Thread: Gutierrez Amnesty Tour Stops in Milwaukee

Stories of deportation find an ear
Congressman says current immigration rules hurt families

By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Mar. 22, 2009 11:43 p.m.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/41664032.html

Rosa Bautista broke into tears as she told a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 1,000 who filled St. Adalbert's Catholic Church on Sunday afternoon about how the father of her four children had been deported to Mexico City.

She's a U.S. citizen, and her children are, too, but the day before Good Friday last year, the man in their lives was deported, she said. He had been here nine years and worked as a roofer, Bautista said.

"I ask you, if you were in my shoes, would you like to see your family separated as we are?" she asked the crowd.

Edward Ike of Nigeria told of how he and his wife could bring only two of their four children with them because their U.S. sponsor couldn't afford the other two. That was in 2003. The 6-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter they left behind are now 11 and 13, he said.

"It broke our hearts, but we promised to bring them soon, as soon as possible," he said. "It has caused deep pain in my wife and myself."

He said at least now immigration is working on his case.

The stories were part of a "Families United" rally and prayer service sponsored by the Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope and Jewish and Muslim leaders.

Milwaukee is the 12th stop in five-week, 20-city listening tour led by U.S. Rep Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who said he wants others to hear the stories of what's happening to families and to influence President Barack Obama to bring about comprehensive immigration reform.

Two protesters stood outside the church. Nate Beck carried a sign that read, "No Amnesty. Stop Illegal Immigration. Enforce the law." Next to him, Jason Vaught waved an American flag.

"They want to change the laws, but they need to enforce the laws," Beck said. He said his wife, who is from Laos, had waited in a refugee camp before entering the country legally, and others should do the same.

At a similar gathering Saturday at a Catholic church in Chicago, Gutierrez said Cardinal Francis George called on the Obama administration to stop workplace immigration raids and deportations and to push for passage of immigration reform "that is fair and compassionate."

In San Francisco, he said, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended and called the raids and deportations "un-American."

"One voice and one leader at a time, we will build and build to get immigration reform," Gutierrez told the crowd at St. Adalbert's, 1923 W. Becher St.

The listening tour is sponsored by faith groups and held in church sanctuaries because "churches are the places where immigrants are welcomed, cherished and defended," he said.

Gutierrez said an estimated 5 million children who are U.S. citizens have a parent who has been deported, is awaiting deportation or is threatened by deportation.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat, also attended the St. Adalbert's event and lent her support to efforts to overhaul the immigration system.

"The centerpiece of that has to focus on family reunification," she said.

Last week, Gutierrez and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus met with Obama on immigration reform.

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MILWAUKEE - Rosa Bautista has been raising her four children on her own since immigration authorities arrested and deported her husband two years ago.

"They were there. They saw it. They were crying," she said. "It's just hard."

Bautista shared her story with thousands who packed the pews in St. Adalberts at Becher and Forest Home. Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) sponsored what they called the Family Unity Event.

The mostly Hispanic crowd gave a standing ovation to Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) believing he will be their voice in Washington.

"End the raids, end the deportation," Gutierrez told a cheering crowd.

Milwaukee is the twelfth of a 20 city tour of rallies for Gutierrez. He wants President Obama to make good on campaign promises to relax immigration laws.

"we'll go from church to church, from city to city until the President brings about a comprehensive immigration bill and signs it into law," Gutierrez told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray.

Several local pastors and priests signed a petition supporting the effort.

The frustration spilled outside toward a handful of demonstrators who spoke out for cracking down on illegal aliens.

"The group tonight is saying let's stop these deportations, they're splitting up families," said Nate Beck, who opposes amnesty reform. "But, those people who came here illegally broke the law and they knew they were breaking the law."

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/41662902.html