Posted on 11/22/2014 6:50:27 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- President Obama's executive action Thursday to change immigration policy opens up legal status to as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Natividad Gonzalez said her family is one of those, for now, from fear of deportation.
Gonzalez, an immigrant from Mexico, is one of nearly a dozen people who gathered at Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham Friday at a rally organized by the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. She said the new policy will give her some peace of mind.
"I don't want my daughters to endure the suffering, the pain and the fear when there is a checkpoint and the police officer asks me for my documentation," she said through a translator.
But she, like most at the rally, said it wasn't enough. The change, in part, allows parents of children who are U.S. citizens to avoid deportation if they don't have a felony conviction and have been in the U.S. at least five years. There are still other undocumented immigrants who will have to continue to fear deportation, she said.
"It's something that will protect my family, but only for a very brief period of time. We may go backwards in the future, and this can be taken away from us," she said through a translator.
Immigration activists at the rally also praised the policy -- as a first step.
"We are happy to hear what happened, that finally the president took some action, because it helps millions of families," said Cesar Mata. "But one thing is it was not big enough. It's not what we were expecting. The only way that it can be a permanent fix is if Congress makes a law."
The change in policy also expands the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides legal status for children brought to the U.S. as children.
Arturo Buricaga, a community activist with the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, said the program has been successful in helping young people find opportunities.
"A lot of these young immigrants that we helped file for deferred action have opened small businesses and continued their education," he said.
Republicans decried Obama's plan as opening the borders to anyone who wants to come to the U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks said Obama was "acting like a petulant child."
Community activist Evelyn Servin, herself a Mexican immigrant, said the change won't help her mixed-status family. It's a step, but she said Congress needs to pass reform.
"We're very happy but we all also have bittersweet feelings because many of the families will benefit, but we know that many of the people who fight with us will not benefit from it," she said. "This is not enough. We need permanent comprehensive immigration reform."
The la crimes was already pissin and moanin this morning about the ones not getting amnesty
Boy talk about being not satisfed
There is never enough when it’s free.
The United States just became unclaimed land between Mexico and Canada and they want their share
I think the only immigration reform coming from congress in the near future will deal with border security and streamlined and accelerated deportation.
These effing bastards wont stop until we all speak spiclish’.
I rarely read anything about trespassing Europeans in these obama sedition articles. References are usually to Hispanic groups with an occasional Asian tossed in.
She spoke through a translator after being here for more than 5 yrs. Deport her now.
For Moochers it’s never enough.
They are illegal invaders.
Treat accordingly.
NOTHING is ever enough for lawbreakers, criminals unpunished, invaders, socialists, liars, progressives, conmen, totalitarians and POS scumbags.
Could you post a copy of the signed EO by pResident Obama.
Bam-a-lam
I doubt if any immigrant thought Obama’s AMNESTY was a good thing...
No? Not enough?
Okay, you can sleep with our virginal daughters and rape our wives while we are forced to watch.
No? Not enough?
Okay, you can kill every last one of us and burn down our houses.
No? Not enough?
Okay, you can remove the white man (and the black man) from the history books, and it will be as if we never existed.
No? Not enough?
Don't know what to tell ya, then.
No problem. Move back to your shythole country and it'll never happen.
I got your translation right here. Natividad de la Consuela Lupita Conchita Putador says,
“These gringo laws are a huge pain in the ... show me the money, gimme gimme gimme!”
A DOZEN people? Whoa, major!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.