Thread: ICE Won't Deport 2 Of 3 Who Disrupted NC Meeting

ICE Won't Deport 2 Of 3 Who Disrupted NC Meeting

Deportation Of Third Person Under Review

POSTED: 4:07 am EST March 2, 2012
UPDATED: 4:31 am EST March 2, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two of the three young Hispanics who disrupted a legislative meeting on immigration by proclaiming themselves to be illegal immigrants no longer risk deportation.

A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Atlanta said Thursday that the agency won't pursue the two because their cases don't match the priorities of deporting people with criminal records and avoiding those brought to the U.S. as children.

ICE spokesman Vincent Picard says the third person has a criminal history and will require further review. He would not say which person ICE continues to investigate.

General Assembly police charged 24-year-old Uriel Alberto of Winston-Salem, 20-year-old Estephania Mijangos-Lopez of Sanford, and 21-year-old Cynthia Martinez of Broadway with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for disrupting a Wednesday immigration panel.

Read more: ICE Won't Deport 2 Of 3 Who Disrupted NC Meeting - Winston-Salem News Story - WXII The Triad

Some comments from readers:

• Jack May · Top CommenterIf ANY of them are not legal, send them packing NOW!
  Reply · 5 · · 6 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
• James Firemage · Top CommenterBS. Since the law says they are illegals, then ICE needs to deport all of them. And that crap about "not deporting children who were brought to America"? So if I sell dope and give all my earnings to my kids, they get to keep it? Why are they allowing them to benefit from illegal activity, while not allowing drug dealer's kids, bank robber's kids, and every other criminal's kid?
  Is there something special about illegals that give them rights and privileges not given to American citizens?
  Reply · 3 · · 5 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Kimberly Garris · Winston-Salem, North CarolinaThis really trips my trigger! There are proper channels of immigration that should be followed....the reason that these illegals are not scared is because the immigration laws are not upheld! I am all for them having a life here if they follow the proper channels, but when they are living in our society undocumented, this is why they get away with everything. If nothing is going to be done about it, then at least give them documentation so that when they break the law they can't just change their names or run back to Mexico and never be found! I mean REALLY? Do you people realize how many are not paying child support for their children who are born here and laughing at the laws because they cannot be found? Do you people realize how many murders are committed by undocumented aliens who are never caught? Do you people realize how many undocumented drug dealers slip through the system? It's bad enough that they are driving without a license and insurance, getting in to accidents and injuring people and running, and drinking and driving without adding to the problem of arresting them, using our tax dollars to take care of them, and then NOT doing anything about it! And NO, I am not racist.....I see it everyday! Hell, I live it! I am raising my granddaughter, who has an illegal alien father, who runs and laughs at the system and doesn't pay child support! So why don't you people give ME a job.....betcha I can round a few of em up and deport them!
  Reply · 2 · · 2 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Richie Roberts · Top CommenterWe are used to those not enforcing the laws unless they are revenue generating laws.
  Reply · 2 · · 3 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Chelsa Smartypantz Adkins · Top Commenter · Surry Community CollegeSounds like ICE needs new mgmt....
  Reply · 2 · · 3 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  • Kimberly Garris · Winston-Salem, North CarolinaSounds like ICE needs to not only worry about criminal backgrounds, but cocky illegals who think they are entitled to something in the US without going through proper immigration laws!!!!
    Reply · 1 · · 2 hours ago
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • Richie Roberts · Top Commenter Kimberly Garris - This is what angers most of Americans the most, the propaganda, the lies, and this warped sense of entitlement. Every illegal here put an American out of work. All the politicians, churches and anyone else defending this invasion needs to be removed from US soil!
    Reply · · about an hour ago
    
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Jim Smith · Top Commenter · Monroe Community CollegeSo 66% of illegals are allowed to stay.
  Reply · 2 · · 5 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Ron Rideout · Top Commenter · Unc charlotteWhy deport them, that's 2 more democrat votes, besides the fact they have yellow running up their backs!
  Reply · · 5 hours ago
  
  ICE Won't Deport 2 Of 3 Who Disrupted NC Meeting - Winston-Salem News Story - WXII The Triad
  
  
  
  
  
  

2 of 3 immigrants who disrupted N.C. meeting won't be deported

Friday, March 2, 2012 (Updated 5:05 am)

By News & Observer of Raleigh


North Carolina legislative building in Raleigh.

RALEIGH — A federal immigration agency lifted detention holds Thursday for two of the three demonstrators arrested at a state legislative hearing on illegal immigration.

Cynthia Lizabeth Martinez, 21, and Estephania Lizbeth Mijangos-Lopez, 20, were released from jail after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency determined that they didn't fit meet priority criteria, according to an official statement.

The third protester, Uriel Alberto, 24, remains in custody because he has a criminal record, the agency said.

The three Mexican-born immigrants interrupted a hearing Wednesday, wearing bright orange T-shirts that read "undocumented and unafraid."

They yelled at House lawmakers for expressing anti-immigration stances. The eruption came not long after Republican state Rep. George Cleveland suggested that illegal immigrants bring crime to the state.

Court records show that Alberto was charged with assaulting a female in 2009 and convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2008. Other charges include speeding and driving without a license. But an organizer from NC Dream Team, an organization for undocumented young people, said that Alberto had turned his life around.

"We need to send a message out to our youth that are scared, ashamed, petrified to even drive a car," said Viridiana Martinez.

In determining whether to hold a suspect for possible immigration action, ICE spokesman Vincent Picard said the agency looks at three priority factors: criminal record, recent border crossing and egregious or repeated immigration law violations, such as marriage fraud and serial border crossing.

The two people released and Alberto were never in ICE custody.

"That's just a request, that we have the opportunity to take custody," pending further investigation, Picard said of the holds.

A video of the incident uploaded to YouTube appears to show Cynthia Martinez interject as General Assembly security dealt with Mijangos-Lopez across the hearing room following her outburst. As security gets to Martinez, Alberto also interceded.

Both shout their name and undocumented status. Martinez said, "I am this 'criminal' you say…" before commotion drowns her out. Alberto added: "I refuse to be intimidated by the bullies on this committee."

Viridiana Martinez said that it was telling that the majority of the state House's committee on immigration was anti-immigration.

Some onlookers yelled at the protesters, saying "go home." One man near the camera said: "You don't belong here. Ignorance is not tolerated in our state."

Cynthia Martinez and Mijangos-Lopez, both of Sanford, have lived in North Carolina since they were age 2 and 3, respectively. Alberto, of Winston Salem, came to the United States when he was 5. The three are scheduled to appear in Wake County Court on April 2 to face disorderly conduct charges.

source: 2 of 3 immigrants who disrupted N.C. meeting won't be deported : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis