Thread: Church, immigrant rights group rally for local mom facing deportation

By Matt Vande Bunte
The Grand Rapids Press
Updated: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 3:51 PM


Heidi Pablo-Lorenzo, 5, of Grand Rapids, stands in front of a sign pleading for her mother not to be deported during a protest Wednesday on Bostwick Avenue. Victoria Lorenzo-Calmo fled Guatemala to escape abuse and all three of her children were born in the United States. Victoria is set to be deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in January but cannot bring her children because of medical treatment they need in the U.S. Two of her children were born deaf and are under-going cochlear implant surgeries and treatment. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)
9 photos at:
http://photos.mlive.com/4469/gallery...ake/index.html

GRAND RAPIDS — Thrust into a complex debate about the country’s immigration policies, one of Victoria Lorenzo-Calmo’s children has a simple plea:

“Obama, don’t deport my momma.”

That was one of the signs held Wednesday outside Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital as the Guatemalan woman and her supporters rallied on the Bostwick Avenue NE sidewalk. They want U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to let Lorenzo-Calmo stay in town so her youngest child, 14-month-old Jason, can be treated for a hearing impairment.

“She’s not a criminal. She’s a mother,” said Basti Marquez, a local teacher who’s housing Lorenzo-Calmo’s family at her Kentwood home.

Lorenzo-Calmo said she fled Guatemala to escape domestic abuse and in 2001 entered the United States illegally. While here, she married a Guatemalan man with whom she has three U.S.-born children: Jaqui, 6, Heidi, 5, and Jason, 1.

Now, as the federal agency allegedly tries to send Lorenzo-Calmo back to Guatemala, she said her children need to stay here for proper medical attention.

“All I want is to be here for my children,” Lorenzo-Calmo said through an interpreter. “I have not committed any crime.

“Please, please listen to me. I don’t have anything without my children.”

Wednesday’s brief rally was organized by the Alliance for Immigrants Rights & Reform Michigan, a Dearborn-based group pushing for changes in U.S. policy. About 30 people — mostly family and friends from church — participated. Many held signs that read “Save the children’s hearing” or “Don’t let ICE tear this family apart.”

One of the rally’s organizers said Lorenzo-Calmo and her husband fell for an immigration scam that promised them money, but instead brought them to the attention of authorities.

Lorenzo-Calmo said she wasn’t sure how authorities located the couple, only that they came to her house and took them away.

Aside from the larger immigration debate, “the bigger issue here is the children” who would be left behind if Lorenzo-Calmo gets deported, said the Rev. Michael Soto, senior pastor of New Life Christian Center in Wyoming.

“Breaking up the family is devastating, no matter what the immigration status,” he said. “Our main concern as a church is to not see a family divided.”

Both 6-year-old Jaqui and 1-year-old Jason have had cochlear implants to help them hear. Staff at the Grand Rapids Oral Deaf program at Shawnee Park School believe the children’s development will be hindered if they leave the country.

Lorenzo-Calmo is scheduled to appear for deportation Jan. 9, said her Ann Arbor attorney, Brad Thomson. Her husband, Viviano Pablo, who worked as a painter, was deported in September, he said.

“That’s all we’re asking is to give Victoria some time,” said Jonathan Contreras, a nephew of Marquez and a community organizer with the Alliance. “These (U.S.) citizens depend on Victoria to take care of them.

“Every day people are being deported. Families are being separated. People like Victoria are not a priority. (U.S. immigration enforcement) should focus on criminals.”

The Alliance wants federal officials to heed a recent Obama Administration memo calling for deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal records before people like Lorenzo-Calmo.

E-mail the author of this story: localnews@grpress.com

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapi...|+MLive.com%29

She is a criminal, she's been rippin' off Americans since she got here!

Both 6-year-old Jaqui and 1-year-old Jason have had cochlear implants to help them hear. Staff at the Grand Rapids Oral Deaf program at Shawnee Park School believe the children’s development will be hindered if they leave the country.

Is it standard that all children born deaf in the USA get these implants at taxpayer expense?

Well that story, like I needed more reason.. PISSED ME OFF! Stupid woman NEVER should have had Children!
These anchor droppers should be jailed then DEPORTED For being just that, "ANCHOR DROPPERS"!
Compassion for the criminal mother? Hell No!
Prayers for the children? Of course..The stupid moron of a mother never gave them a chance by her own idiotic, criminal, selfish choices..I had an a-hole for a dad, sucks to be me too kids! Now go away whiners..We need to DEPORT your incubators so you have a chance at a better life..Preferably not at my expense.. But for now the laws are what they are..

She is probably getting disability checks for her deaf anchors.

Originally Posted by pattyk

She is probably getting disability checks for her deaf anchors.

That would be a pretty good bet pattyk...YA THINK! And hefty ones at that. Who ever gets the kids after her sorry butt is deported is the NEXT Lucky JACK POT WINNER! Freaking Sad.......