Gibbs supports ICE, Trump

U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs offered no response to pleas from the children of a Willard man who will be deported next week.Gibbs, R-Lakeville, whose district includes Willard, also did not respond to questions from the Register about Jesus Lopez Lara, a resident here since 2001 who entered the United States illegally. His spokesman, Dallas Gerber, did issue a statement to the Norwalk Reflector."On the issue of illegal immigration in general, Congressman Gibbs has always believed if someone entered the United States illegally, or overstayed their visa, they should be sent home and enter the United States legally."The statement aligns Gibbs with the change in enforcement President Donald Trump ordered in January, which has put thousands of American families like Lopez Lara's at risk. It's unknown if Lopez Lara would be allowed to return after he is deported, or if that suggestion from Gibbs spokesman is realistic. The Register asked Gibbs whether he would try to help Lopez Lara's American children, who have pleaded with the congressman to intercede. American children of illegal immigrants often are referred to as "anchor babies" by supporters of the Trump immigration orders.Gibbs declined to say whether he supported that terminology, and Gerber also ignored that question, and others. But Gibbs isn't alone in sidestepping the questions. The children also reached out to Ohio senators Rob Portman, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat. A spokesman for Portman issued a statement suggesting that a resolution might still be possible. "Our staff has been in contact with Jesus Lopez Lara's lawyers and the relevant federal agencies about this case, working to ensure all of the relevant facts are heard and to facilitate a solution," Emily Benavides, Portman's communications director wrote to the Register on Tuesday. Senator Brown, through a press secretary, issued a statement that answered most of the questions the Register asked. "Tearing apart families who are working and paying taxes is not the way to fix our broken immigration system," press secretary Rachel Petri said, attributing the statement to Brown.The senator's staff has been in touch with immigration agents, Brown's communications director Jenny Donohue said Thursday morning. Brown's office is doing everything it can to help the family and continuing to work with ICE officials on Lopez Lara's behalf, but they don't yet know what the outcome will be, she said.The senator's staff generally does not comment on casework it performs on behalf of constituents out of privacy concerns, Donohue said, but in this instance did respond given the family has reached out to reporters. Lopez Lara and his wife Anahi have three sons, Eric, 14, Edwin, 11, Anuar, 9, and a daughter, Elsiy, 6, all born here, schooled here and raised here, all their lives."This is simply a local family doing everything possible to try to stay together," Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of America's Voice, an advocacy group, wrote to the Register this week. "We're not asking for the impossible."We're asking for Rep. Gibbs to pick up the phone and advocate for his constituents. Jesus is a taxpayer who owns his own home and is a vital presence in his children's daily lives. We should all do everything we can to keep this loving family together, at home, in Willard." He's lived in Willard for the last 16 years. Lopez Lara has filled out every form and applied for every work permit he's been asked to fill out since his legal status was revealed after a 2008 traffic stop. He's been under an order of supervision with a work permit through immigration services since 2011, requiring him to check in annually.He's always followed every order immigration officials gave him.He's said he will get on that plane next Tuesday as ordered, if he doesn't win a reprieve. But it will be the hardest thing he's ever had to do, he said, to leave his family.Trump's executive order in January changed enforcement tactics drastically and made families like Lara Lopez Lara's vulnerable. Trump's full enforcement order to ICE, to round up all undocumented residents is impacting thousands of families.*This article has been changed to better reflect the response provided by Sen. Brown's office. From left, U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman. Jesus Lara, a Willard man who faces possible deportation later this month under President Trump's stepped up immigration enforcement, with his wife Anahi, and their American-born children, from left to right, sons Eric, 14, Edwin, 11, Anuar, 9, and daughter Elsy, 6.