Augusto Raymundo Jesus was sent to his native Guatemala Tuesday night, deported because he became entangled in a legal nightmare after his political asylum visa unknowingly expired. He didn't know the document had expired until he applied for U.S. citizenship. By that time, he had a wife and kids, including a baby diagnosed with autism.
He lived, worked, raised a family as a vital part of the community. He had his own business, paid taxes. He donated to charity. He got in trouble with the law by following the law when he went to renew his Utah driver's license. As part of the Utah renewal system, he had to submit fingerprints for a background check. It was then discovered that his visa had expired. Three U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showed up at his home, placed him in custody and took him away. He was being held in a jail in Florence, Ariz., when, apparently, they listened in on a phone conversation with his wife, who told him that an effort was under way to obtain federal intervention by some of Utah's Washington, D.C. delegation and that the media was being informed. Jesus told his wife that while on the plane back to Guatemala, he heard one ICE agent tell another: "We had to get rid of this guy."
Now, he's back in Soloma, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, with no money and nobody but a handful of friends in southern Utah mobilizing to return him home to his wife and kids.
There is an awareness effort under way. Friends and people concerned about justice in the United States -- particularly in light of the Obama administration's policy on immigration that would, in practice, have placed felons with illegal immigration status, at the head of the line, instead of deporting people like Jesus, who tried to play by the rules -- are using social networking to spread the word; sending emails; doing what they can to put this issue before the people.
Phone calls and emails to Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Rep. John Chaffetz, R-Utah, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, have been encouraged. So are phone calls (Matheson, 202.225.3011; Bishop, 202.225.0453; Chaffetz, 202.225.7751; Hatch, 202.224.5251; and Lee, 202.224.5444.) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is speaking at Southern Utah University today, where a building is being named in his honor. Letters in Ray's behalf will be presented to him during his visit.
A legal defense fund has also been set up in his name at State Bank of Southern Utah, The account is called the Ray Jesus Legal Defense Fund. You can call the bank at 435.865.2300. Two PayPal accounts have also been set up: rayjesuslegalfund@gmail.com and jesusfamilyfund@gmail.com
What can you do?
Send the Utah delegation to Washington, D.C. an email with a link to this blogsite and let them know we will hold them accountable to do the humane thing, to return this man to his family and community; that we will remember every step they take -- or DO NOT take next election; that we expect them to do the decent thing, the honorable thing, the right thing, even though it may not be popular. Demand that they take a stand and uphold the Obama immigration policy, which would examine 300,000 immigration cases and handle them based on criminal activity, not an easy snatch-and-grab to build the numbers and make it appear that ICS is enforcing federal immigration laws fairly.
You can get together with friends and pay a visit to the Matheson, Hatch and Lee offices in St. George. Tell them how you feel about this tragedy, how you feel about separating good, decent people from their families, how we need real reform instead of fences, unconstitutional and ineffective state legislation and the racism that so often is a part of these discussions about immigration.
You can drop by one of the State Bank of Southern Utah branches and donate to the legal defense fund. The family, like so many these days, does not have the cash on hand to fight this legal, moral battle. Kacie, Ray's wife, is trying to collect some money owed to the family business to help tide them over until she can find a job and people to help with the kids.
Spread the word. Make others -- whether in Utah or elsewhere -- aware of just how dangerous and harmful this whole issue of immigration enforcement can be. And, remind those who tell you the ICE agents were simply following the 'letter of the law" that when that letter arrives, it will be with postage due.
Living in the United States...isn't that supposed to be living in the promised land?
Great blog Ed. God Bless this family and all others that suffer injustices like this.
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