A Berwyn grandmother who has been living in the United States on an expired visa for nearly two decades has been ordered to prove she’s leaving the country by the end of October.
At meeting Thursday with officials of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcemewnt agency, Genoveva Ramirez was told to return by the end of September with tickets showing she will leave the United States.
The woman’s attorney, however, vowed the fight was not over. Mony Ruiz-Velasco said Ramirez has a pending visa application.
Only Genoveva Ramirez was scheduled to check in but she was joined by 4 other undocumented immigrants: "We're stronger together" pic.twitter.com/yQfxHbEc5u
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) August 31, 2017
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The 67-year-old community activist had been surprised to be summoned to a meeting in May with immigration officials. She originally came to the United States from Mexico in 2001 on a visa that has long since expired, and has been checking in regularly with immigration officials. She was told two years ago her case was a low priority and that she needn’t keep coming back.
But at that meeting in May, she was told to return this month.
Thursday morning, about 100 supporters gathered for a protest outside the offices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, 101 W. Congress Pkwy. Among them: U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who was defiant after hearing that Ramirez was being told to leave the country: “We can’t give up. We won’t give up. We’ll keep fighting.”
Protestors continue to yell chants as they await Ramirez and the four others who have been upstairs since 10:30 a.m. pic.twitter.com/c8y6dTHens
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) August 31, 2017
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