Wednesday night was a special screening of the CNN Espanol Documentary “Deportados” at Lehman College. The film tells the story of those who immigrated to the United States either as children or adults to find a better life than they had. It chronics the lives of several people who had lived here for many years, either as they grew up, got married, had children, or served in the armed forces for the United States, but for one reason or another wound up being deported. Statistics were shown of the hundreds of thousands of people who were deported in 2013, and in 2015. This film concentrated on a few who were deported in 2017 under the new presidency of Donald Trump.
One person interviewed told of how he worked for others by bringing people across the border to the United states, saying that it is a big money business. Others interviewed included a woman who was married and had three children, but was deported because she came into this country illegally as a child. Another story was of an immigrant who had a work permit, and enlisted in the armed forces as he was told it would lead to permanent citizenship. After completing his enlistment he was jailed on a traffic accident and since he did not apply for citizenship he was deported. He said that the only way he could come back into the United States right now was in a coffin to be buried in any cemetery with full military honors.
There was a panel discussion after the movie moderated by Juan Carlos Lopez CNNE Senior Political Anchor. The panel included Congressman Adriano Espaillat, The co-producer of the film Ms. Cathy Reyes, CUNY Instructor Jose Higurera Lopez, Lehman Professor Ulises Gonzalez, and Lehman Dreamer Francisco Aquino Ramirez.
Congressman Espaillat said that he voted against what he called were CR's or Continuing Resolutions to keep the U.S. Government going even though they had some mention of the Dream Act and Aid to Puerto Rico, but in his words the bills were tied to other things he was against. Ms. Reyes said that there were others who were interviewed for the film, but declined after the filming for f\ear of reprisals when the film came out. All had the same feelings about how people have come from other countries in the past for a better life, and even today there are those like the Dreamers who have the same thoughts.
Above - The five panelist Congressman Adriano Espaillat, CUNY instructor Jose Higurera Lopez, ESPN film producer Cynthia Reyes, Lehman College Professor Ulises Gonzalez, Lehman student Francisco Aquino Ramirez, and moderator Juan Carlos Lopez CNNE Senior Political Anchor.
Below - Congressman Espaillat explains the difficulty of voting on bills in Washington. He said that he voted against Continuing Resolutions that had in them funding for Dreamers and aid to Puerto Rico because there were other things he did not want in them.
