Immigrant advocates participate in a rally outside the Davenport offices of three members of Congress last week.
By Barb Arland-Fye
The Catholic Messenger
Following a rally outside the Davenport offices of three members of Congress last week, Father Guillermo Trevino said he feels hopeful for the return of one of his West Liberty parishioners, Pascual Pedro Pedro, who was deported July 7.
The 20-year-old Guatemala native and West Liberty High School graduate worked construction with his grandfather. His immigration attorney said the young man did not have a criminal record. However, he had an order for expedited removal from the time he entered the country illegally at age 13 with his father.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities detained Pedro Pedro after his annual check-in July 1 and deported him to Guatemala just hours after a prayer service at the West Liberty parish at which Bishop Dennis Walsh presided.
Father Trevino and two immigration advocates, including Pedro Pedro’s grandfather, met with staffers of U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and U.S. Sens. Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst to request Pedro Pedro’s return to West Liberty.
One of the advocates, a community organizer with Escucha Mi Voz, tried to challenge the congressional staffers on the next steps, Father Trevino said. Francisco Pedro, Pedro Pedro’s grandfather, told the staffers, “This is my grandson. What would you be doing if this happened to you?” Father Trevino said. “I felt we were able to share everything we wanted to share,” he continued. “They took all our information and asked a couple of questions themselves.”
Father Trevino said Escucha Mi Voz, of which he is president, emailed Sen. Grassley’s office, requesting a meeting with him in his Capitol Hill office or in Iowa to request his assistance in returning Pedro Pedro. “It is possible to bring someone back,” the priest said, referring to news reports of House Speaker Steve Scalise’s support in gaining the return of an Iranian immigrant who has lived in this country nearly five decades.
“If our congressional leaders plead for this, it will happen,” Father Trevino said. “That’s me, the hopeful one.”
Spokespersons in the Capitol Hill offices of Grassley and Ernst told The Catholic Messenger in separate emails that the senators stand firm on the deportation of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
David Bader, Grassley’s press secretary, shared this statement from the senator: “Yesterday, my staff in Davenport met with individuals advocating on Pedro’s behalf to listen to their comments and concerns. It’s been publicly reported Pedro was issued a lawful expedited removal order several years ago. That removal order was final, and in the years following, Pedro was staying in the U.S. temporarily under certain conditions. Congress passes laws and the executive branch administers them, including the immigration enforcement measures taken in Pedro’s case.”
Grace Long, Ernst’s deputy press secretary shared this statement from the senator: “Our nation has laws for a reason, and we can’t turn a blind eye to the essential role they play in keeping Iowans safe. Biden’s failure to enforce the law allowed deadly fentanyl and illegal immigrants to pour across our open borders and into communities across Iowa. I am thankful President Trump continues to lead the way in upholding the law to protect Americans.”
The Messenger was unable to reach Miller-Meeks at press time for comment. On her website, she states that she voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, which requires “ICE to arrest illegal immigrants who commit burglary, larceny, theft, or shoplifting offenses.”
Father Trevino isn’t giving up. “The more pressure, the more publicity, the more people who get involved” could turn the tide, he believes. “They need to know we’re not going to let innocent people be taken away.”
