Huffington Post (Op-Ed)
By Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez
July 8, 2015
This
week, I'm traveling to Bolivia to meet with Pope Francis during his
visit to the Americas that will include stops in Ecuador and Paraguay.
Upon his arrival in Quito,
the Pope said "Progress and development must ensure a better future for
all." In that same spirit, I will share with him the dreams, pain and
aspirations of millions of immigrants across the U.S.
Like
most Brazilians, I come from a Catholic upbringing, and I'm encouraged
by the Pope's response to our country's mass-incarceration problem. For
too long, people of
color have been criminalized and marginalized, and I invite him to
speak out against the U.S.' unjust immigration system that terrorizes
our community every day.
I
came to the U.S. when I was 14 years old, leaving the life I knew
behind for an opportunity at a better life. I settled in Miami where I
reunited with my sister, and
where we both lived under constant fear of being deported and
separated. And as someone who is also LGBTQ, the thought of being
detained also kept me up at night, having heard the horrific conditions
that LGBTQ immigrants face.
But
last year, through a petition from my husband, I was able to adjust my
status and am now a legal permanent resident of the U.S.
Unfortunately
for my sister, she remained in the shadows and unable to begin living
out her dreams. That was until last year, when after a years-long
campaign led by immigrant
youth, our community once again won and pressured President Obama to
use his executive authority to provide deportation relief to up to five
million immigrants, including my sister.
I
remember calling her on November 20, hearing the excitement in her
voice, and telling her that she would now no longer fear deportation and
would be able to work legally.
Eight months later, my sister still lives in fear. At every corner,
there have been politicians who have resisted and delayed the expansion
of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program and the creation
of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA).
United
We Dream is asking Pope Francis to speak out against the political
games that have halted the implementation of administrative programs
that would provide relief
from deportation for my sister and close to five million undocumented
immigrants.
We're
also asking Pope Francis to visit an immigrant detention center and
meet with undocumented immigrant families in the U.S. during his trip to
America, so he can hear
firsthand from those impacted by the current inhumane and unjust
immigration enforcement system. Every day there are 34,000 immigrants
who are kept in detention centers, away from their families and loved
ones. Most of these detention centers are run by private
companies that are profiting from our community's pain.
This
administration is also continuing the inhumane practice of detaining
vulnerable populations and our demand is that it immediately end the
detention of families, LGBTQ
individuals, people with chronic illnesses as well as those who are
differently abled.
As
a person who identifies as LGBTQ, the abuse and treatment of trans
women in detention is especially abhorrent, where they are 15 times more
likely to suffer from sexual
abuse including rape.
By
speaking out against the political games that are leaving our
communities vulnerable to detention and deportation and meeting with
immigrant communities, Pope Francis
has a historic opportunity to expose the painful experiences that
millions of immigrants have faced but the vast majority of Americans
still don't understand.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
No comments:
Post a Comment