days from the day this note was written.
You see, as undocumented youth who belong to undocumented families, we cannot afford to wait around for comprehensive immigration reform to happen. We at the North Carolina Dream Team have decided to take matters into our own hands. We are securing our own families and in doing so, we plan to secure our own community.
image by V. Bouloubasis
On Sunday, February 17th, NCDT members and our families gathered for an afternoon of information and preparation. We shared with our parents and aunts and uncles and cousins the work we have been doing in the past year. Our families had heard about our work but there’s nothing like bringing them all together. Everyone left with an emergency packet ready to go in case of an arrest by the police or ICE. You see, it is not only us - undocumented youth - who want to no longer remain in the shadows. Our entire families want to no longer remain in the shadows. And it’s our responsibility as undocumented youth to inform and prepare our families for whatever may come. We are our own voice. We are our own power!
image by Victoria B.
If you are interested in having a Secure Your Own Community training, get in touch with Cinthia Marroquin. That’s her in the picture above. You can email her at cinthia@thencdreamteam.org.
Urge her to stop this mother’s deportation!
In the days leading up to Christmas, a North Carolina family may be separated. Yesterday, nine-year-old Nayely and seven-year-old Blanca sat in Senator Kay Hagan’s office with members of the NC DREAM Team, urging the senator to halt the deportation of their mother, Maria Juana. Senator Hagan shamefully ignored these children’s pleas.
“My senator has the power to keep my mom from going to Mexico.” Nayely said.
“All I want for Christmas is my mom,” said Blanca.
Sign the petition!
NC DREAM Team members Elisa Benitez and Cinthia Marroquin refused to leave Senator Hagan’s office until the senator wrote a letter of support for the family to stop the deportation. The senator ignored the family and team’s pleas, and both Benitez and Marroquin were arrested after three hours. They were released shortly afterward.
“We spoke with Hagan’s staffers and it was really clear that they only cared for my opinions because I have papers,” Elisa said. “They brushed over everyone else, including Maria Juana, who came in to speak about her case, with her two daughters, sister and an interpreter that we had to provide.”
Yet, Maria Juana is still set to be deported on Dec. 27. Due to the inaction of Senator Kay Hagan, this family risks being separated and Nayely and Blanca will be left without a parent. Maria Juana is a single mother of three and the sole provider for her family. In a country publicly touting family values, Maria Juana’s deportation would only add to the hypocrisy of politicians and authority and the nearly 250,000 deportations of parents who have U.S. citizen children. Maria Juana is not a criminal, though the following statement was released by Senator Hagan’s office in response to yesterday’s request:
“It is the office’s policy that we do not comment on any individual constituent case. In general, Senator Hagan supports prioritizing the use of the federal government’s limited resources on those individuals who pose a risk to national security or public safety.”
How does a hard-working mother providing a life for her three U.S. citizen children pose a risk to national security and public safety? Senator Hagan shamefully ignored this family. But there is still time to urge her to stand up for this North Carolina family, this mother, these children.
Call Hagan’s office and insist she urges ICE to stop Maria Juana’s deportation!
Washington D.C.: 202-224-6342
Greensboro: 336-333-5311
Sample script: “Hi I’m calling to urge the senator to support Nayely and Blanca. They need their mom this Christmas. She will be deported in 6 days. Will the senator keep Nayely and Blanca’s family together?”
What Senators can do:
1. Issue a signed letter in support of Maria Juana Perez. The letter should specifically ask that Maria’s deportation be stopped and her request for discretion. The senator must take a position on Maria’s case.
2. Call John Morton, the director of ICE, directly and ask that he use his discretion. Senators in many previous cases have made this call.
3. Issue a private bill. Any senator can sponsor a private bill and as soon as one is issued it will put a hold on any deportation for the remainder of the congressional session.
If Senator Hagan’s office tells you anything different then push them to do the above. They have the power to do it.
Have you made your call to Senator Hagan today? Nayely and Blanca’s mom is set to be deported in just 8 DAYS! Senator Hagan is her only hope.
Senator Kay Hagan
Washington DC: 202-224-6342
Greensboro: 336-333-5311
Sample Script: “Hi, I’m calling to ask that Senator Hagan support Maria Juana Perez Santiago (A# 200-576-618) and stop her deportation set for December 27, 2012. Maria Juana is the sole bread winner for her family that includes three US Citizen children. In 2010, Senator Hagan killed the DREAM Act because she wanted Comprehensive Immigration Reform. We are holding the Senator accountable to that. The Senator has a responsibility to keep this family together. Maria Juana is a low-priority case and her deportation should be stopped immediately.”
When you make a call expect to hear that the Senator can’t do anything. But she can. She has the power to do the following:
1. Issue a signed letter in support of Maria Juana Perez. The letter should specifically ask that Maria’s deportation be stopped and her request for discretion. The senator must take a position on Maria’s case.
2. Call John Morton, the director of ICE, directly and ask that he use his discretion. Senators in many previous cases have made this call.
3. Issue a private bill. Any senator can sponsor a private bill and as soon as one is issued it will put a hold on any deportation for the remainder of the congressional session.
Let us know what they tell you. And thank you for your support!
