After 30 years of living in the U.S, a 39-year-old Lincoln Park man was deported this morning from Detroit Metro Airport to Mexico as family and friends wiped away tears.
Jorge Garcia was brought to the U.S. by undocumented family members when he was 10 years old. Today the landscaper has a wife and two children,, all of whom are U.S. citizens.
In the past, Garcia, a child of undocumented immigrants, would have been allowed to stay in the U.S. But because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, in November Garcia was ordered to return to Mexico. His supporters say he has no criminal record and paid taxes.
Nevertheless, Garcia had to be removed, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Monday morning, accompanied by ICE agents at Detroit Metro Airport, Garcia went through security as supporters around him held up signs that read, “Stop Separating Families.”
Garcia said he had asked ICE if they could wait until new DACA legislation is passed, which might expand the age range for immigrants to qualify. But, he said, they refused and said he had to leave by Jan. 15.
A view of downtown Detroit is seen looking north along Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan January 30, 2013. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
“How do you do this on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?” said Erik Shelley, a leader with Michigan United, which advocates for immigrant rights and other issues. “It’s another example of the tone-deafness of this administration. … If Jorge isn’t safe, no one is safe.”
Shelley said he’s concerned that minority immigrants are increasingly being targeted, citing remarks Trump has made about African and Hispanic immigrants.
Shelley was joined at the airport by other immigrant advocates and an official with the UAW, which has been supportive of Garcia.
A spokesman for ICE said he could not immediately comment Monday since it was a federal holiday, and their offices are closed.
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