Youths Say Too Many Hispanics Are Being Deported

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Now children who fear their mothers, fathers or neighbors could be next are fighting back, determined to help stop the stepped-up raids on illegal immigrants while Congress debates the issue.

A group of Hispanic teenagers from the Chicago area has formed to lobby against the deportations, and at least 50 of them plan to head to Washington on March 15 to demand a moratorium on such raids.

They hope their protest will ignite a movement.

Families getting separated

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Deportations are breaking up more and more families, he said, even though “we are not criminals.”

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The group so far consists of youths from eight high schools and four city colleges.

While their ranks might be small, Palafox, a high-school senior whose family moved to Chicago six years ago, said they have huge numbers of sympathizers and potential supporters.

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For many of the youths, and the Centro Sin Fronteras immigration rights group that is helping them organize, the Barrios deportation was a chilling call to action.

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