Illegal Immigrant Activists Re-Cross Border to Stage Demonstration

Immigrants previously living in the United States were joined by locals in Nogales.

A group of illegal immigrant activists who were brought across the U.S.-Mexico border as children flew back over the border to stage a protest of United States immigration policy on Monday. Lizbeth Mateo, Marco Saavedra and Lulu Martinez joined a group of six other activists who had lived in the United States but had moved back to Mexico over a year ago. The nine staged the demonstration at the border crossing in Nogales, with the three who had been living in the United States asking to be allowed back across the border. All nine were sent to a holding facility in Florence, Ariz. Immigration officials did not comment on the incident.

Immigrants who were brought into the United States illegally as children have the option of applying for a deferred deportation, and Saavedra and Mateo were offered the option but declined. The activists say that they want to shine a spotlight on increased deportations under the Obama administration as well as the plight of those who were brought into the United States at a young age but want to maintain a connection to their country of origin. Mateo begins classes at Santa Clara Law School next month, but sent the school an email on Monday. “I’m letting them know I may not make it in time.”

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