100 signatures reached
To: ICE Field Director Ricardo Wong
ICE Orders Deportation of Grandmother and Longtime Leader in Fight Against Deportations
Stop the deportation of Genoveva Ramirez- Laguna (A 098- 928516), grandmother of 10 and longtime community leader in the fight against deportations.
Why is this important?
On August 31, Genoveva Ramirez accompanied by other OCAD leaders, her attorney, and various elected officials, appeared before ICE for her check-in.
After a two hour wait and abusive treatment which individuals like Congresswoman Schakowsky and IL State Rep. Lisa Hernandez described as “unlike any other treatment [they] have ever received”, ICE once again denied the request for discretion of our ‘Abuelita’ Genoveva Ramirez, a 67 year old grandmother and long-time Chicagoland immigrant and union leader.
ICE told Genoveva to return to ICE on September 28 with plane tickets to leave the country before the end of October. While this news weighs heavy on the Ramirez's family, Genoveva herself reminded her supporters that, “We will keep fighting. We have to keep fighting.”
Genoveva’s case is not new to Ricardo Wong, ICE Field Director. Since 2013 Genoveva and supporters have shown up in multiple occasions to ask Director Wong to stop her deportation. But this year the local office has decided to continue proceedings against her.
Under the Obama administration, Genoveva’s case was treated with discretion multiple times. Under Trump’s leadership, ICE feels empowered to do whatever they want : they have explicitly stated that they no longer have priorities or discretion, and that they will deport anyone, including this grandmother, with no regard whatsoever for consequences for her or her family.