Immigration law: The faces behind the issue
Luz Maria Diaz, 35, worries about what will happen to daughters Yolanda, 18, at left, and Diana, 16, right. The two were arrested after a fight on their school campus, then processed for possible deportation under a program known as 287(g). The program has drawn criticism after reported civil-rights violations, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called for an end to it. In July, the Obama administration announced that participating agencies must focus their efforts primarily on serious and violent criminals. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
At North Carolina’s Alamance County Detention Center, inmates identified as illegal immigrants occupy the day room of their cell block. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Blanca Zendejas Nienhaus, a teacher in North Carolina, is a member of Fairness Alamance, an organization pushing for Alamance County to abide by the federal government’s new rules and target only violent criminals for deportation. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Luis Cruz Millan was arrested for allegedly playing music too loudly in his car outside a home. His fiancee, U.S. citizen Belinda Masterman, said she begged officers not to take him to jail. Drawn by jobs in agriculture, the textile industry and construction, Latinos began settling in large numbers throughout North Carolina in the 1990s, dramatically changing the demographics of the state. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
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Sgt. Dan Cubino, who was trained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, works with agents to identify illegal immigrants who come to the Alamance County Detention Center. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
“We don’t have enough work in this country to support people who are here legally. Why should we be keeping illegal immigrants?” Charles Smith, 84, says. He talks with Alamance County Sheriff Terry S. Johnson, center, and Randy Jones. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Maria Perez laughs while enjoying the evening at a North Carolina trailer park with daughters Clarissa, 4, and Abigail, 9 months. Rolando Telles, 18, holds 1-year-old niece Cecilia Pacheco. Several parents who are illegal immigrants said they infrequently leave the trailer park because they don’t have driver’s licenses and fear getting arrested and deported. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
From left, Evelina, 8, Yesenia, 7, Alejandra, 10, Roxanna, 7, and Noelia, 6, play at the North Carolina trailer park. Fear of deportation has prompted some immigrants to leave the area. Market owner Sergio Guzman says business has dropped about 25% in the last year. “The people have more fear of immigration than the economy,” he says. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
