Tuesday, January 18, 2011

ICE Grants 30-day Stay For Aspiring Marine Facing Deportation In Arizona

Pedro Gutierrez

Photo Youtube

Supporters had petitioned ICE to stay deportation of 22-year-old undocumented Arizona man.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 18, 2011

Phoenix, Arizona - On Tuesday morning, Pedro Gutierrez, 22, an aspiring U.S. Marine was granted deferred action for 30-days, according to his Immigration Attorney Maurice "Mo" Goldman. He was facing deportation and supporters had gathered in an effort to sway Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stay his scheduled deportation to Mexico. He was scheduled to be deported from the U.S. on Tuesday. The U.S. has been the only home that he has ever known since, he was first brought to the U.S. at age six by his grandmother who died when he was 16. His parents were addicted to substance abuse and left him in the care of his grandmother. His grandfather took care of him after his grandmother died. The grandfather later disappeared and Gutierrez was left to fend for himself at age 17, until he graduated.
Gutierrez says that he lived with friends after his grandfather disappeared and never heard from him again. He also says, that he has no family to go back too in Mexico.
He was stopped for a traffic violation in Arizona, spent one month in jail and then was reported to ICE after it was discovered he was in the country illegally. Last Friday, the Arizona Dream Act coalition announced during a press conference that they were seeking a stay (deferred action) for Gutierrez. On Sunday, they held a vigil for him, which led to the 30-day stay for Gutierrez.
Gutierrez had tried to join the Marines, but was rejected because of his undocumented status. He had hoped to join the Marines, if the DREAM Act would have passed. The act failed to pass in December, thus preventing Gutierrez from fullfilling his dream.

Video of Gutierrez speaking about his plight at link: http://bit.ly/hNftOv

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

No comments: