A New Jersey grandfather was given a two month stay of deportation today — after a rally that featured Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, dozens of other clergy and immigration advocates from PICO National Network.
Grandfather of Four and US-based for 25 Years
Catalino Guerrero has been in the US for more than 25 years, has worked as a delivery man and Uber driver, and has four children and grandchildren. He owns property and has never been convicted of any crimes — but a judge ordered him deported in 2009 after his asylum petition was denied, and he’s been regularly checking in with ICE ever since. Catalino’s last check-in was just one month ago. Earlier this week, the New Jersey Star-Ledger Editorial Board published an editorial making the case for why Catalino should be allowed to stay.
As Sen. Menendez said today:
I hope President Trump is watching because Catalino is not a ‘bad hombre,’ he’s a good man. If he can be deported then we truly are on the verge of mass deportations.
Sen. Menendez said that he was pleased that Catalino received a 60-day extension but that the “peace of mind was only temporary.”
The lasting question is why Trump is trying to deport people like Catalino. Why should it take a demonstration involving a Cardinal and a US Senator to keep a father and grandfather at home?
View images from today, below:
