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“For me, this is personal,” said Roxanna Menchaca, a student at Kalamazoo College. “I came to college with two pieces of luggage because my parents were afraid to travel from our home in California for fear of being deported. When Parents’ Day comes, I don't get to see them. I live knowing I could get a call anytime that they've been taken.
“Most importantly, they won't be able to see me, a first generation college student, graduate next year. That hurts deeply. That's why I'm asking Rep. Upton to take leadership and co-sponsor the comprehensive immigration reform bill in the House and call on Speaker Boehner to bring immigration reform to a vote in the House this year.”
The student’s commitment to their families and millions of families like theirs all over the country is the driving force behind their call for protection and their intention to stay in the office until they get an answer from Congressman Upton. They don't want to leave until they know where he stands on the issue of keeping families together.
“My brother is in detention right now, even though he has a work permit," said Wendy Medrano, a student at WMU. “He could be torn away from our family, his wife, his child. My mother worked for 18 years to bring our family together, and now we could be torn apart. 1100 families are torn apart every day because of deportation.
“The majority of Americans want reform, the Senate has passed reform, and the President is calling for reform. Rep. Upton says he supports comprehensive reform, but now it’s time for action. We know this isn't in his committee, but we also know that he can still choose to be a leader. And that's what we need right now - real leadership.”
Editor’s Note: Michigan United is a broad statewide coalition working to reform our broken immigration system, advance housing justice, protect the rights of low-wage workers and develop leadership. More information can be found at Michigan United’s website: www.miunited.org
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