WASHINGTON — Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and 10 other immigration reform supporters were arrested in front of the White House on Tuesday for protesting against the Obama administration’s deportation of young people and families.

On Tuesday, he and other deportation critics sat down in front of the White House with a sign reading “One million deported under President Obama.” After about 20 minutes, they were arrested by U.S. Park Police. The 11 protesters will be processed and then released after paying a small fine.

Gutierrez is a vocal critic of the deportation of young people and families, who he says should be protected from removal by an executive order by the White House. But President Barack Obama has repeatedly refused to make such an order, calling for Congress to act on immigration reform instead. Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/26/luis-gutierrez-arrested-f_n_910348.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

Watch the Arrests

Hours ago Young Andy Mathe was set to be deported back to South Africa….. the story is unfolding. Here is a petition that was used to try and save the family.

The Petition

To Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, John Morton, and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano:

We, the undersigned, write to humbly request that you take action to immediately stop the deportation of the Mathe Family.

The Mathe family arrived in the United States, in 2007, from South Africa. They made the difficult decision of coming to the United States after receiving several threatening letters and phone calls. The deportation of the Mathe family is a life or death situation; if the family is deported to South Africa, they worry they’ll be returned to their deaths. We ask that ICE use its discretion and allow the Mathe family to stay in the U.S.

The Mathe family has been living in Atlanta, Georgia since their arrival to the United States. The father left Rwanda after the genocide to settle in South Africa as a political refugee. The father and mother, Hope, married and the family began to build their life together. Soon after, the family began to receive several death threats and narrowly avoided the kidnapping of their daughter, who was 3 years old at the time, from daycare.

In 2007, the father went into hiding to protect his family as they fled South Africa in hopes of seeking political asylum in the United States. Upon their arrival in Atlanta, Georgia, the family made the request for asylum. Despite the evidence, the mother and older brother were immediately handcuffed, arrested, and taken to a detention center. They were released after 6 months and the family has been attempting to seek asylum ever since.

Malcolm, one of their children, attended Whitefield Academy where he was a bright student. In 2008, he was chosen to represent his high school at a National Youth Leadership Forum in Washington, DC. At the forum, he was awarded a certificate of achievement. Andy, the oldest son, attended the Art Institute of Atlanta where he received several awards and recognition for his work in interior design.

Currently, Andy is being held at a detention center in Georgia, where he is awaiting deportation to South Africa. He lives with the threat of deportation every day of his life and fears death if he is returned to South Africa. Andy’s life is on the line and he deserves the opportunity to stay in the United States, with his family.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and President Obama have both stated that deporting youth brought to the U.S. as children is not a priority. Furthermore, according to the factors set forth in the Prosecutorial Discretion Memo issued by ICE Director Morton, the Mathe family is not a priority for removal by DHS and merits a favorable exercise of discretion.

If deported, the Mathe family will be returned to a country they fled fearing for their lives. Without intervention, the Mathes are afraid of being returned to their deaths. The family is asking for the opportunity to live safely in the United States; a country they consider their home. We ask that ICE use its discretion and allow the Mathe family to stay in the U.S.

We, the undersigned, write to humbly request that you take action to immediately stop the deportation of the Mathe family.

Melanie Nathan
Melanie@gayusathemovie.com
@oblogdeeoblogda
www.visualcv.com/melnathan