It was initially reported that Angelica Lopez would be deported after the completion of the 2009-10 school year. Well, school is out. Lopez's son, Cristian Perez-Lopez, a student at Fredonia Elementary, received his report card - straight A's with the exception of one B.
So, it appears Lopez and her four children - Cristian, Jackie, Rosie and Brandon Perez-Lopez - will have a few more days in the United States.
According to Ed Wicks, a Fredonia resident who has been advocating on Lopez's behalf, the date of deportation has been bumped back to July 11.
"I don't think it was an intentional extension. It just happened to work out that way," Wicks said. "I think Immigration Services didn't get enough people for the plane to take to Mexico, and I think they just extended it to July 11 because there might be another group of people to come on board - that's how I understand it through a woman who was contacted by Immigration."
In other words, it seems the extension is basically a coincidence.
"As far as them reading the article or anything and making the decision, 'Let's give them some more time,' it didn't work that way," Wicks said. "That's the way I presume it to be - it's not let's give them an extension because of the situation. Absolutely not."
In the days since Angelica Lopez's story first appeared in the OBSERVER, the community has responded.
There have been remarks of support, frustrated comments about the system being broken and statements of reality - saying if people are in this country illegally, then they deserve the punishment of deportation.
Some readers complained of shoddy reporting. Others praised the story.
Residents who have experienced the process of legal immigration shared their stories. They highlighted the complexity and cost of the immigrating. It's a challenging and difficult process, but it's the way it should be done - within the boundaries of the law, they said.
Numerous people have asked how they can help.
"All the contacts that are working now need to get together and work together," Wicks said. "We're having too many people pulling for the same thing but going in different directions. Everybody has got to get together and pull in the same direction."
But no one is certain if there is anything that could be done to help.
"Stand up and gather your people that are your friends and associates who feel the same way you do," Wicks suggested, "and start writing and start contacting Congressman Higgins, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, anyone."
As he listed the names of officials who could be contacted, Wicks said what the family needs now is the public to convince an elected official to advocate for the family.
However, many people have validly argued that perhaps nothing should be done to help. As immigrants living illegally in the United States, Lopez and Candido Perez, the father of the children, should be deported.
Since the children are American citizens, Lopez and Perez do have the option of leaving their kids in the United States. The children could go into foster care until the parents are able to re-enter the country.
Wicks said he has raised the idea to Lopez of the children staying here and being put into foster care.
"She said absolutely no, which I can understand," Wicks said.
For now, lacking any last-minute intervention, it looks like it'll be a few more days in the United States before an inevitable deportation.
Comments on this article may be sent to jmackowiak@observertoday.com
