The case of an undocumented Mexican in South Carolina who is fighting deportation with support from U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) will put the validity of the authorities’ new discretionary policy to the test.
The fate of Gabino Sanchez, 27, will be decided Tuesday at an immigration court in Charlotte, and for Gutierrez it will shine a light on whether the Immigration and Customs Enforcement memorandum giving priority to expelling undocumented criminals “carries any weight.”
“Gabino is an example of an immigrant who should not be deported,” the congressman told Efe.
“If the Obama administration is serious about applying the policy of executive discretion, it should close the case of this immigrant,” he said.
Sanchez came to the United States when he was 14. He settled in Ridgeland, South Carolina, worked in gardening and construction and eventually married and had two children.
His troubles began on Nov. 2 when police stopped him for speeding. Because he is undocumented and did not have a driver’s license - and also has a history of fines for driving without a license - he was turned over to ICE.
