The Stream · Storify

Day 100 of Guantanamo hunger strike

The Stream — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:25:59 GMT

Advocates rally online and offline to protest the detention centre.

Storified by The Stream · Fri, May 17 2013 12:25:59

That didn't take long, #GTMO17 is #1 Worldwide. http://pic.twitter.com/tMfdznsRFS · Anonymous

For those confused, OpGTMO is the operation/movement. Today's tag is #GTMO17. You know what to do.
— Anonymous · Fri, May 17 2013 09:21:17

There's a storm coming... #GTMO17
— Andrew Wilford · Fri, May 17 2013 08:08:58

Several tweeted their solidarity with the hunger strikers.

Today marks the 100th day of the #GTMO hunger-strike. Repatriate the prisoners, close the camp, tear down the wire. End the torture. #GTMO17
— Asher Wolf · Fri, May 17 2013 09:33:05

I tweet #GTMO17 for my brother in law. Who was waterboarded. @BarackObama Charge him let the law determine his outcome.
— Jody Abu Zubaydah · Fri, May 17 2013 09:19:12

@BrandonTXNeely, a former Guantanamo guard, weighed in with his experiences while working at the prison.

I witnessed a detainee at #Guantanamo get beat so bad his blood stained the concrete of his cage at Camp X-ray #GTMO17
— Brandon Neely · Fri, May 17 2013 09:55:04

More detainees have died @Guantanamo (nine) than have been convicted of wrongdoing by its military commissions (six) #GTMO17
— Brandon Neely · Fri, May 17 2013 09:29:22

It literally makes me sick to my stomach knowing I had a hand in the horrors of #Guantanamo #GTMO17
— Brandon Neely · Fri, May 17 2013 09:33:29

Neely's full testimony of his time at Guantanamo can be found here.

Untitled · AJstream

As part of a joint effort, CODE Pink, along with other U.S. and UK-based advocacy groups, staged a protest in front of the White House to call for the closing of Guantanamo prison.

Large group at White House of 100th day of Gitmo hunger strike demanding Obama #CloseGitmo #ajstream http://pic.twitter.com/m9HhYsfOA4 · CODEPINK

Protest outside White House on the 100th day of the Guantanamo hunger strike #closegitmo @amnestyusa · reginagrossman

Now moved closer to the fence #CloseGitmo #GITMO17 #ajstream http://pic.twitter.com/fYThGFDxJd · CODEPINK

Below is The Stream's previous coverage of the Guantanamo hunger strike.

The Stream - Guantanamo until death? · aljazeeraenglish

Fossil fuel divestment debate heats up at US college

The Stream — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:10:15 GMT

Conservatives say environmental activism at Swarthmore College is suppressing speech.

Storified by The Stream · Thu, May 16 2013 15:10:15

Student Testimony at Swarthmore Board Meeting - Watufani M. Poe · swarthmoreinteracts

The blog Swat Overlaps also published the activists' collective statement read at the meeting, along with students' take on the college's response:

over and over again, we’ve been asked to wait wait to feel safe in our own dorm rooms and classrooms wait for administrators to learn respect for survivors wait for a curriculum that reflects our diversity, that tells marginalized histories wait for the college to take action for env…ironmental justice to stand in solidarity with frontline communities.
— swatoverlaps.tumblr.com · Thu, May 16 2013 13:42:34

Today we speak as individuals, converging because of our concern for the integrity of this institution. we are here together because we see that our struggles are interconnected.
— swatoverlaps.tumblr.com · Thu, May 16 2013 13:44:38

swatoverlaps.tumblr.com

A Swarthmore student published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about the incident, calling the school "a case study in the illiberalism that has taken over liberal arts colleges". She describes how her classmates disrupted the meeting and drowned her out when she tried to remind them that the panel was meant to air various perspectives.

All of this is on video, which some classmates have posted online, exulting in the evidence of how they spoke truth to power. Meanwhile, my peers have derided me on blogs and Facebook. One accused me of "pernicious, destructive, far-reaching silencing." They give me far too much credit: I'm an English major who wants Swarthmore to be a place where ideas are freely exchanged. To me, overthrowing a meeting of board members, who are all alumni, is wrong and juvenile.
— online.wsj.com · Thu, May 16 2013 12:40:09

Users on Twitter had much criticism for the college administration's handling of the protests:

Diversity and tolerance = drowning out people we disagree with, apparently. "@DCharette43: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TS3Xa9UMZu8"
— Nathan Thompson · Thu, May 16 2013 05:51:33

Why be a run-of-the-mill lefty when you can be a real radical? Campus conservatism. The few. The brave. The smart.
— Swat Conservatives · Mon, Apr 29 2013 17:56:00

#Swarthmore = $56K/yr to attend a college whose gutless leaders allow student radicals to bully others: http://goo.gl/icR4K
— Rod Dreher · Mon, May 13 2013 12:30:52

Environmental activist Bill McKibben, who has helped lead the charge for universities to divest from fossil fuels, praised the students for demanding action from the administration:

Divest movement @SwarthmoreMJ is such a model of reason; by now, the inaction of the admin must be maddening http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2013/05/01/op-ed-lets-be-clear-divestment-and-financial-aid/
— Bill McKibben · Wed, May 01 2013 05:44:27

Swarthmore divestment campaign getting tired of the endless delay tactics from the administration. Divest Now! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00Med0treVE
— Bill McKibben · Mon, May 06 2013 10:05:09

Others online felt the debate had been blown out of proportion and expressed support for the school:

Only teenage radicals and aging reactionaries take campus protests seriously. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/348110/swarthmore-spinning-out-control-videos
— Jonathan Shainin · Mon, May 13 2013 12:42:16

@seenstudio I'm reconsidering my vow to never donate a cent.
— Jonathan Shainin · Mon, May 13 2013 13:08:59

Blogger G. Benjamin Bingham, who runs a firm for sustainable investment, criticised both Swarthmore's administration and the students who protested:

Unfortunately, the experts on the financial boards of endowments may one day look down on the smoldering remains of Earth, and comfort themselves by asserting that at least they did their "fiduciary duty" by putting profits ahead of people or planet! Their lack of willingness to consider the passionate pleas of students to divest is just as disingenuous as activism without real debate.
— huffingtonpost.com · Thu, May 16 2013 13:16:30

'Sexist' page undergoes feminist coup

The Stream — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:36:39 GMT

Feminists' 'Whiney Dude' meme clashes with Facebook moderators.

Storified by The Stream · Thu, May 16 2013 10:36:39

The photo below shows some of the images displayed on the page prior to the online coup.

feministatsea.wordpress.com

But with the help of the new administrator's friends, including the author of Feminist at Sea, the objectifying content was replaced with feminist quotes, pictures and memes.

Screenshot of Bra Busters facebook · AJstream

Screenshot 3 of Bra Busters Facebook · AJstream

In reaction to the change of management and content, members of the group left many angry comments. The new administrators decided to publicly shame these members by taking their Facebook profile pictures and captioning their comments in textballoons. This duo of profile picture and comment became the 'Whiney Dude' meme, as well as the most popular feature of the page amongst new members.

feministatsea.wordpress.com

whineydudes.blogspot.com

As the Whiney Dude meme gained popularity, Facebook locked the new administrators out for 24 hours, citing posting 'pornography' as their offense.

My facebook account has been blocked for 24hrs, because I "posted pornography". Reason I was really blocked: http://bit.ly/ZsLIWb
— Feminist at Sea · Fri, May 03 2013 10:31:46

feministatsea.wordpress.com

According to The Daily Dot, the charge of 'posting pornography' was attributed to complaints of men angry about the Whiney Dude meme's use of their photos. Additionally, when the memes were compiled on an external blog, Facebook proceeded to mark links to the blog as 'spam'.

Feminist at Sea claims numerous complaints against the Bra Busters page had gone unanswered, but Facebook addressed complaints against them in under 48 hours.

Share your thoughts and reactions to this story in the comments below!

Racist memes comments and questions

The Stream — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:06:17 GMT

Members of The Stream discuss when online memes cross the line from being lighthearted fun to being racially offensive? See which responses make it on air, watch the live stream of our show Thursday, May 16, at 19:30 GMT: stream.aljazeera.com

Storified by The Stream · Thu, May 16 2013 10:06:17

Sana Saeed explained how some online spaces fuel online racism:

@FemiOke @ajstream LOLBucket is one of the most racist, sexist online spaces I've visited. Reddit is also renowned for sexism&racism. 1/2
— Sana Saeed · Wed, May 15 2013 15:04:32

@FemiOke @ajstream English-language online spaces for humor are white male spaces; not surprising, our (non-digital) comedy is the same. 2/2
— Sana Saeed · Wed, May 15 2013 15:06:18

Is the obsession with meme-ification of everyday people a way to share a common humanity?

@AJStream Memes are like ancient cave painting, hipster grafitto, manga anime & sculpture with poetry. All are arts & freedoms of expression
— LingInRhythms · Thu, May 16 2013 05:26:47

When it comes to the creation of memes, does class or race come into play?

@AJStream I say yes class and race play a factor, as they play crucial factor in who has access to technology & for how long #charlesramsey
— Zaneta Denny · Thu, May 16 2013 04:10:30

Is it racist if the memes' source also pokes fun of whites and politicians (i.e. Gregory Brothers)? If we stepped outside the traditional box of viewing race everywhere we go, we'd see these memes are more classist than racist, making fun of lower-income and thus perhaps less-educated people, more of whom just happen to be black than white.
— Mikey Barnum · Wed, May 15 2013 20:20:52

This sparked a back and forth between Stream community members:

@SanaSaeed @DanMing @FemiOke @AJStream People of nearly every race & class have been poked fun at & meme-fied. Many find them all funny.
— Lois Nam · Wed, May 15 2013 16:22:54

@loisnam @DanMing @FemiOke @AJStream Central question here is what -is- the meme in question? Is it to highlight stupidity? 1/2
— Sana Saeed · Wed, May 15 2013 16:22:57

@loisnam @DanMing @FemiOke @AJStream Race and class are deeply entrenched in one another, especially in the United States.
— Sana Saeed · Wed, May 15 2013 16:26:27

@SanaSaeed @DanMing @FemiOke @AJStream Yes, & in that case, it's not particular to African Americans. Latinos and Asians are also looped in.
— Lois Nam · Wed, May 15 2013 16:29:35

Do internet memes like #CharlesRamsey and #SweetBrown play on racial or class stereotypes?

racist? caricature? why are you making something out of nothing?
— Charles Efe Oyibo · Wed, May 15 2013 16:04:36

@AJStream 100 percent race .. If a white did that then it ain't gon be this big
— Sadeeq · Thu, May 16 2013 05:43:13

Are claims of racist stereotyping in regards to these memes exaggerated?

@AJStream no...it has been utterly cringeworthy
— Jo · Thu, May 16 2013 00:04:13

Do memes like #CharlesRamsey and #SweetBrown enable conversations on class and race that would not occur otherwise in the US?

@AJStream i feel like gen ppl in the US are more ready to talk about #Racism/#class discrimnation than US #media'd like to admit
— Nafisa Islam · Wed, May 15 2013 17:45:56

Does LinkedIn have a prostitution problem?

The Stream — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:15:01 GMT

New user agreement says the network is not for sex work.

Storified by The Stream · Wed, May 15 2013 12:15:01

LinkedIn's new list of prohibitions includes the following:

Even if it is legal where you are located, create profiles or provide content that promotes escort services or prostitution.
— linkedin.com · Wed, May 15 2013 08:55:09

Many online were surprised to learn that the network hosted sex workers. Some noted that "prostitution" was an available job skill, though it is mostly listed by users who deal with prostitution from a social work or law enforcement angle. A number of LinkedIn users used the site to leave their thoughts.

The world's largest professional network wants nothing to do with the world's oldest profession.
— linkedin.com · Wed, May 15 2013 08:34:52

My question: Why did it take this long? ...
— linkedin.com · Wed, May 15 2013 08:30:06

Looks like there's a seedy underbelly to LinkedIn. Their latest privacy policy changes ban prostitution.
— twitter.com · Wed, May 15 2013 07:57:49

LinkedIn plays moral police by 'prohibiting' promotion of prostitution and escort services! "A LinkedIn rep... http://fb.me/vVF6aVSF
— littleyellowbeetle · Wed, May 15 2013 05:40:02

Others expressed concern for what the ban could mean for legal sex workers:

Linked in not allowing sex worker profiles? Do they know linked in profiles are the most common thing clients use for screening?
— Kelly Michaels · Wed, May 15 2013 07:21:41

Sex workers should have access to @LinkedIn as long as they're not violating any user agreement.
— Child of Zora · Tue, May 14 2013 11:33:50

Dear @LinkedIn stop your discrimination of sex workers. They are people too, and don't need your puritan judgements. #SexWorkersMatter
— Jean-Luc Gothos · Tue, May 14 2013 07:50:02

So, @linkedin is banning sex workers b/c of illegality in some locales. Will you also ban political activism, since many countries prohibit?
— Darby Hickey · Tue, May 14 2013 09:29:59

Most online treated the subject with humour:

If @LinkedIn got rid of sex workers clients too, then there wouldn't be many ppl on LinkedIn at all.
— Dollymopp of London · Wed, May 15 2013 03:31:46

Are you a sex worker in need of a career boost? Maybe a @LinkedIn profile will do the trick http://ow.ly/l26Fp #oops #steamy
— allvoices · Tue, May 14 2013 15:00:21

People Who Figuratively Prostitute Themselves on LinkedIn Banned From Actually Prostituting There http://thegi.st/YJf9pE
— someecards · Wed, May 15 2013 07:07:40

LinkedIn bans prostitutes. Bright side? The prostitutes won't get tons of annoying emails from LinkedIn. http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/14/linkedin-is-tired-of-prostitutes-using-its-website/
— Alex Pappas · Tue, May 14 2013 12:53:40

'Buycotting' via smartphone

The Stream — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:32:30 GMT

App allows customers to boycott products tied to corporations like Monsanto and Koch Industries.

Storified by The Stream · Wed, May 15 2013 10:32:30

itunes.apple.com

Although many are labeling the app as a champion of anti-conservative causes, Clare O'Connor at Forbes is quick to point out that users can join individually-generated campaigns for or against any companies. The point was echoed by the app developer:

“I don’t want to push any single point of view with the app,” said Pardo. “For me, it was critical to allow users to create campaigns because I don’t think its Buycott’s role to tell people what to buy. We simply want to provide a platform that empowers consumers to make well-informed purchasing decisions.”
— forbes.com · Wed, May 15 2013 08:47:06

Many of the campaigns listed on Buycott's website are for sustainable foods, or against large corporations like Koch Industries and Nestle. There is one campaign listed, however, against progressive-liberal George Soros Investments.

Screenshot Buycott.com · AJstream

Commenters rushed to both criticise and endorse the app. From Forbes commenter JJ Durgin:

Great idea. lets close all our corporations. Then these brain dead libs would be happy until they realize all their needs, food ,fuel, medical, etc etc etc are now gone. Before that happens, please modify this work of genius to include Soros.
— forbes.com · Wed, May 15 2013 07:34:55

Commenter Gregladen responded:

JJ, I for one prefer to see the free market work out these problems; the economists say that this is how it should be done and I believe them. Of course, for that to work, the actors in the market (consumers in this case) need to be “ideal free” actors. That does not mean actors without ideals. It means rational individuals with all the necessary information to make the choices.
— forbes.com · Wed, May 15 2013 09:09:19

For many consumers this means making politically informed choices in their purchasing patterns. But they can’t do that without the information about which companies make what. It would be nice if there was an app for that. Something you could scan bar codes in the supermarket with and stuff. Hey, wait a minute….
— forbes.com · Wed, May 15 2013 09:09:30

Buycott is available in both the Android and iPhone markets. Though smartphone users are expressing interest in the idea behind it, the young app is not without glitches.

The Buycott App is still buggy, but I'm willing to give it time to realize its full potential. It will be a huge help to me at the store.
— gnumoon · Wed, May 15 2013 06:48:45

Sorry, we can't add new servers fast enough!! The app #3 in the App Store's free utilities... way more users than we can handle atm
— Buycott · Tue, May 14 2013 22:00:36

Hang tough @BuycottApp - this user will be here when the dust settles. Congrats on the best problem an app launch could have - #overcapacity
— cerebralitch · Wed, May 15 2013 07:32:29

What do you think of Buycott? Does it enable smart-consumption or reinforce anti-corporate sentiment?

Is the New York Times biased against Chavez?

The Stream — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:58:02 GMT

Petition campaign calls out inconsistent coverage of Latin American rulers.

Storified by The Stream · Wed, May 15 2013 09:58:02

petition · AJstream

Within 24 hours of posting, the petition received more than 500 signatures.

Our petition asking NYT Public Editor to investigate biased reporting breaks 400 signatories! Add your name now: http://www.nytexaminer.com/2013/05/petition-on-venezuela-honduras
— NYT eXaminer · Wed, May 15 2013 07:06:55

Petition signatures of industry leaders · AJstream

Using Venezuela's late Hugo Chavez and his Honduran counterparts as examples, the petition argues that the NYT is partial to US government positions when characterising Latin American leaders. The NYT's opinion pieces often described Chavez as a "despot" or "caudillo" (Spanish for "military dictator"). Below is a NYT article, "Death of a Strongman", which the petition references to illustrate its point.

pic · AJstream

quote death of strongman · AJstream

Have you been following the NYT's coverage of Venezuela and Honduras? Let us know what you think of the petition campaign in the comments below.

El Salvador's 'Savita'? Netizens campaign for #Beatriz

The Stream — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:12:06 GMT

Woman seeks right to terminate pregnancy after doctors say her life is at risk.

Storified by The Stream · Wed, May 15 2013 11:12:06

Every additional day the Salvadorian government debates the merits of her case, Beatriz and her family—including her one-year-old son, are suffering mental and physical anguish, which is further degrading her health. This amounts to cruel and inhuman treatment.
— takeaction.amnestyusa.org · Wed, May 15 2013 09:01:21

@AmnistiaOnline @AIMexico #ElSalvador juntos por salvar la vida de #Beatriz pic.twitter.com/2NaQiyMzxT · Yuianca

#SaveBeatriz #Beatriz: el seu cos, els seus drets, la seva vida #ElSalvador pic.twitter.com/xEY0I7UNz3 · Amnistia Catalunya

Abortion opponents also weighed in on Beatriz' case:

@Celidamagana: I don't judge #Beatriz, I ask God for her health and for her to make the best decision! But my position is the same #NoToAbortion

@LuisiitaN y no juzgo a #Beatriz Pido a Dios por su salud y por que tome la mejor decisión! pero mi posición es la misma #NoAlAborto
— Célida Magaña · Tue, May 14 2013 16:56:38

@vida_sv: There is no therapeutic abortion because pregnancy and a baby is not a disease #Beatriz

No existe aborto terapéutico porque el embarazo y un bebé no son una enfermedad #Beatriz El vínculo... http://fb.me/2PJdFoGKv
— VIDA SV · Fri, Apr 19 2013 12:16:30

Many have made parallels between Beatriz and Savita Halappanavar, a woman in Ireland who died from infection after miscarrying and being refused an abortion.

#Antichoice laws kill women: #Savita, #Beatriz, #Mongar. #prochoice = #prolife #Right2Life #HumanRights #Gosnell #Ireland #tlot
— Claudine Jacques · Mon, May 13 2013 15:30:49

We already lost Savita in Ireland. Don’t let Beatriz die in El Salvador. feministing.com/2013/04/30/we-…
— Libby Anne · Sun, May 12 2013 22:14:23

For more on Savita's case, watch our show on abortion laws in Ireland:

The Stream - Ireland's abortion standoff · AlJazeeraEnglish

Israel's fractured memory questions and comments

The Stream — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:13:21 GMT

Watch the show Wednesday, May 15, 1930 GMT at stream.aljazeera.com, and you may see your comment on the show!

Storified by The Stream · Wed, May 15 2013 10:13:21

Are Israelis ready to include the Palestinian Nakba in their independence narrative?

@AJStream Should Israelis celebrate the Arab & Palestinian failure to destroy their newly reborn state in the Arab-initiated war of 1948? No
— Ofir Gendelman · Tue, May 14 2013 21:58:17

@AJStream how can they? Wouldn't it expose the illegitimacy of their state?
— Deanna ديانا · Tue, May 14 2013 16:15:06

@AJStream is there an understanding of the nakba at all? Do Israelis believe that the nakba took place?
— Asia · Wed, May 15 2013 09:14:31

Is there room for Israelis in the Nakba discussion?

@samioj @ajstream Agreed, but Israelis need to know about the Nakba & important to see Israeli efforts to bring light to it.
— Sana Saeed · Tue, May 14 2013 18:16:11

@samioj @ajstream Yes but also depends on the goal of the show: to talk about Nakba or how Nakba is treated in Israel? Latter significant
— Sana Saeed · Tue, May 14 2013 18:21:32

@samioj @ajstream Israelis discussing the Nakba on international tv is quite the statement as well.
— Sana Saeed · Tue, May 14 2013 18:17:23

@AJStream There is definitely room for Israelis in the discussion of the Nakba as they are the root cause and are able to solve the problem
— Holly Dagres · Wed, May 15 2013 10:07:04

@AJStream no there is not because they are one if the main causes of this tragedy!
— Mohammed freesyr · Tue, May 14 2013 22:49:13

@AJStream Yes...for Israelis who recognise that the Nakba took place and admit to all the atrocities Israel was created on #progress
— MuSliM MaLeMa · Wed, May 15 2013 01:43:41

Where does your understanding of the Nakba come from?

@AJStream Edward Said, Mahmoud Darwich, my sitou and sidou.Nver heard about it in history class until i got to my second year at university.
— Sab! · Tue, May 14 2013 23:05:03

@ajstream twitter with activists like @linahalsaafin @livefromgaza and #ajstream as well
— Ibrahim Villalobos · Tue, May 14 2013 23:05:37

@AJStream My 1st understanding came from my college education i.e. MENA politics class, and things I learned from Palestinian friends
— Holly Dagres · Wed, May 15 2013 07:04:47

@AJStream through FAS(friend a soldier) #education#Nakba
— shaunmike460 · Wed, May 15 2013 06:38:51

What would you like to ask the Director of Zochrot?

@AJStream Is it possible to spread awareness about the Nakba amongst Israeli Jews without undercutting founding narratives of Israel?
— Sana Saeed · Wed, May 15 2013 03:05:35

How do you raise awareness of an event most Israelis disregard and denounce? @ajstream #nakba
— Kudza Thondhlana · Wed, May 15 2013 03:10:05

@AJStream How much sway do the government / Hasbara have in influencing Israeli's narrative on the Nakba?
— Fumble The Face · Wed, May 15 2013 04:35:25

Congresswoman stops deportation

The Stream — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:50:13 GMT

Son's emotional last-minute plea buys his family some time.

Storified by The Stream · Tue, May 14 2013 12:22:07

Despite being told to keep his question short at the North Miami immigration forum, Carlos Rivas plunged into the story of his father's impending deportation to Mexico, only hours away, and followed with a plea for help. His story moved Florida Representative Frederica Wilson, one of the four members of Congress in attendance. She proceeded to make late night phone calls to immigration officials, ultimately halting the deportation of Carlos' father.

miamiherald.com

Carlos' mother Ana Rivas, pictured above with her family, told The Stream that her husband, Rene Rivas, was arrested on March 29 in an undercover US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.

The Obama administration announced in 2011 that it would focus its deportation efforts on violent offenders, gang members and drug traffickers. While Rene has no criminal record of his own, he was arrested in an ICE operation that targeted a co-worker who reportedly did have a criminal record.

Earlier on Monday, before the immigration forum, the Rivas family was joined by many in protesting in front of the Pompano Beach detention center where Rene is being held.

Protesters seeking the halt of deportation proceedings of Rene Rivas march… (Joe Cavaretta, Sun Sentinel ) · AJstream

All for Rene Rivas today! #11MillionDreams #Immigration #Not1More http://pic.twitter.com/fS1A5KcBia · Diego N. Sanchez

While Representative Wilson's move to suspend Rene's deportation may have only bought the family an extra week, many applauded Wilson for her determination to serve her constituents.

Constituent services doin' good work! “@MarcACaputo: How Rep. Wilson stopped 4 am deportation of father of 4 http://hrld.us/12rKNZp”
— tasha carvell · Tue, May 14 2013 06:35:02

@RepWilson THANK YOU FOR KEEPING RENES' FAMILY TOGETHER #not1more #timeisnow #immigrationreform
— Jose A. Machado · Mon, May 13 2013 22:25:41

With over 1.5 million US deportations in the last 4 years, some pointed to the story as another example of how the immigration system breaks families apart, and emphasized the need for immigration reform.

A family thinks dad could be deported in a week. Court records say he might have a month. Welcome to immigration http://hrld.us/12rKNZp
— Marc Caputo · Tue, May 14 2013 08:05:06

Great result, bad system. It shouldnt take Congressional intervention 2 keep families safe&together http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/05/rep-frederica-wilson-gets-4-am-deportation-of-dad-stopped.html h/t @MarcACaputo
— David Leopold · Tue, May 14 2013 04:04:54

It is not enough to say "we r working on reform" when every day we see the effects of out of control enforcement - @lorellaluciana #Not1More
— B. Loewe · Mon, May 13 2013 09:20:24

Two of Ana's children were born in the US, and two others are in the process of becoming naturalised citizens. Ana told us that she hopes for the implementation of immigration reform that would allow for her husband to stay, by virtue of being the father of American citizens.

"We only came to work", she said, "we are hard-working people looking out for the prosperity of our kids".