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With Clock Ticking on Jesus Lara’s Deportation, His American Children & Supporters Call for Leadership from Rep. Bob Gibbs

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Family Scheduled to Be Ripped Apart in One Week

Willard, OH – The looming deportation of an Ohio father of four, Jesus Lara, received major attention in leading Ohio newspapers this weekend.  The Norwalk Reflector published two front-page articles about the case on Saturday, while theSandusky Register also featured the case.  The Cleveland Plain Dealer featured the Lara family story on their Sundayfront page, above the fold, including intimate family photos (more available online).

Mr. Lara’s children are front and center in the articles, because their father’s deportation would impact them more than anyone else.  The kids – 13 year-old Eric, 11 year-old Edwin, 9 year-old Anuar, and 6 year-old Elsiy – have been meeting with congressional offices, talking to reporters, and launching a petition to try to stop their dad’s deportation.

On Saturday, they walked up and down the streets of downtown Willard with volunteers, asking people to sign the petition and passing out Pepperidge Farm cookies packed by their father in the local factory.  They gathered 380 signatures from Willard-area residents in support of Jesus.

The petition asks their U.S. representative, Congressman Bob Gibbs, to be a “real champion for Jesus” and use his “power to help the Lara family and get ICE to stop this deportation.”  Meanwhile, Rep. Gibbs has been evading the media, refusing to return messages from the Plain Dealerand Sandusky Register. The Norwalk Reflector wrote: “The Reflector reached out to Gibbs’ office four times before receiving a response.  ‘We cannot comment on any pending casework our office may or may not be working on,’ said Dallas Gerber, Gibbs’ communications director.”

“These American children have a simple request for Rep. Gibbs.  They want him to use his power to keep their family together,” said Lynn Tramonte, Director of Ohio’s Voice.  “Instead, they’re getting evasive answers and a refusal to exercise leadership.  Time is running out for the Lara family.  These kids just want to continue growing up in a united family, with their father who plays a central part in their lives.

“Jesus owns his home, he is a taxpayer and a contributor to the Willard economy.  Sending him to Mexico next week would be a massive miscarriage of justice.  The Department of Homeland Security has the authority to cancel this deportation; they have used it in the past, and can use it again today.  The only question is whether they’re willing to do so – and whether Congressman Bob Gibbs is willing to demand it,” said Tramonte.

Canvassing the town on Saturday, the Lara family and volunteers found many more Willard residents were willing to side with Jesus than oppose him.  Jesus is an active member of the Church of God of Prophecy in Willard, and his children are known as good kids who come from a contributing family.

The Plain Dealer’s Michael Sangiacomo writes:

Josefina de Anda, who lives across the street from Lara Lopez, is one of those who supports him.

“We go to church together, he’s a good neighbor and a good guy,” she said. “He’s one of those people who is always ready to help out when he’s needed. He has done nothing wrong, I don’t think what’s happening to him is right.

“What’s going to happen to his four children when he’s sent away,” she asked. The children are Eric, 13; Edwin, 11, Anuar, 10, and six-year-old Elsiy.

“And that little girl, oh, she loves him so much. Everywhere he goes, she’s right beside him. This is going to be really hard on her if he is sent away.”

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