Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Where is Pedro Guzman?

Hopefully alive, somewhere in the vicinity of Tijuana, Baja California. He is the latest victim of Operation Wetback v2.007
The family of a mentally disabled man claims that the federal and local governments mistakenly had an American citizen deported and said U.S. officials should help find him in Mexico.

Relatives of Pedro Guzman, 29, are suing the Department of Homeland Security and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles federal court.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit this week over what the civil rights group contends was the wrongful deportation of a developmentally disabled man.

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Of course, ICE is spinning their actions faster than the wheels of my nana's shopping cart at CostCo.
"ICE only processes persons for removal when all available credible evidence suggests the person is an alien," ICE officials said. "That process was followed here and ICE has no reason to believe that it improperly removed Pedro Guzman."

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This is a chilling story, on top of all the rest of the ICE-covered atrocities committed everyday (how's that for a pun?) It's hitting hard personally, because if one were to alter the age of Pedro by a few years and change half of his name, it would be me. While his disability probably factored heavily in this particular situation, Latin@s are being deported physically and verbally everyday.

So now's your chance, progressive blogosphere.

This issue could use some bigger coverage beyond the Latino blog borders. Steven D at Booman Tribune has already stepped up to the plate (in fact, he alerted me to it). Will you be the next one to stand in solidarity?

(Hopefully) To be updated:

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