‘Two million, too many’

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Local News

By: Ashmar Mandou

Community members and activists participated in the National Day of Action for Deportation Relief from President Obama this past Monday and Tuesday in an effort to help families affected by deportations in Illinois.

With slogans reading, two million too many and not one more, protestors rallied outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Chicago Field Office on Monday to shutting down the ICE Broadview Detention Center on Tuesday.

“Every time I look at my son I wonder how much longer I will have to seem him. Can President Obama imagine how that feels? The President has the power to close my deportation case and keep me with my son. He has the power to keep families together and he needs to use it,” said Anibal Fuentes Aguilar, the father of a 7 month-old son, was detained by ICE in December and placed in deportation proceedings. After months of community organizing, he forced ICE to grant him a six month stay of removal, but is still concerned about the outcome.

By the middle of April, President Obama will have carried out two million deportations, more than any other president. Hundreds walked to the ICE detention center to raise awareness which culminated in several arrests.

“No family should have to experience the pain and fear we have experienced since my husband was detained and deported,” said María Paz, whose husband Brigido Acosta Luis was deported in November. “We are tired of President Obama’s excuses. If he won’t stop deportations, we wills top them ourselves.”

PHOTO CREDIT: ICIRR

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