ImmigrationIllinois Congressman helps worker fight South Carolina immigration law

Published 2 December 2011

Representative Luis Gutierrez (D – Illinois) is wading into South Carolina politics by fighting to prevent a local worker from being deported by federal immigration authorities. On Wednesday Gutierrez appeared in a Charleston Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on behalf of Gabino Sanchez, who had been arrested on a traffic violation and found to be an illegal immigrant

Rep. Gutierrez takes up the deportation cause of a South Carolina man // Source: al.com

Representative Luis Gutierrez (D – Illinois) is wading into South Carolina politics by fighting to prevent a local worker from being deported by federal immigration authorities.

On Wednesday Gutierrez appeared in a Charleston Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on behalf of Gabino Sanchez, a twenty-seven year old construction worker. Sanchez had been arrested on a traffic violation and found to be an illegal immigrant.

Gutierrez sought to prevent Sanchez, who has been in the United States for thirteen years and is the father of two young children, from being deported and has urged the federal government to drop the case.

Gutierrez’s actions resulted in the suspension of the case and Sanchez is allowed to remain free until his court date on 13 March, 2012. After the hearing Sanchez said Gutierrez was a “good man” and that he was “feeling good now.”

The representative said deportation reviews are a way for immigrants to “fight back” against South Carolina’s tough new immigration laws.