On Wednesday November 18th the Chicago City Council approved a resolution in defense of Rigoberto Padilla and other immigrant students, by a vote of 49-1. The resolution states that the Mayor and members of the Chicago City Council reaffirm their “support of the DREAM Act, and call upon the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt the removal of Rigoberto Padilla and all other young immigrant students who would be eligible to gain legal status under DREAM or other comprehensive immigration reform proposals while such legislation is under consideration in the U.S. Congress.”  Alejandro, one of the youth involved in the campaign to stop Rigo’s deportation, shares the testimony he presented in front of City Council, as an undocumented student.

But regardless of my achievements, like many other students in my situation, I live in fear, we live in fear;
We live in fear of not getting the money needed for next year’s tuition and books;
We live in fear of using our consular ID card as identification with the Chicago Police;
We live in fear of walking down Pilsen or little Village and getting caught in the middle of a raid;
We live in fear of talking to school officials about our status and loosing our scholarships;
We live in fear of traveling outside of Chicago;

I ask you, we all ask you, to help stop the deportation of undocumented students. Students who have managed to stay in school despite greater difficulties, who have become targets of hate, who have been treated differently when they show a consular ID card/ or their nationality is known, above all, people who dream of constructing a better future for everyone in America regardless nationality, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Read the rest of Alejandro’s testimony here.

Despite all of the support Rigoberto’s case has drawn he is still set to be deported a little less than a month from now (December 16th).

Sign Rigo’s petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/helprigo/petition.html

Join Rigo’s Facebook page: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/252538

Rigo’s action center – Send a letter to ICE demanding they stop his deportation: http://icirr.e-actionmax.com/takeaction.asp?aaid=184