Tucson Progressive

Pamela J. Powers, a progressive voice for Arizona

UPDATE: Guatemalan Children Get Six-Month Reprieve on Deportation

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Yesterday, I juxtaposed three immigration stories in my post— the sad news about the murder of 5-10 Honduran refugee children that the US deported recently, the plight of a young Guatemalan mother and her three children who crossed the border alone and are facing deportation, and the callous reaction to the child refugee crisis by some Arizona Congressional delegates.

Today, I’m heartened to report that Modesta Escalante’s three children were granted another six months in the US— time to make their case regarding asylum.

Modesta is not alone. Thousands of immigrant families face the possibility of being separated from their children everyday– thanks to US policies, including the War on Drugs, Operation Streamline, support for private prison quotas, NAFTA, CAFTA, and lax gun control regulations that allow arms to flow south to the drug cartels.

Why are we doing this? Why are we breaking up families? Why are we arming drug dealers? Why are we closing the doors on these children? Why are right-wing lawmakers working so hard to gut the 2008 child sex trafficking bill which would enable them to toss thousands of children back across the border? Do we want to make life-long enemies out of the deportees and their families? Wouldn’t it be better to make life-long friends by showing the refugee children and all immigrants some kindness and charity?

One comment on “UPDATE: Guatemalan Children Get Six-Month Reprieve on Deportation

  1. revgerry
    August 20, 2014

    You would think!
    Oh, that’s the answer.

    Like

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About

The Tucson Progressive: Pamela J. Powers

I stand on the side of Love. I believe in kindness to all creatures on Earth and the inherent self-worth of all individuals–not just people who agree with me or look like me.

Widespread economic and social injustice prompted me to become a candidate for the Arizona House, representing Legislative District 9 in the 2016 election.

My platform focused on economic reforms to grow Arizona’s economy, establish a state-based public bank, fix our infrastructure, fully fund public education, grow local small businesses and community banks, and put people back to work at good-paying jobs.

In the Arizona House, I was a strong voice for fiscal responsibility a moratorium on corporate tax breaks until the schools were fully funded, increased cash assistance to the poor, expansion of maternal healthcare benefits, equal rights, choice, unions, education at all levels and protecting our water supply.

After three terms, I retired from the Arizona Legislature in January 2023 but will continue to blog and produce my podcast “A View from the Left Side.”

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