Tucson finds itself at the center of a national debate over the Dream Act this week, as local resident Sandra Lopez awaits her imminent deportation in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Eloy, Ariz.. Dream activists throughout the nation are pointing to Lopez’ case as paradigmatic of a failing U.S. deportation policy, and they are urging ICE officials to release her from custody.
Lopez, now 20, was brought to the U.S. by her parents from Mexico when she was just days old. She spent her entire life in Tucson, where she was an accomplished student. After graduating high school, and in dire financial straits, Lopez made a bad decision that led to her arrest and subsequent nine month detention. After she was forced to sign a voluntary repatriation order to Mexico, she ended up living on the streets of Nogales, penniless and in a country that she had never known. Eventually she escaped back into the U.S., purposefully putting herself in Border Patrol custody in an attempt to bring her case for asylum to the U.S. courts. Lopez has since been in custody in Eloy for the past eight months, and she could be deported at any time.
This summer, President Obama announced that the Department of Homeland Security would change its deportation policy to conside the length of individuals' residency in this country as well as their ties and contributions to their communities. Lopez, a person with twenty years worth of ties to Tucson, appears to be a model candidate for testing this new policy. Lopez wants nothing more than to return to her home, attend college and make a long lasting contribution to this community. This is why her deportation has outraged dream activists in this country who feel that undocumented students should be given some special considerations by DHS.
Since July 25, a national campaign has been underway to bring attention to Lopez’ case and to force DHS to release her from custody. Thus far, over 5,000 phone calls have been made on Lopez’ behalf to ICE Director John Morton. On Thursday, a press conference was held in Tucson in which concerned community members came together to reaffirm their commitment to seeking justice for her and other Dream Act eligible students in Southern Arizona.
Unfortunately, despite the fervent efforts of those involved in Lopez' struggle, neither Morton nor President Obama have thus far voiced approval for her application for asylum.
If you are interested in participating in the ongoing protest against the deportation of Sandra Lopez, there are instructions for what to do on the website of Southern Arizona activist organization No More Deaths, here.
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