One family's story: People, policy, & the politics of deportation

Rachel Woolf, Emilio Gutiérrez Soto (Knight-Wallace Fellow), Laura Sanders, William D. Lopez discuss "Deported: An American Division" moderated by Ann Lin. January, 2019.

Transcript:

WELCOME TO THE FORD SCHOOL.

IT IS LOVELY TO SEE SO MANY

PEOPLE HERE IN THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.

WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR

THERE'S STILL SPOTS OF SEATS AROUND

IF YOU WANT TO HELP YOURSELF

TO A SEAT, PLEASE FEEL FREE

TO DO THAT.

I'M MICHAEL BARR.

I'M THE JOAN AND SANFORD WEILL

DEAN OF OUR SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU

HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND TO

WELCOME YOU TO THE FORD SCHOOL

FOR THIS MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

DAY EVENT.

I HOPE THAT MANY OF YOU ARRIVED

IN TIME TO ENJOY LUNCH AND TO

VIEW THE WONDERFUL EXHIBIT IN

THE GREAT HALL.

THE EXHIBIT OPENED LAST WEEK AND

WILL STAY UP HERE AT THE FORD

SCHOOL THROUGH THE END OF THIS

MONTH.

IT'S THE PHOTO DOCUMENTARY WORK

OF DENVER-BASED ARTIST AND

EMERGING LENS WINNER RACHEL

WOOLF AND IT'S ACCOMPANIED BY

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT

IMMIGRATION THAT WAS CREATED IN

CONJUNCTION WITH ANN LIN AND

FABIANO SILVER HERE AT THE FORD

SCHOOL AND STAMPS PROFESSOR AT

THE STAMPS SCHOOL OF ART AND

DESIGN.

THE EXHIBIT CHRONICLES THE

EXPERIENCES OF LONG-TIME ANN

ARBOR RESIDENTS BATISTA AND HER

FAMILY.

MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY KNOW PART

OF THE STORY OF THE SALAZAR

FAMILY.

I KNOW FOR LORDES'S FAMILY AND

FRIENDS, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE

TODAY, THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND WHAT

WE'LL EXPLORE AT TODAY'S PANEL

ARE DEEPLY PERSONAL.

IT'S THEIR STORY AND IT BELONGS

TO THEM.

YET WE'RE AT A MOMENT IN

AMERICAN HISTORY WHEN OUR

ATTENTION IS RIVETED BY WHAT IS

UNFOLDING ALONG OUR SHARED

BORDER WITH MEXICO.

IN THE HALLS OF POWER IN

WASHINGTON D. C, IN OUR PUBLIC

SPACES, INCLUDING AT THE LINCOLN

MEMORIAL ITSELF, AND IN TOWNS

AND CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED

STATES.

IMMIGRATION, THE RISING FLOW OF

REFUGEES FROM COUNTRIES

AFFLICTED BY VIOLENCE AND

POVERTY, ARE DEFINITIONS OF

INSIDER AND OUTSIDER, THOSE

ISSUES REPRESENT MANY THOUSANDS

OF INDIVIDUAL'S STORIES AND

THEY'RE ALSO PUBLIC POLICY

CHALLENGES.

THEY REPRESENT POLICY ISSUES AND

DECISIONS THAT REALLY IN MANY

WAYS SLICE STRAIGHT TO THE CORE

OF WHAT AMERICA IS, WHAT AMERICA

DREAMS IT MIGHT BE.

IN HIS LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM

JAIL DR.

KING WROTE, QUOTE, WE

ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE

NETWORK OF MEW TU AT, TIED IN A

SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY.

WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY

AFFECTS ALL INDIRECTLY.

SO I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THE

SALAZAR FAMILY FOR OPENING THEIR

LIVES TO RACHEL AND HER CAMERA.

THEIR STORY AND THOSE OF

THOUSANDS OF OTHERS SEPARATED

FROM THEIR FAMILIES LIVING IN

FEAR, LIVING IN ISOLATION,

HOPING FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR

THEIR CHILDREN, THOSE STORIES

ARE IN A VERY REAL SENSE ALSO

THE STORY OF ALL OF US IN THIS

ROOM.

THEY'RE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS

CITIZENS OR IMMIGRANTS OR THE

CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS.

WHO WE VOTE IN TO OFFICE, WHAT

WE BELIEVE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY,

WHAT WE TRY TO BUILD THAT IT

WILL BE.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY

TO ENGAGE BOTH WITH THE SALAZAR

FAMILY'S EXPERIENCES AND WITH

THE MANY BROAD POLICY ISSUES

AROUND IMMIGRATION AND

DEPORTATION.

ISSUES THAT IT IS OUR

RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND

TO GRAPPLE WITH.

OUR GUESTS FULL BIOGRAPHIES ARE

PRINTED IN YOUR PROGRAM.

WE'VE GATHERED A TERRIFIC GROUP

OF PERSPECTIVES.

I WANT TO THANK THE FORD

SCHOOL'S DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

LEAD STEPHANIE SANDERS FOR

ORGANIZING TODAY'S EVENT.

THANK YOU STEPHANIE WHO IS

SITTING IN THE BACK.

[ APPLAUSE ]

LET ME JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO

GREET EACH OF OUR SPEAKERS.

EMILIO GUITIERREZ SOTO IS A MEGS

CARB JOURNALIST AND ASYLUM

SEEKER WHO IS HERE AS PART OF

THE KNIGHT WALLACE PROGRAM.

WILLIAM LOPEZ FACULTY DIRECTOR

OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SHIRSHIP AT THE

NCID.

LAWRENCE SANDERS IS THE

CO-FOUNDER OF THE FOR IMMIGRANT

RIGHTS.

RACHEL WOOLF WHO I MENTIONED

BEFORE IS AN AWARD WINNING

VISUAL JOURNALIST AND

PHOTOGRAPHER WHOSE WORK SHOWS

ASPECTS OF HUMANITY INTERSECTING

WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES.

WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST IN

THE MIDDLE OF OUR PANEL LORD

ES'S DAUGHTER WHO IS A COMMUNITY

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HERE IN ANN

ARBOR.

FINALLY OUR HOST FOR TODAY'S

EVENT, MY COLLEAGUE, PROFESSOR

ANN LIN, WHO IS AN EXPERT ON

IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

POLICY.

WELCOME TO ALL OF AND THANK YOU

ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

LET ME JUST SAY ONE WORD ON OUR

FORMAT BEFORE GETTING THINGS

STARTED.

WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME TOWARDS THE

END FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE

AUDIENCE.

FORD SCHOOL PROFESSOR FABIANO

SILVER AND TWO FORD STUDENTS

WILL SIFT THROUGH YOUR QUESTION

CARDS AND POSE THEM TO THE

PANEL.

FOR THOSE WATCHING ONLINE PLEASE

TWEET YOUR QUESTIONS USING THE

HASHTAG #POLICY TALKS.

WITH THAT, LET ME TURN THINGS

OVER TO ANN LIN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU ALL FOR

SHOWING UP ON SUCH A SNOWY AND

COLD JANUARY DAY.

IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE ASKED

TO MODERATE THIS PANEL AND TO DO

SO ON A DAY THAT WE DEDICATE TO

REMEMBERING MARTIN LUTHER KING,

JR. AND THE LIVES HE AFFECTED

HERE AND ALSO THE WORK AND THE

IDEALS HE STANDS FOR.

I WANT TO START OFF THE PANEL

TODAY -- SO WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE

THIS PANEL AS MUCH OF A

CONVERSATION AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

I WANT TO START OFF TODAY BY

ASKING LORDES IF YOU WOULD SAY A

LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE MOST

IMPORTANT THING YOU THINK PEOPLE

SHOULD TAKE FROM YOUR AND YOUR

FAMILY'S STORY MIGHT BE?

&gt;&gt; LORDES: HI.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FIRST

THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CAME

HERE AND TOOK THEIR TIME OUT OF

THEIR DAY TO COME TO THIS PANEL.

AND NOW TO ANSWER ANN'S

QUESTION.

I WOULD REALLY WANT TO SAY THAT

OR REALLY SHOW EVERYONE THIS IS

A REAL SITUATION THAT DOES

HAPPEN, THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

ALL OVER THIS -- OR IN THIS

COUNTRY HAVE BEEN THROUGH OR ARE

GOING THROUGH THIS.

AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO, YOU

KNOW, PUT SOME LIGHT INTO IT AND

SHARE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS I

CAN.

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE

WHO, YOU KNOW, STAY SILENT AND

DON'T SAY ANYTHING.

AND THEN, LIKE, WHEN THE EVENT

HAPPENS LATER ON THEY'LL REGRET

NOT DOING ANYTHING AND NOT

SAYING ANYTHING.

AND, YEAH, SO, I JUST REALLY

WANT TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT THIS

IS REAL AND IT DOES HAPPEN AND

YEAH

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

&gt;&gt;&gt; LAURA, I WONDER IF YOU COULD

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE

WASHTENAW IMMIGRANT RIGHTS --

SORRY.

THE COALITION FOR IMMIGRATION

RIGHTS AND HOW YOU AND THE

COALITION GOT IN TOUCH WITH HER

ABOUT HER CASE.

&gt;&gt; Laura Sanders: THANK YOU.

I AM A CO-FOUNDER OF THE

WASHTENAW INTERFAITH COALITION

FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ALONG WITH

NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE.

WE CAME TOGETHER IN RESPONSE TO

A CRISIS IN 2008 IN OUR

COMMUNITY WHERE IMMIGRATION AND

CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT CAME IN TO A

MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY AND RAIDED

IT AND TOOK OUT ABOUT 21

UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS LEAVING A

LOT OF FAMILIES TORN APART.

THERE'S A LOT OF STORY TO THAT.

THE WAY IN WHICH ICE CAME IN TO

THIS COMMUNITY WAS BRUTAL.

THEY BUSTED INTO TRAILERS.

THEY HANDCUFFED AND THREW PEOPLE

ON THE FLOOR.

THEY WERE SUPPORTED AND AIDED BY

LOCAL POLICE.

SO IT WAS A REAL TRAGEDY.

IT WAS A BIG CRISIS IN OUR

COMMUNITY AND ROMERO MY SPACE

WHO IS HERE, ROMERO MARTINEZ AND

MELANIE HARNER IS WHO ALSO HERE

ARE BOTH ORIGINAL CO-FOUNDERS.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT MELANIE

WAS LIVING IN THAT COMMUNITY AT

THE TIME AND GOT IN TOUCH WITH

US AND HER MOTHER AND WE HAD

BEEN WORKING ON DIFFERENT THINGS

TOGETHER HAVING TO DO WITH

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.

AND WE DECIDED TO CALL TOGETHER

A MAJOR MEETING.

YOU KNOW, OLD FASHIONED

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING STYLE.

I WENT IN TO MY COMMUNITY.

I AM A SOCIAL WORKER.

I AM A THERAPIST.

I AM A FEMINIST.

I'M ON THE LGBTQ'S SPECTRUM.

SO I'VE DONE ACTIVISM IN THIS

COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.

SO I WENT IN TO MY COMMUNITY AND

PULLED AS MANY PEOPLE.

MELANIE AND MARGARET, HER

MOTHER, WENT INTO THEIR

COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE VERY ROOTED IN THE FAITH

COMMUNITY, BROUGHT IN MANY, MANY

DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT

FAITHS.

WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM

ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS, PEACE

AND JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS, SHOW

UP AT THAT MEETING.

AND WE HAD ABOUT FIFTY PEOPLE

WHO RESPONDED TO THAT ORIGINAL

CRISIS.

SO WE PULLED TOGETHER BY THE

NEXT SATURDAY WHICH WAS THE

NIGHT BEFORE EASTER WE HAD 150

PEOPLE AT OUR MEETING.

AND THAT WAS REALLY THE BIRTH OF

THE WASHTENAW INTERFAITH

COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO US

TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF THE

UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY.

AND THE FIRST THING THAT PEOPLE

SAID THEY REALLY NEEDED WAS A

TELEPHONE WHERE THEY COULD CALL

IF SOMETHING -- IF DETAINMENT OR

IF THEY WERE AT RISK OF

DETAINMENT OR DEPORTATION.

AND SO WE SET THAT UP.

AND EVER SINCE, SO SINCE 2008,

WE HAVE CARRIED A PHONE.

AND WE NOW HAVE HUNDREDS OF

VOLUNTEERS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE

MADE DONATIONS, HAVE ATTENDED

WICKER EVENTS.

AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM OF

PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED WITH

CAMPAIGNS TO STOP PEOPLE'S

DEPORTATIONS AND JUST MEETING

THE NEEDS OF THE IMMIGRANT

COMMUNITY.

IN FACT, IF I COULD JUST TAKE A

SECOND, I'D LIKE ANYBODY WHO HAS

HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH WICKER

AT ANY TIME STAND UP PLEASE.

PLEASE.

ANYBODY WHO HAS HAD ANYTHING TO

DO WITH WICKER STAND UP.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS A

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.

THE WAY THAT WE GOT IN TOUCH

WITH LORDES IS LORDES WAS

DETAINED AND PUT IN JAIL FOR 23

DAYS IN 2010.

SHE WAS APPREHENDED IN FRONT OF

HER CHILDREN AS THEY WERE GOING

TO SCHOOL.

SHE WAS, AS I SAID, SHE WAS

DETAINED FOR 23 DAYS.

AND IMMIGRATION MADE SOME VERY

BIZARRE TRADE WHERE INSTEAD OF

DEPORTING LORDES, THEY DEPORTED

HER HUSBAND.

SO THEY TRADED HER OFF.

AND THEY DEPORTED LUIS, HER

HUSBAND, IN THE END OF THE

SUMMER OF 2010.

WHEN LORDES WAS RELEASED, SHE

CAME TO, AT THE TIME, ROMERO AND

I WERE LIVING IN ANN ARBOR AND

SHE HEARD ABOUT WICKER AND WE

WERE JUST TWO YEARS OLD AT THAT

TIME.

SHE CAME TO OUR DOOR, AND WE

INTERVIEWED HER IN OUR KITCHEN.

AND IT WAS A LONG CONVERSATION.

AND WE ASKED HER WHAT SHE NEEDS.

THAT'S THE WAY WE OPERATE IN

WICKER.

WE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH WHAT

DO PEOPLE NEED.

AND SHE WANTED US TO HELP HER

STOP HER DEPORTATION.

BUT SHE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION

AS TO WHETHER SHE WAS GOING TO

GO PUBLIC.

AND IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY HARD

DECISION FOR HER.

BY THE END OF THAT MEETING, WE

WERE TAKING PICTURES OF HER

HOLDING A SIGN SAYING "I AM NOT

A CRIMINAL" AND SHE WAS STARTING

TO GET READY TO MAKE A PUBLIC

CAMPAIGN TO STOP HER

DEPORTATION.

AT THE TIME, SHE WAS VERY, VERY

SCARED.

I'LL TELL YOU, THE LORDES

SALAZAR BAUTISTA THAT I KNOW

TODAY IS A WONDERFULLY EMPOWERED

PERSON AND SO ARE HER YOUNG

DAUGHTERS, PAMELA AND LORDES.

WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO HAVE

THEIR TWO VOICES STILL HERE,

ABLE TO SPEAK FOR FOR THEIR

FAMILY.

WHAT WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO

TRY TO STOP HER DEPORTATION.

THERE WAS A WHOLE GROUP OF

PEOPLE THAT GOT INVOLVED.

MANY, MANY VOLUNTEERS.

WE DID EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY

COULD.

WE MADE CALLS TO I.C.E.

WE PUT OUT A PETITION ONLINE.

WE HAD LETTERS FROM PRINCIPALS

AND CITY COUNCIL.

WE WENT TO CITY COUNCIL, WE GOT

RESOLUTIONS PASSED ON HER

BEHALF.

I MEAN, WE JUST WENT TO ALL THE

CHURCHES, EVERYBODY FROM

CHURCHES.

WE DID PHONE MARATHONS.

WE HAD VIGILS.

WE HAD A MARCH.

WE JUST PULLED IN AS MANY

PEOPLE.

WE REALLY LAUNCHED -- AND IT WAS

OUR FIRST TIME DOING THAT -- WE

LAUNCHED A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON

BEHALF OF LORDES.

AND THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS

SUPPOSED TO BE -- BECAUSE THEY

STILL WERE GOING TO DEPORT HER,

EVEN THOUGH THEY TRADED OFF HER

HUSBAND, THEY WERE GOING TO

DEPORT HER.

AND SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE

DEPORTED ON, LIKE, CHRISTMAS EVE

OF THAT YEAR.

AND THE DAY BEFORE WE GOT

NOTIFICATION THAT THEY WERE

GOING TO TEMPORARILY STOP HER

DEPORTATION, ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS

CALLED A STAY OF REMOVAL AT

I.C.E.

AND SO SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY WE WERE

THRILLED.

WE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT WORKED

IN TERMS OF STOPPING HER

DEPORTATION.

AND THE WORD FROM WASHINGTON WAS

THAT WE THREW SO MANY PANCAKES

AGAINST THE WALL THAT SOMETHING

STUCK.

BUT NOBODY -- THEY DIDN'T WANT

US TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT STUCK.

SO FAST FORWARD FIVE YEARS.

EVERY YEAR WE HAD TO PUT UP

ANOTHER LETTER OF REQUEST FOR A

STAY OF DEPORTATION.

AND AS LONG AS OBAMA WAS IN

OFFICE AND HE HAD CERTAIN

PRIORITIES IN PLACE WHERE LORDES

AND HER FAMILY WERE NOT IN THE

PRIORITY FOR DEPORTATION GROUP,

WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER

DEPORTATION -- SHE WAS LIVING IN

LIMBO.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE A PATHWAY TO

CITIZENSHIP OR ANYTHING, BUT WE

WERE ABLE TO GET HER DEPORTATION

STOPPED FOR FIVE YEARS.

AND AS SOON AS TRUMP CAME IN,

THEY WERE ONCE AGAIN WARNING HER

THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE

DEPORTED.

AND ANOTHER CAMPAIGN WAS

LAUNCHED.

LUC IS HERE, MARIA IS HERE.

PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY, VERY

ACTIVE IN HER -- IN THE SECOND

WAVE REALLY OF TRYING TO STOP

LORDES'S DEPORTATION.

WE DID THE SAME THING.

A HUGE CAMPAIGN.

AND BUT THEY DEPORTED HER

ANYWAY.

MY OWN FEELING IS THAT LORDES'S

CASE HAS BECOME VERY FAMOUS.

THEY'RE DEPORTING ALMOST

EVERYONE NOW.

THE PRIORITIES THAT PRESIDENT

OBAMA HAD PUT IN TO PLACE HAVE

BEEN TRASHED, BASICALLY.

AND I THINK THEY WERE LETTING US

KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE

GOING TO DEPORT LORDES AND IT

WAS AN EXAMPLE, AN EXAMPLE OF

WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW, WHICH IS

NOBODY IS SAFE REALLY FROM

DEPORTATION.

SO THAT'S REALLY HOW WICKER HAS

BEEN INVOLVED.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANKS SO MUCH.

RACHEL I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN

ADD TO THE CONVERSATION AND JUST

TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU GOT

INVOLVED WITH THIS CASE.

&gt;&gt; Rachel Woolf: SURE.

I MET LORDES WHEN SHE WAS LATER

ON IN HER CAMPAIGN, THE SECOND

BIG CAMPAIGN SHE DID IN 2017.

AND IT WAS AROUND THAT TIME WHEN

SHE REACHED OUT TO I THINK HER

CAMPAIGN WAS REACHING OUT TO TRY

TO FIND PEOPLE TO TELL HER

STORY.

AND THAT WAS BASICALLY HOW I MET

LORDES.

THROUGH A FRIEND OF A FRIEND

THAT REACHED OUT AND SAID HEY

THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO GET

HER STORY OUT.

THEN I WENT OVER TO HER HOUSE

AND MET LUIS AND THE FAMILY.

AND WE CONNECTED AND TALKED AND

I EXPLAINED WHAT I DO AND WE

JUST STARTED FROM THERE.

SO THEN I STUCK WITH HER AND

DOCUMENTED ALL SHE WAS GOING

THROUGH IN THOSE WEEKS.

THEN SHE WAS DEPORTED ON

AUGUST 1, 2017.

THEN I WENT BACK TO MEXICO TWO

TIMES AFTER THAT.

WHAT MY -- WHAT I HOPE TO DO IS

TRY TO SHOW THIS FAMILY IN A WAY

THAT SHOWS THEIR DIGNITY AND

SHOWS THEIR STRENGTH.

BECAUSE AS LAURA MENTIONED,

LORDES IS STILL FIGHTING AND HAS

FOUGHT SO HARD AND AS HAS ALL OF

HER FAMILY.

SO I GOT INVOLVED TO TRY TO HELP

IN WHICHEVER WAY I COULD AS A

PHOTOJOURNALIST AND DOCUMENT

TEARIAN.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU, RACHEL.

LORDES'S STORY OF COURSE IS ONLY

ONE OF MANY STORIES, MANY PEOPLE

AROUND THE UNITED STATES WHO

HAVE FOUND THAT DESPITE THE FACT

THEY'VE LIVED IN THE U.S. FOR A

LONG TIME, DESPITE THE FACT THEY

MAY HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE U.S.

CITIZENS, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO

DEAN PORTED.

-- DEPORTED.

AND, PHIL, I'M WONDERING IF YOU

CAN TELL US ABOUT THE SORT OF

LARGER CONTEXT OF THIS.

YOU HAVE BEEN ACTIVE WITH THE

IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN

WASHTENAW COUNTY AND YOU'VE ALSO

SPOKEN TO BOTH IMMIGRANTS,

ACTIVISTS, BUT ALSO LAW

ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF

DEPORTATION.

SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TELL

US ABOUT THAT

&gt;&gt; SURE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO

REMEMBER THESE STORIES INVOLVE

UNIQUE LIVES.

BUT THEY ALSO TEACH US WHAT

IMMIGRATION LOOKS LIKE

THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND I THINK IN THIS CASE OFTEN

IN THE MIDWEST.

SO IN THE MIDWEST IT LOOKS

DIFFERENT THAN BORDER

ENFORCEMENT ON THE SOUTH, FOR

EXAMPLE,, ON THE SOUTHERN

BORDER, WHERE YOU SEE BORDER

PATROL DRIVING AROUND AND PEOPLE

COME IN CONTACT WITH THE

IMMIGRATION SYSTEM BECAUSE OF

DHS AND BECAUSE OF BORDER

PATROL.

HERE IT'S VERY OFTEN BECAUSE OF

POLICE COLLABORATION WITH

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS

ENFORCEMENT THAT FOLKS WIND UP

IN THESE SYSTEMS.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK ONE OF THE

THINGS THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND IT'S

VERY CLEAR WE OFTEN ON THE

NATIONAL SCALE THINK ABOUT AND

COUNT THE DEPORTATIONS, TAKE

THAT AS A MEASURE OF WHAT

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT LOOKS

LIKE.

WHAT WE CAN SEE IS THAT EVERYONE

DEPORTED IS GENERALLY CONNECTED

TO A FAMILY.

AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES

IS GENERALLY CONNECTED TO A

COMMUNITY.

AND HERE WE SAW A STRONG FAMILY

BOTH IN THE ORANGE ORIGINAL

DEPORTATION OF LORDES'S HUSBAND.

WE SEE THE IMPACT FOR CHILDREN,

HUSBANDS, WIVES.

THEN WE SEE THE IMPACTS ON

COMMUNITIES AND THE WAY

COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER AFTER

THESE EVENTS.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: IS THERE ANYTHING IN

PARTICULAR, BILL, THAT STRIKES

YOU ABOUT HOW THE IMMIGRANT

COMMUNITY IN WASHTENAW COMMUNITY

HAS INVOLVED OVER THE LAST FEW

YEARS?

&gt;&gt; William Lopez: I CERTAINLY

FEEL LUCKIY.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO

WORK AS BOTH A RESEARCHER AND

ADVOCATE THANKS TO WICKER

ALLOWING ME TO WORK ALONG SIDE

THEM MANY TIMES.

AND I SEE THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM

WHO ALLOWED THAT WORK TO HAPPEN,

THAT COLLABORATION TO HAPPEN.

THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT I'M

REALLY PROUD OF IN OUR COUNTY.

ONE IS THAT WICKER HAS BEEN VERY

CREATIVE IN THEIR COLLABORATION

WITH THE UNIVERSITY.

THERE WAS, FOLLOWING THE -- YOU

KNOW LAURA MENTIONED THE RAID IN

IN 2013.

WE COLLABORATED WITH WICKER AND

INTERVIEWED THE FOLKS IN THE

RAID BOTH HERE AND THOSE

DEPORTED AND WE WROTE SOME

ACADEMIC PIECES ABOUT THESE.

AND THESE ARE THE ONLY PIECES

THAT EXIST ABOUT IMMIGRATION

RAIDS.

BECAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THESE

ARE CHALLENGING THINGS TO STUDY

FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

THERE'S A BOOK THAT WILL BE

COMING OUT ABOUT THAT RAID IN

THE FUTURE.

THAT IS ALL BECAUSE OF

SPECIFICALLY MELANIE AND ROMERO

SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THAT --

SUPPORTING THAT WORK.

THE OTHER THING I THINK THAT

WIGER HAS DONE IS THAT

THERE'S -- WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO,

RATHER, BE CREATIVE IN THE WAY

THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED OUR

COMMUNITY.

WE OPERATED THE URGENT RESPONSE

LINE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

AND I'VE SEEN DISTINCT PIVOTS.

ORIGINALLY THERE WAS YEARS WHEN

WE WERE PROVIDING WE CAN HELP

YOU GET IN CONTACT WITH A

LAWYER.

THEN YEARS WHERE WE CAN HELP YOU

APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS BECAUSE

DACA CAME OUT.

THEN A WHILE WE WERE FOCUSING ON

ANTI-DEPORTATION CAMPAIGNS.

THE LATEST PIVOT AND THE ONE I

THINK IS THE MOST CHALLENGING

BUT THE ONE I AM MOST PROUD OF

IS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN AND

LOSE DEPORTATION CASES NOW?

WE CAN NO LONGER COUNT -- WE CAN

NO LONGER TO SEEK ONLY TO WIN

DEPORTATION CASES.

WE HAVE TO THINK DEEPER AND HOW

TO SUPPORT FAMILIES NO MATTER

WHAT THE END RESULT IS.

WHETHER IT'S DEPORTATION OR THE

INDIVIDUAL STAYS.

WE HAVE TO SPEAK WITH TEACHERS

ABOUT WHETHER THE KIDS HAVE

COUNSELING AND KIDS CAN CONTINUE

EATING.

WE HAVE TO FIND JOBS AND

EMPLOYMENT FOR FOLKS.

BECAUSE THESE CASES ARE

EXPENSIVE.

SO I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE

IMMIGRANT AND THE MIXED STATUS,

I CALL OUR COMMUNITY A MIXED

STATUS COMMUNITY, GROW IN THE

WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT

SUPPORTING FOLKS AND GROW IN THE

WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE

IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION

ENFORCEMENT

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I WANT TO TURN TO EMILIO

GUTIERREZ SOTO FOR A SECOND.

EE MILIO YOU HERE IN TWO

IDENTITIES.

ONE AS A MEXICAN JOURNALIST,

SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS THE

IMMIGRATION ISSUE FROM THE

MEXICO SIDE.

AND THEN ALSO SOMEBODY WHO HAS

APPLIED FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM TO

THE UNITED STATES.

AND WHO, DURING THAT PROCESS,

HAS FACED A LONG SERIES OF

DELAYS, AND ALSO FOR A WHILE

DETENTION.

SO FIRST WHAT I AM JUST GOING TO

ASK YOU TO DO IS START FROM THE

HAT THAT YOU WEAR OF THE MEXICAN

JOURNALIST.

AND IF YOU CAN TELL US SOMETHING

ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE

AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE

BEEN DEPORTED TO MEXICO OR WHO

ARE NOW LEAVING THE U.S. BECAUSE

THEY'RE FEARFUL OF

LOWE

LORDES

&gt;&gt; Emilio Gutierrez Soto: THE

MEXICANS RETURNED TO MEXICO,

MANY OF THEM HAVE MADE THEIR

LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THEY ARE ARRIVING TO MEXICO

COMPLETELY UNINTEGRATED.

MANY OF THEM DON'T EVEN SPEAK

SPANISH.

JUST LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, THEY

LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY IN LIMBO,

BUT THEY ARRIVE IN MEXICO AND

THEY JUST FIND THEMSELVES IN A

DIFFERENT LIMBO.

WHICH IS EVEN MORE CRITICAL

BECAUSE THERE IS MORE POVERTY.

CURRENTLY, THEY COULD NOT ACCESS

A BETTER QUALITY EDUCATION.

AND THAT IS THE WALL THEY HAVE

TO FACE OR THAT THEY ENCOUNTER

WHEN THEY ARRIVE BACK IN TO

MEXICO.

BECAUSE THEY BECOME IMMIGRANTS

IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

I HAVE MET SEVERAL PEOPLE BEFORE

I CAME IN TO THE UNITED STATES

THAT HAD BEEN DEPORTED

AND IT IS

VERY SAD TO SEE HOW CAN THEY NOT

EXPRESS THEMSELVES OR HOW CAN

THEY NOT MAKE REAL CONTACT WITH

THE COMMUNITY OR WITH THE

SOCIETY BECAUSE THEY DON'T

UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE.

MANY TIMES THEY DON'T EVEN SPEAK

THE LANGUAGE.

MANY OF THEM, WITHOUT A FAMILY

OR WITH VERY REMOTE RELATIVES.

FOR ME, IT WAS VERY SAD TO

OBSERVE THAT.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU.

EMILIO, AS WE SAID EARLIER, YOU

ARE ALSO AN ASYLUM SEEKER TO THE

UNITED STATES.

THERE IS A STORY TODAY IN

POLITICO THAT EMILIO WROTE WHICH

IS ABOUT HIS CASE.

AND THE STORY IS CALLED "I'M

SAFE BUT I'M NOT FREE."

AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK

AT THAT STORY LATER ON, IF YOU

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SOME MORE

DETAILS ABOUT HIS ASYLUM CASE.

BUT TODAY I AM WONDERING,

EMILIO, IF YOU WOULD JUST TALK A

LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOU ASKED

FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE U.S.

AND THEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE

YOU REQUESTED ASYLUM.

&gt;&gt; Emilio Gutierrez Soto: I

REQUESTED POLITICAL ASYLUM IN

THE UNITED STATES IN 2008.

AFTER THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT,

MR.

CALDERON, INITIATED OR

STARTED A WAR AGAINST DRUGS.

AND THAT CREATED OR CAUSED THAT

THE SOLDIERS WERE ON THE

STREETS.

AS A RESULT OF THE SOLDIERS

BEING ON THE STREETS, THAT'S

WHEN THE VIOLENCE WAS INCREASED

IN A NATIONAL LEVEL.

THEY TRIED TO PUT OUT A FIRE

WITH GASOLINE.

PRIOR TO 2008 I WAS THREATENED

BY THE ARMY.

IN 2008, THAT WAS WHEN THE

HOMICIDES AGAINST NEWSPAPER

PEOPLE OR REPORTERS STARTED OR

BECAME GREATER.

WHEN I START NOTICING THAT THE

MILITARIES WERE TAKING MORE

INTEREST ON MYSELF AS AN

INDIVIDUAL AND AS A FAMILY, THAT

VERY SAME DAY I DECIDED TO HIDE

IN A FRIEND'S HOUSE.

HOWEVER, THAT SAME NIGHT, THAT

VERY NIGHT, SOMEBODY CALLED ME

ON THE PHONE AND TOLD ME THEY'RE

GOING TO KILL YOU.

I ASKED HIM HOW HE KNEW THIS.

TELLS ME, I HAVE A RELATIVE THAT

IS WITHIN THE ARMY'S TEAM THAT

IS COMING TO KILL YOU.

AT THAT MOMENT, I TOOK AN

INSTANT DECISION.

I TOOK MY SON AND THE VERY SAME

FRIEND THAT LET ME KNOW ABOUT

THE PROBLEM, SHE TOOK US TO A

RANCH, TO A FARM, SO THAT WE

COULD HIDE.

THERE WAS NO OTHER DOOR EXCEPT

THE ONE INTO THE UNITED STATES.

AND THE DECISION WAS TO COME TO

THE ENTRY PORT IN NEW MEXICO AND

REQUEST POLITICAL ASYLUM.

WE WERE ARRESTED.

AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, WE

WERE SEPARATED.

I KNOW THE SUBJECT VERY, VERY

WELL.

THE PAINFUL, CRIMINAL SEPARATION

OF FAMILIES.

SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MONTHS I WAS

KEPT CAPTIVE IN ONE OF THOSE

CONCENTRATION CAMPS THAT I.C.E.

HAS.

MY SON WAS UNDER ARREST FOR

TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS.

AND DURING THAT TIME I ONLY HAD

THE OCCASION OR THE OPPORTUNITY

TO SPEAK WITH HIM FOR THREE

TIMES.

FOR FIVE MINUTES EACH TIME.

MAYBE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE WAY

THEY DESTROY KIDS AND OTHER

LESSONS LIVES BECAUSE OF

CRIMINAL POLITICS.

IN THOSE DETENTION CENTERS,

WHICH I CALL "CONCENTRATION

CAMPS," WHAT IS IN LEAST

EXISTENCE IS HUMAN TREATMENT.

IF YOU ARE NOT SICK, YOU WILL

GET SICK.

AND THE OFFICERS, MANY OF THEM

WITHOUT EVEN MIDDLE LEVEL

EDUCATION, ARE IN CHARGE OF

BEING RUDE TO THE IMMIGRANTS

UNDER ARREST.

BAD FOOD.

POOR SLEEPING CONDITIONS.

THE STRESS GENERATED WITH HAVING

TO LIVE WITH 100 PEOPLE IN THE

SAME ROOM.

THE STALKING OR THE STRESS FRA

THOSE OFFICIALS THAT ARE DOING

THE DIRTY WORK FOR I.C.E.

ALL

THESE ARE JUST THE RESULTS THAT

ARE CREATED BY TRYING TO APPLY

THE IMMIGRATION LAWS.

THAT ARE PART OF INTERNATIONAL

POLICIES THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS

HUMANISTIC.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES

NOT EXIST IN THE IMMIGRATION

POLICIES OF THIS COUNTRY.

MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED OR

SCARED WHEN I MENTION THAT.

FOR THE IMMIGRANTS THAT ARRIVE

INTO THIS COUNTRY.

BUT THE IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING TO

THIS COUNTRY FROM MEXICO,

CENTRAL AMERICA OR OTHER

COUNTRIES, ARE PART ARE AS A

RESULT OF THE POVERTY THAT WAS

CREATED OR CAUSED WITHIN THOSE

COUNTRIES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE WORK, MYSELF

AS A NEWS REPORTER, TO BE

CRITICAL ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT IS MY WORK IN

CONJUNCTION OR IN ASSOCIATION

WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND WITH

THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY TO

WORK TOGETHER TO BE MORE

BROT

BROTHERLY TO OUR WORK AND MORE

FAIR TO OUR IMMIGRANTS, BROTHERS

AND SISTERS.

NO ONE, NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE

THEIR OWN COUNTRY, THEIR OWN

SOCIETY.

SOME OF US LEAVE -- SOME LEAVE

BECAUSE THEY'RE HUNGRY, SOME

BECAUSE OF VIOLENCE, BUT AT THE

END WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR

LIBERTY.

MY SON AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR

TEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS.

RESCOMBES -- REQUESTING

POLITICAL ASYLUM.

THE THING THAT WE LACK THE MOST

IS FREEDOM.

WE HAVE SAFETY, BUT WE DO NOT

HAVE FREEDOM.

OUR CASE HAS BEEN USED AS A

EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CASES WHICH

HAVE BEEN RESOLVED IN A FAVOR --

WHICH HAVE HAD A FAVORABLE

RESULT.

THAT CAUSES HAPPINESS AND

SATISFACTION TO ME.

BUT IT ALSO MAKES ME VERY, VERY

SAD THAT MY CASE, OUR PARTICULAR

CASE BECAME FROM BEING A

IMMIGRATION CASE, IT BECAME A

POLITICAL -- A PERSONAL CASE

WITH A IMMIGRATION JUDGE.

AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP ON SAYING

THAT THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES

SOMETIMES ARE APPLIED BASED ON

THE MOOD OF THE JUDGE OF THE

ATTORNEYS OR EVEN THE OFFICERS.

AND FINALLY, THEREFORE,

IMMIGRATION LAWS BECOME USELESS.

AND I MYSELF HAVE BECOME A

PERSONAL EXAMPLE OF THAT THAT

I'VE BEEN REQUESTING POLITICAL

ASYLUM FOR TEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS.

THANK YOU

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU VERY MUCH

FOR YOUR STORY, EMILIO.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL, THAT

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK

QUESTIONS OF ANYBODY ON THE

PANEL, FORD SCHOOL STAFF ARE

WALKING AROUND WITH QUESTIONS

CARDS, SLIPS.

FEEL FREE TO REQUEST A SLICH AND

WRITE YOUR QUESTION AND WE'LL

GET IT SENT DOWN TO BE READ.

I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE BRIEFLY

THE PEOPLE WILL BE HANDLING

QUESTIONS TODAY.

PROFESSOR FABIANO SILVA WHO IS

AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR HERE AT

THE FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC

POLICY.

YVONNE WHO IS A JUNIOR HERE IN

PUBLIC POLICY AT THE FORD

SCHOOL.

AND JONATHAN ESPINOZA WHO IS A

FIRST YEAR MASTERS OF PUBLIC

POLICY STUDENT.

I'D LIKE TO START GETTING THE

QUESTIONS IN SO WE CAN HAVE MORE

OF A CONVERSATION.

SO DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION READY

FOR US?

&gt;&gt; HELLO.

I AM A SENIOR AT THE FORD SCHOOL

OF PUBLIC POLICY.

AS ANN DOCUMENTED DUE STUDENTS I

VALUE EVERYONE HERE TODAY.

WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE

POLITICAL POWER OF GROUPS.

AS VOTED IN THE MLK KEYNOTE

SESSION IMMIGRATION POLICY IS A

REFLECTION OF THE POLITICAL

POWER OF GROUPS.

WHY HAVE THOSE

SUPPORTING DEPORTATION GAINED

POWER?

AND HOW DO WE SHIFT POWER TO

THOSE WHO WELCOME IMMIGRANTS?

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: SO WHY HAVE THE

PEOPLE WHO -- THE GROUPS THAT

HAVE SUPPORTED DEPORTATION

GAINED POWER AND HOW DOES THAT

SHIFT?

IS THAT THE QUESTION?

GREAT.

WOULD SOMEBODY ON THE PANEL LIKE

TO ADDRESS THAT?

&gt;&gt; I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A

STATEMENT ABOUT IT.

I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON IT.

BUT WE KNOW THAT SINCE -- THERE

WASN'T REALLY A DEPARTMENT

OF HOMELAND SECURITY UNTIL 9/11.

AND AFTER 9/11 WE PUT THE

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

IN PLACE.

IT IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

AND WE PUT IMMIGRATION,

PROCESSION OF IMMIGRATION

APPLICATIONS UNDER NOW A LAW

ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE ALSO PUT A LOT OF MONEY IN TO

IT.

AND ALL IN THE NAME OF, YOU

KNOW, TRYING TO KEEP THE COUNTRY

SAFE FROM TERRORISM.

THE UNITED STATES HAS THE

LARGEST LAND BORDER IN THE WORLD

BETWEEN A HIGHLY DEVELOPED

COUNTRY AND A DEVELOPING

COUNTRY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ARE GOING

TO HAVE CROSS-MIGRATION.

THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN

INTERNATIONAL CROSS MIGRATION.

THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN UNDOCUMENTED

IMMIGRANTS HERE IN THE UNITED

STATES COMING AND MAKING MONEY,

GOING HOME, BUYING A TRUCK,

GOING HOME, MAKING -- BUILDING

HOUSES.

YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF

CROSS-MIGRATION THAT WE DIDN'T

REALLY PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO

UNTIL AFTER 9/11.

AND IT'S OUR IMPRESSION, AND

THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT

SUPPORTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE

UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN AND CENTRAL

AMERICAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN

COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN

SCAPEGOATED BY THE INTENTIONS OF

THE IMMIGRATION -- OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

AND VERY MUCH IT IS A RACIST

WAR.

IT IS A RACIST AGENDA.

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE

WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT

WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE

BROWNING OF AMERICA, RIGHT.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FROM THE

SOUTH AMERICA AND CENTRAL

AMERICA COMING.

AND IT SET UP A PERFECT FORUM,

REALLY, FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO GAIN

AND KEEP GAINING POWER.

THAT'S

WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

I'M SURE THERE'S MORE TO IT

&gt;&gt; SURE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN

ADD TO THAT IS IT'S IMPORTANT TO

UNDERSTAND THE WAY IN WHICH

THESE DIFFERENT STRUGGLES OF

MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES CAN AND

SHOULD BE LINKED IN OUR ADVOCACY

EFFORTS, RIGHT.

AN EXAMPLE THAT I THINK OF

RECENTLY IS WE THINK OF THE TEAR

GAS SHOT ACROSS THE U.S. BORDER

IN TO MEXICO.

AND I THINK OF THE TEAR GAS SHOT

AT THE PROTESTERS AT STANDING

ROCK.

AND I THINK OF THE TEAR GAS SHOT

BY OFFICERS IN FERGUSON,

MISSOURI.

AND THESE ARE THREE DIFFERENT

MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, RIGHT.

WE THINK OF UNDOCUMENTED

IMMIGRANTS, WE THINK OF

IMMIGRANTS CROSSING THE BORDERS

IN LATINO COMMUNITYS AND MEXICAN

FAMILY IN THIS CASE.

WE THINK OF PROTESTERS IN

FERGUSON PROTESTING POLICE

VIOLENCE.

AND STATE SANCTIONED KILLINGS OF

AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

THEN WE THINK OF WATER

PROTECTORS WHO ARE PROTESTING

MAKING A PROFIT OFF OF OUR

RESOURCES, RIGHT.

THESE ARE THE SAME COMMUNITIES

FIGHTING THE SAME

STATE-SANCTIONED VIOLENCE AND

MILITARIZATION.

BUT WE OFTEN DIVIDE THEM IN OUR

ADDV

ADVOCACY.

WE OFTEN THINK OF WHICH

PARTICULAR POLICY AM I GOING TO

WORK AGAINST INSTEAD OF THINKING

HOW WE CAN UNIFY ALONG THE LINES

OF DIGNITY FOR PEOPLE FROM

MULTIPLE MARGINALIZED GROUPS

&gt;&gt; OKAY MY NAME IS JONATHAN

ESPINOZA.

AS SAN ANTONIO SAID, I AM A

FIRST YEAR MASTERS OF OF PUBLIC

POLICY STUDENT HERE AT THE FORD

SCHOOL.

AND WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE

AUDIENCE.

I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MORE

ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAW.

ARE IMMIGRATION LAWYERS

EFFECTIVE?

DO THEY HAVE THEIR CLIENT'S BEST

INTEREST IN MIND?

HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DOES A GOOD

OR BAD LAWYER HAVE IN THE

VERDICT OF AN IMMIGRANT'S CASE?

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: I'M GOING TAKE THAT

TO START OUT WITH THEN SEE IF

SOMEBODY WANTS TO ADD IT.

SO IMMIGRATION LAWYERS DO REALLY

INVALUABLE WORK IN INTERPRETING

WHAT IS OFTEN A VERY COMPLICATED

SET OF LAWS.

NOT ONLY LAWS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS

IF YOU ARE UNDOCUMENTED IN THE

U.S. AND ARE ARRESTED, DO YOU

HAVE RIGHTS, CAN YOU ASK FOR

PERMISSION TO STAY IN THE U.S.

BUT ALSO THE VERY COMPLICATED

SERIES OF LAWS THAT ARE ABOUT

HOW SOMEONE ENTERS LEGALLY INTO

THE U.S.

OUR PRESIDENT OFTEN SAYS THAT

PEOPLE SHOULD COME TO THE U.S.

THE RIGHT WAY.

AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE WOULD

AGREE WITH HIM.

BUT IT'S VERY HARD -- BUT PEOPLE

OFTEN DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE

IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO COME TO

THE U.S.

IT IS NOT AS EASY AS FILLING OUT

AN APPLICATION AND WAITING FOR

YOUR TURN IN LINE.

BUT WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT

CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE, MANY

DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF VISAS.

SOME OF THOSE HAVE LONG WAITING

LISTS.

SOME OF THOSE ARE ONLY

APPLICABLE TO PEOPLE WITH

CERTAIN TYPES OF SKILLS OR A

PARTICULAR FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE

U.S.

AND SO IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT

SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO COME TO

THE U.S. TO WORK, TO MAKE A

LIVING AND TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE

WILL FIND NO CATEGORY OF VISA

AVAILABLE TO THEM AND WILL NOT

BE ABLE TO COME TO THE U.S.

LEGALLY WITH A VISA.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING

THEY DIDN'T DO, IT'S BECAUSE OF

THE KINDS OF CATEGORIES THAT WE

HAVE CREATED FOR ADMISSION TO

THE UNITED STATES.

SO IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ARE OFTEN

EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN HELPING

PEOPLE SORT OF THINK ABOUT WHAT

THEIR OPTIONS ARE IN ARRIVING IN

THE U.S.

THEY'RE ALSO EXTREMELY HELPFUL

ON THE BACK END WHICH IS WHAT

HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY IS AT RISK

OF DEPORTATION.

ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT

ISSUES HERE IS WHEN WE LOOK AT

PEOPLE WHO ARE CLAIMING ASYLUM.

SO PEOPLE WHO LIKE EMILIO WHO

HAVE BEEN REQUESTING SAFETY IN

THE U.S.

AND WHAT WE WILL FIND IS IF YOU

HAVE AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER YOU

ARE MORE THAN 100 PERCENT MORE

LIKELY TO HAVE A FAVORABLE --

NOT A FAVORABLE -- NOT JUST A

FAVORABLE ANSWER TO YOUR ASYLUM

CASE, NOT JUST ALLOWING YOU TO

HAVE ASYLUM, BUT ACTUALLY EVEN

GETTING THROUGH THE STAGES OF

THE ASYLUM PROCESS.

THAT IS LAWYERS ARE EXTREMELY

HELPFUL WHEN YOU GO FROM THE

INITIAL IMMIGRATION APPOINTMENT

WITH AN ASYLUM OFFICER TO THEN

APPEARING BEFORE AN IMMIGRATION

JUDGE.

IF YOU GET A NEGATIVE ANSWER TO

THEN APPEALING TO A BOARD OF

APPEALS.

AND OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT

GUARANTEE LAWYERS TO PEOPLE WHO

COME WHO ARE ASKING FOR ASYLUM

CASES.

OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT GUARANTEE

LAWYERS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE

FIGHTING A DEPORTATION CASE.

AND, BECAUSE OF THAT, THE

LAWYERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO

PEOPLE ARE VERY OFTEN LAWYERS

THAT HAVE FOCUSED ON THESE CASES

AND ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH

PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF

MONEY OR PRO BONO LAWYERS.

LAWYERS WHO MAY NOT EVEN

SPECIALIZE IN IMMIGRATION LAW

BUT ARE WILLING TO TAKE A

PARTICULAR CASE WITHOUT PAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTS TO

ADD TO THAT?

&gt;&gt; I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON THE

LOCAL LEVEL WE AT WICKER, WE

HAVE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS

WITH LAWYERS THAT WE TRUST.

THERE'S GOOD IMMIGRATION LAWYERS

AND THERE'S REALLY BAD

IMMIGRATION LAWYERS.

AND LORDES'S CASE IS A PERFECT

EXAMPLE OF THAT.

THE LAWYER THAT SHE WAS

ORIGINALLY WORKING WITH WHO

ARRANGED THIS INTERESTING TRADE

BETWEEN HER HUSBAND AND HER WAS

AT THE END CHARGING HER $20,000,

HAVING HER CLEAN HER HOUSE,

HAVING HER BRING HER TAMALES.

HAVING HER CLEAN HER MOTHER'S

HOUSE.

AND WE SWITCHED OUT AND MADE

SURE SHE GOT A NEW LAWYER.

SO WE GOT -- SO THIS IS A REALLY

GOOD EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW,

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REALLY HELP

PEOPLE TO GET THE RIGHT KIND OF

LEGAL HELP.

THEN MY ONLY OTHER COMMENT IS

BACK IN THE BIGGER PICTURE.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INCREDIBLE

PUSHES AND PULLS TO UNDOCUMENTED

AND IMMIGRATION COMING ACROSS

OUR BORDER.

AND WE ARE -- A LOT OF TIMES

WHAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IS THE

ROOT CAUSES OF THE IMMIGRATION

ISSUES.

THE U.S., WITH OUR ECONOMIC

POLICIES AND OUR POLICIES ON

WEAPONS AND TRADE, WE HAVE

CREATED A LOT OF THE POVERTY

THAT'S IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN

COUNTRIES AND CENTRAL AMERICAN

COUNTRIES THAT CREATE THE PUSH

FOR PEOPLE TO COME OVER OUR

BORDER.

AND AT WICKER WE THINK VERY

GLOBALLY, BUT WE WORK LOCALLY.

SO WE THINK A LOT ABOUT THE FACT

THAT THE U.S. IS INVOLVED IN

CREATING THIS PROBLEM.

AND WE THINK THAT PEOPLE OF GOOD

FAITH, WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT

WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING,

WILL TAKE ACTION AND MAKE -- AND

CORRECT THOSE POLICIES.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?

YENS.

&gt;&gt; WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE

FOR FAMILIES SUPPORTED DUE TO

DEPORTATION?

HOW DO FAMILIES DEAL WITH THIS

CHALLENGE?

&gt;&gt; Emilio Gutierrez Soto: IN

REALITY, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE

DEPORTED, THERE IS NO

OPPORTUNITIES ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN

RETURNED OR SENT BACK TO YOUR

COUNTRY.

AS AN EXAMPLE, A PERSON THAT HAS

BEEN DEPORTED AND CROSSES FROM

EL PASO TO JUAREZ, MAYBE HE OR

SHE WILL HAVE A BUS TICKET TO

ARRIVE TO HIS TOWN.

BUT ONCE YOU ARRIVE IN TO YOUR

TOWN, YOU ARRIVE THERE NAKED.

WITHOUT ANY OPPORTUNITIES

&gt;&gt; LORDES: I WOULD LIKE TO

FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

FOR MY FAMILY'S CASE, WE WERE

REALLY GRATEFUL THAT ONCE WE

LANDED TO MEXICO WE WERE -- THIS

ONE TEAM WHO WAS RECOMMENDED BY

SOMEONE FROM HERE -- WHEN WE

WERE STILL HERE WE MET AN

INCREDIBLE MAN IN DETROIT WHO

HELPED US [ INAUDIBLE ] IN

MEXICO.

SO ONCE WE LANDED AND WE WERE

STILL IN THE AIRPORT WE WERE

TAKING TO THIS ONE ROOM.

AND MY MOM WAS INTERVIEWED.

AND AFTER THAT THEY TOOK US

MY MOM AND MY DAD'S RANCH.

SO LIKE WHERE THEY'RE ORIGINALLY

FROM.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE SETTLED IN AT

MY GRANDMA'S HOUSE AND ALL THAT.

AND THEN THAT WEEK THEY

BASICALLY TOOK US IN AND, LIKE,

SHOWED US MEXICO.

THEY SHOWED US -- OR THEY TOOK

US TO THIS CITY NAMED TOLOCA IN

MEXICO WHERE MY MOM, MY YOUNGER

BROTHER AND MY DAD LIVE RIGHT

NOW.

AND THERE WE -- THEY GAVE US AN

AMAZING HOUSE.

A LITTLE HOUSE TO LIVE IN.

AND THEY GAVE ME, MY BROTHER AND

MY OLDER SISTER AN OPPORTUNITY

TO STUDY THERE.

BUT MY SISTER -- MY OLDER IS

SISTER PAMELA, SHE IS A JUNIOR

AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, SO

SHE HAS A SCHOLARSHIP HERE.

SO SHE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, PASS

ON THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO THAT'S WHY SHE DECIDED TO

COME BACK.

BUT FOR ME AND MY YOUNGER

BROTHER, WE HAD TO STAY WITH MY

PARENTS.

AND WE WENT TO SCHOOL THERE.

WE WENT TO SCHOOL IN TOLUCA.

AND THAT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THIS

ONE REALLY BIG OPPORTUNITY WE

HAD.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FOR EACH

PERSON.

BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE

WHO GOT -- WHO GET DEPORTED.

THEY, LIKE, EMILIO SAYS, THEY

JUST GO BACK TO THEIR RANCH AND

JUST START FROM SQUARE ONE.

AND, FOR US, IT DIDN'T REALLY GO

LIKE THAT.

SO I'M REALLY -- WE'RE REALLY

GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD, LIKE, THE

OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S A VERY HARD LIFE TO

LIVE THERE.

AND YEAH

&gt;&gt; TO ADD ON.

I KNOW THAT HER MOTHER WISHES

THAT SHE WAS WITH ALL OF HER

CHILDREN.

THAT THEY -- BRIAN IS STILL IN

MEXICO AND THEN EVENTUALLY MAYBE

WANTS TO COME BACK TO THE U.S.

TO GO TO SCHOOL LIKE HIS OTHER

SIBLINGS.

AND THAT THEY'RE FACING A LOT OF

THINGS THAT LUIS SAID AND HAD A

LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.

I KNOW THAT SHE WISHES SHE COULD

BE HERE TODAY IN THIS ROOM

&gt;&gt; I THINK THIS ALSO EMPHASIZES

HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO THINK

BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL DEPORTED.

OFTEN THAT PERSON IS FACED WITH

LITTLE CHOICE.

THAT PERSON IS RETURNING.

I THINK BUT AS YOU SAID

SOMETIMES THE HARDEST CHOICES

ARE MADE BY THE FAMILY WHO STAYS

BEHIND.

WILL THE FAMILY RETURN?

WILL THE FAMILY STAY?

AND OFTEN FOR MIXED STATUS

FAMILIES, SOMETIMES CHILDREN ARE

DIFFERENT IMMIGRATION STATUSES,

OLDER, YOUNGER, HAVE DIFFERENT

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UNITED

STATES.

AS WE CAN SEE, SOME STAY AND

SOME GO.

SO WE SEE ONE SINGLE DEPORTATION

HAS THE POWER TO RESHAPE THE

FAMILIES.

THIS ALSO GIVES US SO MANY

OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE THINK

ABOUT THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

UNIT TO SUPPORT THESE FOLKS.

AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT THE FOLKS

WHO HELPED WITH REINTEGRATION

INTO MEXICAN SOCIETY AFTER

DEPORTATION OR THE MANY TEACHERS

WHO SUPPORTED THE CHILDREN BOTH

AS THEY STAY AND AS THEY GO BACK

AND FORTH SUPPORT THEM WITH

MONEY AND FOOD AND WITH

EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD.

I INVITE YOU TO THINK OF YOUR

ROLES WHETHER AS PROFESSORS OR

STUDENTS OR ADVOCATES AND THINK

ABOUT OF YOUR ADVOCACY NOT JUST

IN STOPPING DEPORTATION BUT IN

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AS THEY

EVOLVE AND GROW AFTERWARDS.

&gt;&gt; THE REASON THAT LORDES'S

FAMILY GOT SO MUCH ATTENTION WAS

BECAUSE OF HER NATIONAL

CAMPAIGNS AND ALL OF THE

ADVOCATES ALONG WITH THIS FAMILY

THAT HELPED THAT.

MOST PEOPLE, IT'S HIGHLY UNUSUAL

THAT SOMEBODY'S GREETING YOU IN

MEXICO, HELPING YOU TO GET A

HOME, RIGHT.

AND ACTUALLY I'VE HAD CLOSE

CONTACT WITH LORDES VERY

RECENTLY AND HER FAMILY IS

SERIOUSLY STRUGGLING

FINANCIALLY.

IT MAKES ME VERY SAD TO THINK

THAT SO MANY OF US ARE LEARNING

FROM HER BRAVERY, HER COURAGE,

RIGHT, TO COME OUT AND BE AND

SHOW WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HER AND

HER FAMILY WHILE THEY ARE REALLY

STRUGGLING.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO

SAY IS THAT THIS IS NOT A

FUNDRAISING EVENT.

BUT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO

CONTRIBUTE TO SUPPORTING

LORDES'S FAMILY BACK IN MEXICO,

YOU CAN SEE ME AFTERWARDS, OKAY.

I'LL BE WANDERING AROUND.

ALSO MY EMAIL IS LSANDERS @U-M

ICH.EDU.

L SANDERS AND IN BERNIE AND

COLONEL AND CANDY.

AND MY PHONE NUMBER IS

IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO

PERSONALLY CONTRIBUTE TO HELP

LORDES'S FAMILY.

THANK YOU.

&gt;&gt; WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION UP.

THIS IS, OF HOW DO WE BEGIN TO

CHANGE THE CONVERSATIONS ON

IMMIGRATION POLICY TO BETTER

REPRESENT THE REAL EXPERIENCES

OF PEOPLE?

&gt;&gt; I THINK PART OF WHAT I DO IS

TRYING TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT

AND HOPING THAT WHEN PEOPLE LOOK

AT THESE PHOTOS, HOPEFULLY THEY

COULD PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND WITH

COMPASSION AND EMPATHY,

UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS FAMILY IS

GOING THROUGH ON A WAY DEEPER

LEVEL THAN THEY WOULD IN

OTHERWISE JUST A HEADLINER OR

STORY AND HOPEFULLY EVEN DEEP

EVERY THAN A CAMPAIGN.

I THINK WHAT WORKS TOGETHER IS

THIS TYPE OF THING IS THE

COLLABORATION OF ALL THESE

THINGS COMING TOGETHER TO REALLY

TRY TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE WITH

LORDES WHO WANTS TO FIGHT AND

HAVE HER STORY BE TOLD, THE

COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO HELP HER

AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING

TO DO THAT.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: RACHEL, CAN YOU SAY

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE KIND OF

RESPONSE YOU HAVE GOTTEN AS THIS

WORK HAS BEEN EXHIBITED IN A

COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CITIES.

WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE HAS IT

GOTTEN, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE,

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD?

&gt;&gt; Rachel Woolf: SO THIS CAME

TOGETHER IN A WAY WHERE I GOT A

GRANT TO GO TO MEXICO TO WORK ON

THE STORY.

AND SO THROUGH THAT THIS KIND OF

THIS EXHIBIT CAME TOGETHER AS

WELL BECAUSE IT WAS EXHIBITED IN

CHICAGO AND THEN ALSO IN

STONYBROOK, NEW YORK.

SO LORDES'S STORY HAS BEEN

REACHING MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

AND I THINK HER STRENGTH SHOWS

THROUGH, I HOPE, AND SHOWS THAT

SHE IS HURTING IN A LOT OF WAYS

AS WELL, AND THAT HER KIDS ARE

HER LIFE, AND SHE WISHES SHE

COULD BE WITH THEM.

I THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE SHE

HOPES TO GET OUT.

AND I THINK A THAT A LOT OF

PEOPLE WILL HOPEFULLY GAIN FROM

THIS TOO AND THAT HER FIGHTING

ONGOINGS ON WELL.

I THINK PEOPLE I HOPE CAN

UNDERSTAND THAT FROM THE PHOTOS

AND FROM THE EXHIBIT AND THE

PANEL AND EVERYTHING.

&gt;&gt; Emilio Gutierrez Soto: I

BELIEVE IT IS VERY EXTREMELY

IMPORTANT TO SPREAD THE STORIES

AND TO INSIST WITH THE POPULAR

REPRESENTATIVES POLITICIANS KNOW

AND UNDERSTAND ALL THESE

STORIES, BUT THEY ARE ONLY

LOOKING TO BE RE-ELECTED ONCE

AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN AND ONCE

AGAIN.

SO THEY ARE NOT LOOKING TO

DISTRIBUTE OR TO SPREAD THE

STORIES.

SO WE HAVE TO DO IT.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT IS A

NECESSITY TO PUT PRESSURE IN TO

THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR

SOCIETIES.

WE NEED TO BRING THEM DOWN FROM

THE PEDESTAL THEY'RE STANDING SO

THAT THEY CAN TAKE A BATH ON TO

THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE KNOW.

THEY NEED TO KNOW, FIRST-HAND,

WHAT IS HAPPENING.

THANK YOU

&gt;&gt; I THINK ONE THING WE CAN ALSO

ADD IS IT'S IMPORTANT TO LET

FOLKS CLOSEST TO THE EXPERIENCES

HAVE THE MICROPHONE MORE SO THAN

THOSE WHO MAY BE A LITTLE

FARTHER.

I THINK EMILIO AND THANK YOU

YVONNE ALSO, HAVE BEEN GOOD

EXAMPLES OF DOING THAT

&gt;&gt; SEEING AS YOU ALL COME IN TO

THIS WORK FROM VARYING FRONTS

AND ARE BEING TAXED IN VARYING

WAYS, HOW DO YOU ALL CONTINUE TO

MOVE FORWARD?

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO FIND THE

STRENGTH TO CONTINUE

PERSEVERING, ESPECIALLY WHEN

THINGS MADE SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE?

&gt;&gt; Emilio Gutierrez Soto: WE

PULL OUR STRENGTH FROM WHEREVER

WE CAN.

WE DO NOT HAVE OR AT LEAST

MYSELF IN MY PERSONAL CASE, WE

DON'T HAVE A REVERSE.

WE CANNOT GO BACK.

I CANNOT GO BACK TO MEXICO.

ON DECEMBER 7TH OF THE YEAR

BEFORE LAST YEAR, WE WERE ONE

MINUTE AWAY FROM BEING DEPORTED.

I.C.E.

DID NOT WAIT FOR A

RESOLUTION FROM THE APPEAL

COURT.

AND IT WAS TO THE LAST MINUTE.

I ALMOST HAD ONE FOOT IN MEXICO

WHEN MY DEPORTATION WAS STOPPED.

ONCE AGAIN, I SAY, THEY APPLY

THE LAWS TO THEIR CONVENIENCE.

WE CANNOT GO BACK, HOWEVER, SOME

OF US, LIKE THIS YOUNG LADY IN

THE PLANNING GROUP WITH ME, WE

HAVE THE SUPPORT OF

ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS --

REPORTERS GROUPS, NEWSPAPER

REPORTER GROUPS.

THE GREAT SUPPORT THAT I

CURRENTLY RECEIVE IS FROM

KNIGHTS.

HOWEVER, KEEP IN MIND, MOST OF

PEOPLE THAT ARE DEPORTABLE, THEY

ARE DEFENSELESS.

AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO

STRENGTHEN THE SUPPORT CHAINS

FOR IMMIGRANTS.

WHETHER IT IS A POSITIVE RESULT

OR A NEGATIVE RESULT FOR OUR

INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRATION CASES, WE

HAVE TO SUPPORT OR HELP OTHER

CASES.

&gt;&gt; I CAN ADD TO WHAT KEEPS ME

AND I THINK MANY OF US GOING

WHEN THINGS CAN BE FRUSTRATING

OR OTHERWISE SEEM DARK.

I REMEMBER MANY OF US WERE THERE

FOR LORDES'S DEPORTATION.

SO WE WENT TO THE AIRPORT.

WE HAD THE WICKER BANNER BEHIND

HER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE WATCHED AS SHE

WALKED THROUGH THE META DETECTOR

TO LEAVE TO BE DEPORTED.

YOU KNOW, WE SAW HER HUG THE

PEOPLE FROM THE FIRST FIVE, TEN

YEARS OF HER LIFE.

THEN SHE HUGGED THE FOLKS FROM

THE NEXT TEN YEARS OF HER LIFE.

THEN SHE HUGGED -- I REMEMBER

SEEING HER HUG THE TEACHERS WHO

WERE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF HER

CHILDREN IN THEIR MOTHER'S

ABSENCE.

AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, AS SHE

WAS WALKING THROUGH ALL OF US

WERE UNDERSTANDABLY SHAKING AND

TEARING UP.

AND THEN YOUR MOM TURNED AROUND,

LORDES TURNED AROUND AND SHE

LOOKED AT US AND SAID

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ].

KNOW SHE SAID THAT TO US.

YOU KNOW, I JUST -- IT NOKNOCKED

THE WIND OUT OF ME TO SEE

SOMEONE WHOS WHO BEING DEPORTED

TO HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO

TELL US THAT WE NEEDED TO KEEP

FIGHTING, RIGHT.

SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT, LIKE,

THAT THE MOVEMENT IS FRUSTRATED

OR THAT POLICIES AREN'T GOING TO

CHANGE, I THINK ABOUT THAT.

THAT WE DON'T HAVE PERMISSION TO

STOP.

BECAUSE PEOPLE BETTER THAN US

HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED.

SO I THANK YOU FOR -- I THANK

YOUR MOM FOR SHARING THAT MOMENT

WITH US.

AND I THINK IT'S ONE THAT MANY

OF US WILL NEVER FORGET.

&gt;&gt; IN WICKER WE HAVE A POLICY

WHICH IS CELEBRATE YOUR SMALL

VICTORIES.

WHEN WE GET -- THERE'S BEEN

SEVERAL PEOPLE WHERE WE'VE BEEN

ABLE TO STOP THEIR DEPORTATIONS

OR PROLONG THEIR DEPORTATIONS.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET PEOPLE

SOME IMMEDIATE NEEDS THAT THEY

MAY HAVE NEED FOR.

LIKE AN APARTMENT OR, YOU KNOW,

JUST A WHOLE PLETHORA OF WAYS IN

WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT

PEOPLE.

AND WE CELEBRATE THOSE SMALL

VICTORIES.

WE ALSO ARE REALLY OUR

ORGANIZATION IS ROOTED IN

COLLABORATION IN A CONSENSUS

TYPE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

MODEL FOR RUNNING OURSELVES.

AND WE ELEVATE THE VOICES OF THE

UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY AS MUCH

AS POSSIBLE.

SO WE ARE -- WE'RE ROOTED IN

LOVE.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT

KEEPS US GOING

&gt;&gt; WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST

MISCONCEPTIONS THAT EXIST ABOUT

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEPORTED?

&gt;&gt; THAT THEY'RE CRIMINALS.

THEY'RE NOT CRIMINALS BY IN

LARGE.

IN FACT, THERE'S VERY FEW, YOU

KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANYTHING

MORE THAN MISDEMEANORS THAT ARE

NECESSARILY DEPORTED.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT A LOT OF

PEOPLE ARE DEPORTED HAVE

REENTERED.

SO THEY'VE BEEN DEPORTED BEFORE

AND THEY COME BACK BECAUSE THEIR

FAMILY IS HERE, THEY'RE ENGAGED,

YOU KNOW, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES,

THEIR WORK IS HERE.

AND THEY COME BACK AND THEN

THEY'RE -- IF THEY'RE CAUGHT

THEY'RE SLAPPED WITH A FELONY

AND THEY ARE THEN IN A HIGHER

CRIMINAL CATEGORY.

SO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHO YOU ARE

BELIEVING -- WHO YOU BELIEVE ARE

CRIMINALS, OKAY.

IT IS A ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATION

TO COME ACROSS THE BORDER.

IT'S ON PAR WITH LIKE A TYPE 2

MISDEMEANOR.

IT'S NOT A CRIMINAL -- IT'S NOT

A VIOLENT OR SERIOUS CRIMINAL

OFFENSE.

SO MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE

BEING CALLED CRIMINAL AND ARE

BEING, YOU KNOW, THE DATA IS

SHOWING THEY'RE CRIMINALS, ARE

PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMITTED

NONVIOLENT STATUS -- YOU KNOW

TYPES OF CIVIL OFFENSES

&gt;&gt; SO ONE OF THE MAIN QUESTIONS

THAT IS OFTEN ASKED IS: HOW CAN

WE SUPPORT AND HOW CAN WE GET

INVOLVED?

SEEING THAT YOU ALL ARE INVOLVED

IN THIS WORK THROUGH JOURNALISM,

RESEARCH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

AND THROUGH PERSONAL

EXPERIENCES, HOW CAN PEOPLE IN

THEIR OWN CAPACITIES CONTRIBUTE

TO EQUITABLE IMMIGRATION REFORM

AND IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE

VULNERABLE TO THIS CIRCUMSTANCE?

&gt;&gt; I FEEL LIKE I'VE TALKED A

LOT.

GET INVOLVED IN WICKER.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF LEVELS ON

WHICH YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.

IF YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT A LOT OF

TIME, YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION.

WE HAVE A FACEBOOK, RIGHT,

WICKER FACEBOOK.

WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS ON ALL

LEVELS.

IF YOU DON'T SPEAK SPANISH YOU

CAN STILL DRIVE PEOPLE TO A

COURT CASE OR TO AN IMMIGRATION

MEETING.

IF YOU DO SPEAK SPANISH, YOU CAN

BE AN ADVOCATE.

YOU MAY WANT TO GET INVOLVED BY

CARRYING OUR PHONE AND BEING A

FIRST RESPONDER.

WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF SUPPORT

BEHIND YOU.

BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WHAT

THEY'RE DOING AT FIRST.

YOU MIGHT THINK, WOW, I WOULDN'T

KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

WELL THAT'S WHAT THE TRAINING IS

ABOUT AND THAT'S WHAT THE

SUPPORT, THAT LEVELS OF SUPPORT

THAT WE'VE PUT IN TO PLACE ARE

ABOUT.

SO WE'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE

INVOLVED.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY

WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION.

SO YOU CAN GO TO OUR FACEBOOK.

ANYTHING ELSE?

ANY OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT?

&gt;&gt; I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I

THINK THERE'S A REALLY IMPORTANT

POLICY CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT

TO HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES

ABOUT IMMIGRATION POLICY.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE

CONTROVERSY IMMIGRATION POLICY

SHOULDN'T BE EVERYBODY WHO WANTS

TO COME TO THE U.S. SHOULD COME

TO THE U.S.

IT ALSO SHOULDN'T BE, NOBODY WHO

WANTS TO COME TO THE U.S. SHOULD

COME BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP

EVERYTHING HERE FOR PEOPLE WHO

ARE HERE ALREADY.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS IN

BETWEEN.

AND INSTEAD I THINK WE OFTEN

SORT OF DEFAULT TO THE ONE THAT

IS THE SEXIEST OR THE ONE THAT

IS THE MOST DISCOURAGING OR THE

ONE THAT IS THE MOST POLARIZING.

LET'S THINK ABOUT -- EDUCATE

YOURSELVES ABOUT THE VARIETY OF

WAYS IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES

HAS ORGANIZED IMMIGRATION, OTHER

COUNTRIES HAVE ORGANIZED

IMMIGRATION, AND REALLY THINK

ABOUT WAYS WHERE WE CAN MEET THE

NEEDS OF THE UNITED STATES,

WHICH INCLUDE THE ECONOMIC

GROWTH THAT IMMIGRANTS CAN

BRING, WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING AN

IMMIGRATION POLICY THAT DOESN'T

REQUIRE SOME PEOPLE TO BREAK THE

LAW BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER WAY

FOR THEM TO COME.

&gt;&gt; Ann Lin: WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE

MINUTES LEFT.

AND SO MAYBE WE CAN TAKE ONE