Imagine you’re sitting at home one afternoon when a group of armed Federal agents bang on your door and demand you let them in.
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For 24 year old Manuel Marron Marquez this occurred just a couple months ago. ICE agents appeared claiming to be looking for a fugitive on the wanted list. Manuel and his family, full of fear and confused, felt like they had no choice but to let the officers in. Manuel tried explaining to the officers that he and his family had no idea of who they were looking for and where they could be staying.
However ICE officials did not believe him, they demanded to see documentation and went on to unlawfully interrogate him. After discovering that Manuel is an undocumented immigrant and is not in the U.S. lawfully he was arrested and taken into custody. He is not charged with criminal charges nonetheless he is still being detained in Immigration custody at the Battle Creek jail, he spent the holidays sitting in a jail waiting hopelessly.
All this occurred over two months ago and Manuel is still facing deportation. He was denied bond because he does not qualify for any long term relief under current immigration laws.
Manuel was brought to the United States when he was less than two years old. He graduated from high school despite of his learning disabilities and dreams of going to college. He financially supports his widowed mother, and his siblings who are U.S. citizens, including one who has a serious mental condition.
Manuel is now twenty four years old. He does not know or remember anything about Mexico. He cannot speak or write in Spanish and has no family in Mexico. He is a DREAM eligible student full of potential.
However his future is looking dim. He sits every day in a jail like a criminal. He deserves an opportunity to fulfill his goals and go on to college. His family, his friends, and his community are supporting him but we need you to sign his petition too.
Everyday Manuel spends in detention is another day that his mom and his siblings must endure of suffering.
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Make a Phone Call Now:
1. Call ICE John Morton: 202-732-3000
2. Call DHS Janet Napolitano: 202-282-8495
Sample Script: “I am calling to ask that DREAMer Manuel Marron Marquez (A # 200 298 740) be release & allowed to stay in the U.S. Manuel has been living in this country since the age of two and dreams of continuing his education and supporting his U.S citizen siblings. Manuel is DREAM Act eligible and shouldn’t be deported. Don’t deport Manuel.”
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Ola was brought to the United States when she was just 4 years old and has lived in Detroit, Michigan ever since. Despite having lived in the United States for fourteen years, she is currently fighting her deportation to a country she no longer remembers.
Ola and her mother, Violeta, came to the United States from Albania in 1998 and immediately applied for asylum. They lost their asylum case as a result of the negligence of their immigration attorney, when he failed to file court papers necessary for the family to get approved. On March 28th, 2011, Ola and Violeta were going to a routine visit with the immigration office in Michigan, when they were arrested and detained.
Ola will be graduating this year from Cousino High School and wishes to continue with her
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By Maria I.
Dear Alabama
If you’re an undocumented student like me, finding a prom date is the least of your problems. It’s figuring what you’re going to do afterwards that really matters. But let’s put this matter to the side for a bit and focus on a new bill Alabama is trying to pass. I love the name by the way; “Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act” because of course the only obvious way to protect Alabama’s citizens is to prevent undocumented students from going to prom and joining school sports. Who knows what kind of havoc they may wreak on their wild baseball adventures.
If you haven’t heard about this bill, it’s sort of similar to the Arizona SB 1070. However this one gets pretty extreme. It’s called a “job’s bill” by its supporter Scott Beason but I’m pretty sure that prohibiting high school kids from joining the National Honor Society has nothing to do with jobs. And it does not stop here, what if you’re a football superstar? Well, too bad! Undocumented students cannot participate in any extracurricular activities outside of regular academic work.
It’s sad that we are no longer surprised at the fact that every day more and more states are trying to criminalize undocumented immigrants. If someone looks “illegal” then they certainly must be. And I am sure American kids will obviously recognize and point out their undocumented peers as they’re getting down on the prom dance floor.
But this is not what bothers me the most. I don’t know about you, but even though it really upsets me, I like to read the comments that people write. Most of them are clichéd by now, “Stop milking the system”, “You’re stealing our jobs” and similar phrases that I’ve learned to ignore. But this time people’s reactions were different.
People call this new bill hypocritical and “mean-spirited”. Yes America it’s true!! It’s mean to prevent undocumented students from going to prom but it’s completely acceptable to deny them the right to a college education. I’m not trying to criticize the readers who disagree with this bill; I’m simply highlighting its redundancy.
We should not deny undocumented kids the right to play football in high school or join the drama club, but when they want to go on to college and become actors or play college football it’s a completely different story. All of the sudden undocumented students supposedly milk the system and steal tax payer’s money. I wonder how much money the parents of these undocumented students are contributing to this same system without getting any benefits. How is that for mean spirited?
Related Stories:
http://youtu.be/Em6744Cg7lQ
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/alabama-anti-immigration-bill-beason
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