Utah advocacy group rallies for immigration reform

SALT LAKE CITY — Because Liliana Bolanos’ parents brought her from Mexico to America at age 2, people often tell her that her parents are criminals. But she sees it differently.

“My parents are not the villains of my story — they are the heroes of my story,” Bolanos, of Salt Lake City, said Saturday during a rally promoting immigration reform at the Utah Capitol.

Now an immigration paralegal, and one of the organizers of local group Utah With All Immigrants, Bolanos said the Beehive State is only receptive to some kinds of immigrants. As a DACA recipient, Bolanos has a work permit and protection from deportation — rights that are not afforded to her parents, who live in Utah County.

“It’s very divisive, and it separates families to say that this member of your family deserves citizenship, and you do not,” Bolanos said. “Our group emphasizes the importance that all immigrants are deserving of being advocated for, and respect, because at the end of the day, we are all impacted if one of us doesn’t have the rights that the others have.”

Bolanos joined other Utahns Saturday in celebrating National Stand With Immigrants Day through their second annual rally calling for immigration reform, along with better education and community awareness of issues faced by immigrants.

The group’s mission, according to Bolanos, is “to empower all immigrants in Utah by fostering community, providing representation, promoting awareness, connecting with resources and sharing untold stories.”

There’s more to Gabrielle Shiozawa’s story! Please read it in full at KSL.com.