Born in Puerto Rico Pastor Velez, who voted twice for President George W. Bush, moves effortlessly between Spanish and English.
After the raid, he found himself at the center of a crisis. Velez became not only a shoulder to cry on, and the dispenser of checks underwriting families' grocery and utility bills, but also the organizer of a significant food drive, as well as an all-around advisor and translator.
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This article shows effectively how local community leaders -- in this case, clergy -- have had to step in as immigration sweeps have turned many small towns upside down. Details from Pastor Velez's point of view provide additional insight. The reporter mentions other communities in similar situations; I would like to have read more about them, also, and from any other experts and sources, to provide more of a big picture for this piece. These tragic sweeps seem to be becoming more widespread across the U.S., yet I'm not sure how often these are being reported on.
