[p][p][p][p]Charlotte, NC The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has decided to deport a community activist and coordinator of a Catholic youth group in North Carolina after she was arrested for a minor traffic incident.
[/p][/p][/p][/p]
ICE spokeswoman, Vincent Picard, confirmed to Efe that Fabiana Muñiz Palomo "does not qualify for prosecutorial discretion because of a previous deportation in 2003, which re-entry into the country illegally is a federal crime."
"ICE focuses its resources to the compliance with immigration laws and deports convicted criminals, those who have crossed the border and constantly violate these regulations," said Picard to Efe.
Fabiana Muñiz Palomo, who has lived in Durham City for the past eight years, On April 9 was arrested by police officers in Wake County after leaving the scene of a small traffic incident in which she was involved in.
She is the coordinator of a Hispanic Youth Ministry at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and a consistent contributor to the activities of the religious congregation. She was on her way to a church activity on that day.
According to Muñiz husband, Gustavo Peña, he told the local media that she did not understand the instructions of the agents because she does not speak English. She was then fined and arrested for driving without a license and resisting arrest.
Following this incident, she was taken to the Wake County Jail, where she was identified as an illegal immigrant by the 287g program and placed in deportation proceedings.
Viridiana Martinez, founder of the NC Dream Team group, who also organized a phone campaign to the offices of ICE and Wake jail to stop this deportation, told Efe that they will "not give up."
"We sent a request to several federal representatives and to Senator Kay Hagan to intervene with ICE for Fabiola. They can make a call to prevent them from taking her. She has no criminal record and is not a priority for ICE," said Martinez.
Editorial@sandiegored.com
Omar.Martinez@sandiegored.com
