Thread: {SOB}Struggling illegal immigrants yearn for reform

By Joseph Ruzich | SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
February 26, 2009
Sal didn't just get laid off from his factory job in 2001; the Cicero resident also lost out on a chance to become an American citizen.

At that time, Sal and his wife—who both came from Mexico 20 years ago—were being sponsored for citizenship by his employer. But when the plant closed, his wish of living in America without the constant fear of being deported evaporated.

"The entire [citizenship application] process was stopped," said Sal, 39, who entered the U.S. with a work visa that was good for only six months. "It was very frustrating for us," he said. "We really thought we would finally become citizens."

Sal, who has two American-born children, a 9-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son, said he plans to apply for citizenship again but added that doing so is very expensive.



"It will cost me $10,000 just to get a lawyer," said Sal, who has been able to find only temporary work since losing his factory job. "I'm saving for it. I have no choice. We can't move back to Mexico. I don't even know anyone there."

Sal and about 80 other mostly Hispanic immigrants, along with faith leaders, held a prayer vigil Saturday at Vida Abundante Church in Cicero for the protection of immigrant families and to call on President Barack Obama and Congress to enact humane Immigration reform. The vigil was part of a nationwide movement—Prayer, Renewal and Action on Immigration—taking place in more than 100 cities across the United States in February.

At Vida Abundante, 1321 S. Austin Blvd., a church rock band kicked off the vigil, singing songs about immigrant rights and asking God to shed his grace on the country's new president. Those attending the event sang along and waved their hands toward the ceiling.

"This is the year of reform," Pastor Andres Gallardo said in Spanish to the crowd. "Obama won with the help of the Latino vote. He has promised Immigration reform this year. I hope it will finally come. We are so focused on the bad economy and the war that we forget about helping out our brothers and sisters."

Pastor Ismael Vargas said Immigration is a human rights issue.

"Families are being separated," Vargas said. "Parents are being arrested in front of their American-born children. What kind of future will those children have?

"This is a country of liberty. We are a country of immigrants. We want our message to be heard all the way to Washington, D.C.," he said to a cheering audience.

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the United States has tightened its borders in an attempt to keep terrorists from entering the country.

Deportations also have been on the rise.

According to Gail Montenegro, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 367,000 people in the U.S., including 11,500 in the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri), were sent back to their home countries in 2008. Those numbers have increased compared with 2007, when 290,600 people throughout the United States, including 9,000 from the Midwest, were deported.

"As a result of 9/11, [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was created to address any vulnerability that exists in our nation," Montenegro said. "We are mandated to enforce the law, and we do so aggressively."

But Immigration advocates argue that by increasing deportations, the government too often breaks up families.

Obama pledged in his campaign to increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill. He called the current Immigration system "dysfunctional" but also said borders should be more secure and the government should crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

On their campaign Web site, Obama and running mate Joe Biden called for "a system that requires undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens."

The federal government estimates that there are 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Sal said he doesn't know if Obama will follow through with his promises.

"There are a lot of other problems going on [in the U.S.] right now," he said. "But this is a major issue. What would happen to my kids if I wasn't here for them? This is their country now. This is my country now."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 0618.story

Struggling Americans yearn for having our immigration laws enforced. Twenty years here illegally is unacceptable.

Sal didn't just get laid off from his factory job in 2001; the Cicero resident also lost out on a chance to become an American citizen.

At that time, Sal and his wife—who both came from Mexico 20 years ago—were being sponsored for citizenship by his employer. But when the plant closed, his wish of living in America without the constant fear of being deported evaporated.

"The entire [citizenship application] process was stopped," said Sal, 39, who entered the U.S. with a work visa that was good for only six months. "It was very frustrating for us," he said. "We really thought we would finally become citizens."

What am I missing?
They both came from Mexico 20 yrs ago (1989)
He entered on a 6 month work visa, which would have expired in 1989 or 1990.
Their employer was sponsoring them for citizenship, even though in 2001 his work visa was expired and had been expired for 11 years.
The citizenship process was stopped in 2001, yet they are still here, 8 years later, now apparently hoping for amnesty.
How and why was his factory job employer sponsoring two illegal aliens with an expired visa from 1990 for citizenship even though it's been proven again and again when factories are raided, Americans do line up looking for these jobs?