Julia Preston at the New York Times today has a piece illustrating the grim reality of what it means for immigrants to still be waiting on immigration reform, a year after the Senate passed its bill while House Republicans have done nothing. This week, President Obama announced that his review of deportation policies would be delayed until August — meaning some 97,000 more immigrants will face deportation in the interim.
Some two dozen such immigrants were arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday — the very same day the deportation review was delayed. A number of those detained were longtime Milwaukee residents who had no criminal record whatsoever, who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Advocates and community members yesterday held a rally for friends and family members who were taken from their homes and workplaces, and expressed their fears that anyone could be next.
Silvia Juarez, 19, told the New York Times that her cousin, Epigmenio Martinez Ruiz, 29, was a foundry worker with a clean record, who happened to be the only person in their home when ICE agents arrived.
“They did not have a warrant for him,” Silvia said. “It was his bad luck to open the door at that moment. Now we are frightened. Who will be next?”