Immigration Police Break Families

 this sculpture faces Cleveland's Federal Building

A delegation of Catholic churchman went to Washington D.C. recently, with a special intent to influence the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, to pass legislation on immigration; something, supposedly, he would do if his party approved, and something he could do even if they did not; but working with Democrats is something they loathe in considering. Miami's archbishop, Thomas Wenski said at Mass, “Our immigration system is a stain on the soul of our nation. As a moral matter, it must be changed. We must pray that our elected officials recognize this and have the courage to reform it”.

There is a special prosecutorial zeal in removing Mexicans. An exemplar of this totalitarian push in the bureaucracy is Rebecca Adducci, Director of the Detroit Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Her bailiwick includes this part of Ohio. There is something called the 'Morton Memo' which reads that immigrants in deportation proceedings can remain in the U.S. if they are good people with strong ties in the United States.  The memo lists numerous criteria ICE officers are supposed to consider.  However, this memo is consistently ignored by the Detroit Field office, which oversees Cleveland.*

To-day, there was in Cleveland a rally and press conference at the Free Stamp sculpture, across the street from Cleveland's Federal Building. Some two hundred people came to plead the cause of the family of Luis Nicasio Padilla. He had to surrender himself to-day for possible deportation. He is a musician, and family man, a father of children born in this country.

There is also the non-uniform application of the severity of enforcement. While Padilla leads a peaceful lifestyle as a responsible father, husband, and musician, someone such as the millionaire Justin Bieber, an English language 'pop' performer, whom has had repeated bouts of hooliganism is not the target of federal immigration police.

Such visible protests are necessary, for these people will only relent from their behaviour by public shaming. Silence always benefits the oppressor. A photographer from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and cameramen from WEWS and WKYC came. Here is where the press is an ally of the people, the actions of the government are made known outside the immediate circle of people affected.

 “What do you tell a child when he wakes up and asks if his father will be deported to-day?”

Part of the support community, who serenaded the Federales. They also cried out for Adducci to find work elsewhere.

Three advocates with Mr. & Mrs. Padilla returning with mixed news from the Federal Building, “come back next week”.
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*The second part of the paragraph taken from Veronica Dahlberg's press release. She has spent ten years advocating for people that were in such circumstances, and can not get over the continuous feeling of absolute nastiness she and they have received from the immigration police and allied functionaries. They comport themselves with a complete lack of humanity and courtesy.
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postcriptum June 12, 2014:  Please sign this petition: http://act.americasvoice.org/page/speakout/tell-dhs-secretary-jeh-johnson-to-stop-luis-deportation-?js=false#step-3
"another major battle with ICE. It will not be easy because Detroit ICE is digging in its heels. They denied his stay petition last week, and then also denied a request for reconsideration on Wednesday. There is an urgency because Luis has to check in with the deportation officer at ICE on Tuesday."


2nd postscriptum on June 12: "LUIS' stay has just been approved for one year!"

postscriptum 5.30 p.m. 15 June 2014 Father's Day: 
Bittersweet Father's Day for those facing deportation (click)