Greensboro religious leaders unite to support immigration reform

Numerous Greensboro clergy gathered at Temple Emanuel this afternoon to speak in support of comprehensive immigration reform at the national level. Local non-profit FaithAction International House organized the press conference to show Senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr the unified sentiment among various faith communities across the city.

Rev. David Fraccaro, FaithAction's executive director, predicted that the North Carolina senators will cast two of more decisive votes when Senate addresses the reform bill in June.

FaithAction staff members Ghaisha Yahaha-Mohammed and Endy Mendez (l-r) share their experiences since immigrating.

Rabbi Fred Guttman of Temple Emanuel

Rev. Jeff Paschal of Guilford Park Presbyterian Church

Rev. Clarence J. Shuford of St. Philip African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Pastors Raul Landa and Jonathan Lewis of Christ Wesleyan Church

Minister Wesley Morris and Rev. Dr. Nelson Johnson of Faith Community Church

After speaking, each cleric signed the FaithAction poster, which will be mailed to Sen. Hagan and Sen. Burr on Friday.

PHOTOS: Two arrested protesting deportation at Sen. Hagan's office

Two immigration activists connected to the NC Dream Team were arrested Thursday for refusing to leave US Sen. Kay Hagan's Greensboro office. The two women were protesting the scheduled deportation of single mother Maria Juana Perez, pictured in the center (in a chair wearing a dark coat).

Perez, who lives in Greensboro, has two young daughters (also pictured) who are US citizens. She was arrested for driving without a license and has been in the country since 2000.

Over 20 supporters, including her sister (the woman in blue seated right) assembled at Hagan's office, some meeting with her staff and others holding banners outside. Perez is scheduled for deportation to Mexico on Dec. 27, two days after Christmas — which coincidentally is her birthday.

The two activists who were arrested around 6:50 pm did so as an act of civil disobedience while supporters and reporters looked on. Below, Elisa Benitez can be seen in red through the window in Hagan's office while a police officer (in yellow) talks to the other Dreamer being arrested. More coverage in the next issue of YES! Weekly, available in print and online Wednesday.

Photos and reporting by Eric Ginsburg.

Orfilia Reyes wins temporary victory in immigration case

Attorneys for Orfilia Reyes, who was featured on the cover of YES! Weekly's Mothers' Day issue, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, did not take her into custody at her immigration check-in June 7. Community members and organizations like the American Friends Service Committee had rallied around Reyes, who has two sons living in the area. One of her sons is a US citizen and a minor, and would face bleak options in the country if his primary caregiver was deported to Guatemala. 

Read more about Reyes here. Below is part of the press release sent out June 11.

"ICE provided Ms. Reyes with a new check-in date of September 6, 2012.

'We thank the Charlotte ICE agents for their patience as Ms. Reyes continues to fight her deportation,' McKinney stated.  'However, the fight goes on.'  Ms. Reyes cannot prevent her deportation to Guatemala unless attorney for ICE agree to join a motion to reopen her case.  McKinney is currently in communication with ICE attorneys and is encouraged by ICE's decision to provide a new ICE check-in date for Ms. Reyes, as well as the tone of the conversations he has had thus far with ICE attorneys."