tags: Blog

Round-Up: Immigration Groups, Advocates Honor Immigrant Moms This Past Mother’s Day Weekend

by Gabe Ortiz on

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This past Mother’s Day weekend, America’s Voice lifted up the story of Elizabeth, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and mom of two young children.

Elizabeth’s husband was deported to Mexico in 2010. Since then, Elizabeth has been fighting to reunite her Marine family, recently leading a 21-mile walk to highlight the devastating impact of deportations (a petition to help reunite Elizabeth’s family is available here).

Like Elizabeth, immigrant mothers have been fighting to keep their families together in light of record deportations and our nation’s broken immigration system. So this past Mother’s Day, immigration groups, advocates, and sons and daughters alike released tributes honoring the triumphs — and struggles — of immigrant mothers.

In a must-read, blogger and DREAMer Juan Escalante published a moving piece in Huffington Post honoring the sacrifices his own immigrant mother. A selection has been translated from Spanish below, and is available to read in its entirety here.

Neither my mom or my father are at fault for our immigration status. Nor are they at fault for wanting to provided a better life for their sons. The only burden that my mother carries, which ultimately leads her to believe she is at fault, is working harder than anyone else to ensure that her decision of moving to the United States is validated in her head. Validation, of her work and sacrifice, that is all she really wants.

How many tears has my mother shed because she has been unable to visit her family in Venezuela? How much does my mother yearn to see all of her sons graduated from college, with a life of their own?  How much pain does a mother have to feel because she is unable to report a crime, fearing that if she did, she could be detained and deported?

This mother’s day, I would like to recognize one of the many individuals who have help me become the person that I am today. My mother has never doubted me, and just like mother’s across this country to work hard to support their children, my mother has always reminded me that I can accomplish whatever I set my sights on.

Beautiful tributes honoring immigrant mothers also came from groups like DRM Action Coalition and the National Immigrant Justice Center:

United We Dream highlighted immigrant mothers currently in detention centers in the United States after fleeing violence and death in Central American countries:

Today, America’s Voice also lifted up the heartbreaking stories of two deported mothers who were able to briefly reunite with their children at the U.S./Mexico border.

And finally, We Belong Together also released a series of must-read blog posts highlighting the bravery and stamina of immigrant mothers. One story is highlighted below, and more are available to read here.