Thread: Thousands gather for town hall meeting on immigration

By Nicole Blake

Janell Vasquez may not see her husband, Sebastian, for the next nine years, but in the mean time, she is fighting to bring him home from Mexico.

Over the past year, she has compiled hundreds of documents concerning his legalization process, including messages she's sent to state senators, reference letters and papers from the National Visa Center.

Her nightmare began in January 2008 when the couple received a letter instructing them to go to the US Embassy in Mexico to obtain her husband's passport, visa and additional documentation.

Sebastian Vasquez hasn't been home since.

"My 2-year-old son needs him," said the Orlando woman.

Families that have been torn apart by the nation's immigration system shared their stories with thousands who gathered at an Orlando church on Saturday for one of many town hall meetings across the country.

More than 1,500 people from around the state joined US congressmen and church leaders as part of a 20-city tour to document the urgency for immigration reform. US Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill addressed the crowd of mostly hispanic families and encouraged them to let their voices be heard.

"All he [President Barack Obama] has to do is call his secretary of Homeland Security and say, for humanitarian purpose, until the Congress of the United States acts" those who were deported can "go home to their husbands and their wives," Gutierrez said. "It's as simple as that."

Robert Cote from Tavares is fighting a legal battle over whether his wife will stay in the US or be deported. She was detained by police in February while serving as an interpreter during a domestic abuse call.

"With a lot of immigrants, they might be able to intimidate them and hold them down," Cote said. They're not going to hold me down. She is married to someone that's not going to be quiet."

Future town hall meetings are scheduled in Detroit, Philadelphia and San Jose, Calif.

Tags:WDBO | immigration reform

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http://wdbo.com/localnews/2009/03/thous ... -hall.html

Guttierez attitude is "what the hell right do Americans have to say who can immigrate or stay in this country. Not one person who can have a cousin vote for me or donate to my campaign should have to leave. If you want to disagree with me are you a congressman."

FOR SOME REASON I CAN'T GET MY COMMENT TO STICK ON THIS.

Doesn't Luis have any work to do about reading bills and deciding how to vote on them? He is a US Rep, the job that Illinois taxpayers are paying him for, so why the crap is he all over the country (guaranteed not on his nickle) invading other states with anti-American rhetoric and trying to start what could be the next civil war? He needs to be expunged from the congressional body, tried for treason and exported to his ancestral country of origin. His loyalty to uphold the Constitution and laws of the land should be closely questioned.

Yes, we need to reform our lax immigration enforcement. And we do need to reform the 14th amendment that illegals and their politcal advocates have been manipulating and abusing which runs contrary to the stated law. Yes, we need to reform the fact that political clowns and traitors like Guttierez are wasting our hard earned tax dollars to push forth an Amnesty agenda that the American people don't want.

The biggest reform needed is for our corrupt Government to actually support the American people.

Hear our voices Washington, we don't want Amnesty! And we want the illegals out of our of OUR country.

Families that have been torn apart by the nation's immigration system

There is noting wrong with our immigration laws. They just need to be enforced. The US immigration laws did not tear any family apart, the individuals engaging in illegal activity bear that blame.

Also, that woman can move her son to Mexico to be with his father, if she really means what she says about the boy needing his father. Don't say one thing and do another, it's a very obvious dramatical lie.

Dixie

Yes, the families are being torn apart is very weak but meant to appeal to our emotions. When illegals cross into our country aren't they tearing families apart by leaving home? Actions have consequences.

One group helping to "tear their families apart" it is our treasonous politicians who Unconstitutionally give US citizenship to their children.

I went to the source link this morning and read the comments. There are only about 10 there, but not one of them is for this "shamnesty"....do these politicians really think they're going to shove this down our throats? Do they remember when Bush did his little "meetings" all over the nation, trying to convince Americans that abolisihing social security was a "good" thing? That blew up in his stinking face too!

How did I know Gutierez would be involved. That man is a sorry excuse for an American.