With a deportation date of July 18, this Ohio dad of four U.S. citizens may have just a few precious days left with his family and community. Despite having six years of ICE check-ins, a clean record, and long work history under his belt, Jesus Lara was fitted with an electronic ankle monitor and told to prepare for deportation following his annual visit with federal immigration agents last March:
"Unfortunately it's become a pretty common pattern all across country," said Lynn Tramonte, the deputy director of America's Voice and an Ohio advocate who has closely followed Lara López's case. "What's crazy is that ICE is going after people who are walking into their offices, people who are trying to do what they’re supposed to be doing, the rule followers. (Lara López) is very religious and he'll do what the government says. He's just asking for a little compassion."
Lara López already bought his plane ticket for next Tuesday, though he has faith that a miracle might save him before he's forced to leave. "I declare I'm going to stay here," he said during a recent phone interview. "I trust God more than anyone."
Lara’s story has attracted the support of thousands of Americans—a MoveOn petition in his support has already garnered over 35,000 signatures—members of Lara’s Willard, Ohio community, and some of the largest media outlets in the nation, but ICE officials are so far refusing to budge and stop Lara’s deportation. Lara’s House member, Republican Congressman Bob Gibbs, has expressed support—for Donald Trump and ICE, that is:
“On the issue of illegal immigration in general, Congressman Gibbs has always believed if someone entered the United States illegally, or overstayed their visa, they should be sent home and enter the United States legally.”
The Register asked Gibbs whether he would try to help Lopez Lara’s American children, who have pleaded with the congressman to intercede. American children of illegal immigrants often are referred to as “anchor babies” by supporters of the Trump immigration orders.
Gibbs declined to say whether he supported that terminology, and Gerber also ignored that question, and others.
Rep. Gibbs may feel like he doesn’t have to stand up for someone in his district because they lack legal status, but Lara’s four children are U.S. citizens, and just failing to even vocally condemn a family getting torn apart in Williard, Ohio is an abdication of his responsibilities. Advocates have also reached out to Republican Sen. Rob Portman and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown:
A spokesman for Portman issued a statement suggesting that a resolution might still be possible.
“Our staff has been in contact with Jesus Lopez Lara’s lawyers and the relevant federal agencies about this case, working to ensure all of the relevant facts are heard and to facilitate a solution,” Emily Benavides, Portman’s communications director wrote to the Register on Tuesday.
Senator Brown, through a press secretary, issued a statement that answered most of the questions the Register asked.
“Tearing apart families who are working and paying taxes is not the way to fix our broken immigration system,” press secretary Rachel Petri said, attributing the statement to Brown.
The senator’s staff has been in touch with immigration agents, Brown’s communications director Jenny Donohue said Thursday morning. Brown’s office is doing everything it can to help the family and continuing to work with ICE officials on Lopez Lara’s behalf, but they don’t yet know what the outcome will be, she said.
According to Univision, ICE has so far failed to detail why they are prioritizing the deportation of a father who is no “bad hombre.” Lara’s attorney, former American Immigration Lawyers Association president David Leopold, has provided ICE with Lara’s tax returns dating back 15 years, and they know he has a spotless record. Leopold states that John Kelly, as DHS Secretary, has authority to immediately halt Lara’s deportation, but during a meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus members last week, Kelly “pretended he didn’t have such authority.”
Some have asked why Lara, along with other immigrants facing deportation after years in the U.S., don’t just get in line to apply for legal status. They’d be more than happy to—but no such line exists:
Under the current system, an undocumented worker in the United States has no options to become legal. He or she would have to leave the United States and start the process to enter the country from the beginning, a process that could take decades or may not even be possible.
"Unauthorized immigrants who want to regularize their status in this country cannot just 'get in line,'" according to the American Immigration Council, a non-profit group that aids immigrants.
"There are lines, but a large number of aspiring immigrants are not eligible to be in any of them," the council's website says. " Even if a prospective immigrant does meet the formal requirements to immigrate, the wait can be very long if she or he is applying from countries that are currently oversubscribed."
With no immediate option to sort out Lara’s legal status, the most humane thing the federal government can do is to do what is has already been doing in his case for years:
”The bottom line is this,” said Leopold. “Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s dogged focus on Jesus Lara Lopez is a waste of resources that takes the focus off of those who really threaten our communities, dangerous criminals and national security threats. ICE can put this matter to rest by granting Jesus’ stay of deportation, as they have for the past five years. It’s an easy solution that keeps a hardworking taxpayer and homeowner with his family.”