Thread: Bush asked to suspend deportations to Peru for earthquake

Aid to Peru pours in from S. Florida

Posted on Sun, Aug. 19, 2007Digg del.icio.us AIM
BY EVAN S. BENN

ebenn@MiamiHerald.com

As Peru's president vowed on Sunday to rebuild parts of the southern coast devastated by last week's killer earthquake, the South American country's consul general in Miami asked South Floridians to limit relief donations because too much aid has been received already.

Meanwhile, three South Florida immigrant-rights groups asked President Bush to suspend deportations to Peru and grant temporary residence and work permits to undocumented Peruvians in the United States.

The Peruvian-American Coalition, along with Honduran Unity and American Fraternity, sent a letter to Bush that contained twin requests for a deportation moratorium and temporary protected status for Peruvian nationals. The groups said those measures would provide immediate relief to undocumented and deportable immigrants from Peru, where Wednesday's massive quake killed at least 540 people.

Cynthia Bergman, a White House spokeswoman, said the administration will review the letter.

Peruvian President Alan GarcÃ*a, who has taken over recovery operations at the disaster area since shortly after the magnitude-8 earthquake hit, said his government was preparing to rebuild the city of Pisco and would provide basic two-bedroom homes to victims.

''We have many homes and fishermen's wharfs to rebuild,'' GarcÃ*a was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

About 85 percent of homes in Pisco were destroyed by the earthquake, which injured at least 1,500 people in towns along the southern coast. Rescuers continued over the weekend to use sound detectors and infrared cameras to search wreckage for survivors.

The U.S. government has dispatched medical teams and released $150,000 in cash to pay for emergency supplies.

The relief effort from South Florida has been ''extraordinary,'' Consul General Jorge Román Morey wrote in a statement Sunday.

Peruvian Americans and others in the region have dropped off more than 100 tons of supplies at donation sites in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, he said.

The consul general asked residents to limit their donations to bottled water, tents, folding cots, sleeping bags, medications, wheelchairs and crutches.

''The quantity has exceeded our logistical capacity,'' he said.

The worldwide relief effort so far has brought more than 600 tons of food and other supplies to Peru, GarcÃ*a said.

''No one is going to die of thirst or hunger in these cities,'' he said, according to the AP.

GarcÃ*a also downplayed reports of looting, saying few incidents occurred and that order has been restored. About 1,200 soldiers have been deployed to patrol Pisco and nearby areas.

Miami Herald staff writer Alfonso Chardy contributed to this report.


http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breakin ... 08655.html

Wow, these open borders people will use any excuse to keep illegals here!

You'd think they would want to return to help their people during this tragedy!

''We have many homes and fishermen's wharfs to rebuild,''

I knew this was coming...remember the last time this happened and these people are still here after I don't remember how many years. They need to go back and help with the rebuilding.

If they let them stay, they will never leave!!

The request is almost funny. Bush was not going to deport anyone anyway. They might have just brought some unnecessary attention.