BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY November 24, 2019 6
Restaurant owner receives temporary stop on deportation
BY JASON COHEN
For nearly a decade, Marco
Saavedra, owner of a popular
south Bronx eatery, has led the
fi ght for immigrant rights in the
United States.
On Thursday, November 7,
Saavedra received a temporary
halt in his deportation case. His
next court appearance is January
7, 2020, where a federal judge will
determine a fi nal ruling.
Saavedra is requesting asylum
because advocates for human
rights and migrants in Mexico face
persecution, and he will be at risk
if he is forced to return.
Saavedra, 30, owns La Morada,
308 Willis Avenue, in Mott Haven,
which specializes in Oaxacan
food.
After self-deporting in 2013, he
has been fi ghting for political asylum
since.
With more than 4,000 people
signing an online petition and a
packed courthouse, the support
has been overwhelming, he said.
“I think the hearing went as
well as it could have went,” Saavedra
said. “I put myself on the front
line believing in immigration
rights.”
Saavedra grew up poor in Mexico
and his parents Antonio and
Natalia envisioned a life for them
in the USA.
At 4-years-old, he came here undocumented,
La Morada, in the South Bronx, where the owner is fi ghting for asylum. Photo Courtesy of Jason Cohen
They count on you,
In 2010, he outed himself as
an undocumented immigrant to
build solidarity and advocate for
the immigrant community in the
U.S. He also worked with the National
Immigrant Youth Alliance
to expose cases of medical neglect
and the lack of due process in
Florida.
Eventually, he began communicating
with immigrant youth
in Mexico that would have benefi
tted from DACA (Deferred Action
for Childhood Arrivals), but
were either self- deported or deported
before an executive action
was passed in 2012.
To further aid the cause, Saavedra
self-deported in 2013 for three
days and returned with a groupseeking
asylum.
“It was my responsibility as a
well known ‘Dreamer,’ to extend
my resources so others could remain
in the USA,” he explained.
According to Saavedra, his activism
has not only helped people
throughout the country, but locally
as well.
His restaurant has hosted
events and is a safe place for people
when they need help.
“We’re visible in the community,”
he said. “It’s been terrifi c to
have the restaurant.”
Marco Saavedra, the owner of La Morada,
in the South Bronx, who is fi ghting
for asylum. Schneps Media/ Jason Cohen
He works at La Morada with his
parents and sisters, Carolina and
Yajaira.
However, Saavedra recalled
that his family was initially nervous
about his activism due to the
fear of being deported.
Looking back, Saavedra told
the Bronx Times he does not regret
self-deporting and the juice
was defi nitely worth the squeeze.
“The effort on the front line was
worth it even though it was taxing,”
he said. “It’s a waiting game.
We hope that it ends soon.”
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and today his family
lives in Washington Heights.
He attended Kenyon College in
Gambier, OH, but upon entering
his junior year was not sure what
he wanted to do after school. So,
he spent a semester at Georgetown
University, in Washington, D.C.,
where he lobbied on Capitol Hill
for immigrant rights.
It was there where he discovered
his love for activism.
After graduating in 2011, he
spent the next couple years fi ghting
for immigrants throughout the
country.
“It was eye opening to meet the
real people doing the work,” he
said.
So count on us to
keep you going.
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