Immigration expert: Vargas arrest a “stupid move”

By Balitang America Staff, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

July 15, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – A group of immigrants and their advocates held a protest on Tuesday at the McAllen Border Patrol station this morning to show their support for Vargas.

“Define American”, the pro-immigration reform media campaign founded by Jose Vargas released a statement on its Facebook page regarding Vargas’ detention in Texas.

The group issued a statement from Vargas that read: “Our America is better than this – more humane, more compassionate – and we are fighting for a better America: A country we love but has yet to recognize us.”

Define American is calling on President Obama and Secretary Jay Johnson to exercise prosecutorial discretion and immediately release Jose Antonio Vargas from Customs and Border Protection custody.

Vargas and “Define American” went to the border town of McAllen, Texas to stand in solidarity with immigrant groups in that area.

In an interview with Balitang America, former president and legal counsel for the American Immigration Lawyers Association David Leopold said that the border patrol did not exercise prosecutorial discretion when they took Vargas into custody.

Leopold said that Obama’s administration made a promise that they would enforce the immigration law in a way that was smart. This meant going after criminals, violent gang members, drug dealers, national security risks.

This did not mean going after people like Jose Vargas, according to Leopold.

“He poses a threat to no one. He contributes to our society, he contributes to our discussions,” Leopold said. “I can’t think of a more stupid move.”