For the past week, Jacobita Alonso has consumed only fruit juices and other liquids.
She and two of her fellow parishioners and a pastor from Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago are on a hunger strike to protest changes in immigration laws that threaten to separate immigrant families.
“My sister may have to leave her two children here, and they are U.S. citizens,” said Alonso, 30, of the West Town neighborhood.
A group from the church and a Latino community organization, Centro Sin Fronteras (Center Without Borders), is traveling Monday to Washington to protest.
Alonso’s 26-year-old sister is undocumented and is waiting for a visa–a process that could take several more years.
Alonso was one of about 800 people who packed the Harrison Park Fieldhouse on Saturday for a meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.). Lawyers, Immigration and Naturalization Service officials and immigrant advocates answered questions about changes in a provision of immigration law called 245 (i), set to expire Sept. 30, and about a new law that bars undocumented immigrants from the U.S. for as long as 10 years.
The 245 (i) provision has allowed immigrants who are eligible for permanent residence in the U.S. and are sponsored by close family members or employers to stay in the U.S. while they wait for their visas. If Congress does not take action and the law expires, these immigrants will have to return to their native countries and apply for visas through U.S. consulates there.
“Why would you want to separate 1 million spouses and children?” asked Gutierrez, referring to the number affected nationwide.
The INS and the Clinton administration support the extension of 245 (i). The Senate approved an extension of the provision in an appropriations bill this summer, but the House has yet to take action.
A separate, new law affects undocumented immigrants who leave the U.S. and attempt to return. Those who depart after Sept. 27 would be barred from the U.S. for three to 10 years, depending on how long they stayed here without a visa before leaving.
Consequently, many immigrants waiting for visas are deciding to return to their native country before Sept. 27 or wait in the U.S. hoping Congress extends the separate 245 (i) provision.
“This law only hurts people who have a chance to be legal in this country,” said Maciej Wilhelm, 29, an undocumented immigrant from Poland who attended the workshop.
His wife, Jolanda, is a permanent resident and plans to become a U.S. citizen.
Carmen Castro, 52, went to the workshop seeking information for her daughter-in-law, who is undocumented. Her son is a legal permanent resident waiting for citizenship. They have a 3-year-old son who is a U.S. citizen.
The daughter-in-law purchased plane tickets to return to Morelia, Mexico, next week.
“These laws are really going to hurt the children,” Castro said.
