Bishop Thomas condemns deportation

Bishop Daniel Thomas on Wednesday denounced the deportation of Jesus Lara Lopez and encouraged prayers for him and his family.Lara Lopez, who was deported Wednesday, has been living in the United States for 16 years with his wife and four American-born children."While I recognize the federal government's role in upholding immigration laws, deporting people who have lived, worked and raised a family in this great country is not the American way," said Bishop Thomas, the spiritual leader of the Catholic Diocese of Toledo.Bishop Daniel Thomas"This is one more tragic example of how our immigration system is broken and how essential it is to immediately reform that system in order to guarantee the dignity of all persons and the integrity of the family."Willard, where Jesus Lara Lopez lived with his family, is within the diocese of Toledo. Bishop Thomas said the church will continue to join in efforts to advocate for Lara Lopez and his family and for comprehensive immigration reform.Lara Lopez left the country early on Tuesday, first boarding a plane at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport for a connecting flight in Atlanta that took him to Mexico. His three sons walked with him to the security gate at Hopkins, distraught that the government was forcing their father to leave the country. He came to the United States without a permit more than 16 years ago to work farm fields in the Willard area. A migrant work force has become part of the local economy during the last few decades, as American workers declined to take jobs working in the fields.Lara Lopez's residency status was discovered after a traffic stop in 2008, and he complied with every requirement made of him by federal immigration officials ever since then. He registered annually with the immigration office and was granted a work permit each year by the government. More recently, Lara Lopez was working at the Pepperidge Farm food factory in Willard. He's married and has four children ranging in age from 6 to 14, and he's never been accused of any criminal violations except for a minor traffic violation and his residency status.His ability to stay in the country was upended with the election of Donald Trump, who has vowed to deport anyone who came to the United States without proper residency credentials regardless of the circumstances.Supporters of the Trump policy refer to his children as "anchor babies," and claim they don't have any rights that would allow them to stop his deportation. The children implored U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, whose congressional district includes Willard, to help them keep their family together, but Gibbs did not respond their pleas. Through a spokesman, Gibbs said he supported Trump's stepped-up deportation policy and the decision to split up his family. FILE - U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville. Gibbs did not respond to pleas from the family asking for help, and later, through a spokesman, said he supported President Trump's deportation policy. Trump supporters also contend Lara Lopez should have made arrangements to become a U.S. citizen while he was here, although he never had that option and complied with every request made of him by immigration authorities. They also complained that Lara Lopez does not speak English, although he does, to a certain level.They also say he should leave and come back "the right way," although that also is not an option since the deportation ruling bars him from re-entering the United States for 10 years.Critics of the President Trump's policy contend it is heartless, and simply wrong to split up families. "The policy is mass deportation, and that includes anyone and anyone they come across," a news release from the advocacy group America's Voice states. "Even doting fathers, taxpayers, and homeowners who are working legally like Lara Lopez."David Leopold, an immigration attorney, said in enforcing the rules the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency did not even follow its own rules and guidelines. Lara Lopez was granted a stay on a deportation order for five years and requested that again this year but was denied a hearing. "The stay had been granted in the past, because Jesus' children need him, because he's paid his taxes for nearly 20 years, because he's followed the law and worked hard to build a good loving home for his family and contributed to his community," Leopold said. "None of that has changed. In fact, his equities have only gotten stronger over the years, as he purchased a home in Willard and became a leader in his church.""It's outrageous that ICE would put this father of four on a plane to Mexico and banish him from his family forever without fully responding to his stay request."Bishop Thomas is not the only religious leader to speak out on his behalf. "As pastor, I believe that family is sacred. A law that needlessly rips hard working parents from their children is unjust. Jesus Lara's children need their father at home. We cannot just accept these laws," said Dustin White, a pastor in Canton and Ashland with the Brethren Church. The family also has received a lot of encouragement through this ordeal, said Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of America's Voice. "There has been an outpouring of support for the Lara family since news of Jesus' deportation broke. The messages have been coming in from Willard and all across Ohio, as well as nationwide," she said. "More than 35,000 people signed (his son) Eric's petition to Rep. Bob Gibbs, and hundreds made phone calls to Gibbs and Senator Rob Portman's office, asking them to intervene."It's unclear how the Lara Lopez family will be able to support itself now that he's been forced to leave the country."He's going to look for work in Mexico. But whatever he is able to find, he knows he'll be earning much less than he did in Ohio. Jesus' eldest son Eric, who has been leading the petition drive, has been ruminating on what his father's departure means for him. He's said 'I'm not ready to be the man of the house.'"A GoFundMe account for the family already raised nearly $10,000 in one day, Tramonte said."That money will be put to good use in helping with the Lara's mortgage, purchasing the kids' school supplies, and possibly paying for Internet service in the family home so that the kids can do their homework there and they can also communicate with their father." Jesus Lara Lopez hugs his sons Edwin, 11, Anuar, 9, and Eric, 14, while he prepares for deportation on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Diocese of Toledo Bishop Daniel Thomas greets a family during Wednesday evening Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Sandusky. Performing the communion rite, Bishop Daniel Thomas is surrounded by former and present pastors as well as Deacon Jeff Claar during Wednesday Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Sandusky.