(NAME-MCE) Officials deport president of Palomar MEChA club

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Officials deport president of Palomar MEChA club

By Linda Lou
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

January 17, 2008

The president of the MEChA club at Palomar College (San Marcos CA) has
been deported to Mexico, immigration officials said yesterday.

Paola Oropeza, 22, was arrested Jan. 8 by a fugitive operations team
with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Lauren Mack, a
spokeswoman for the department in San Diego.

Oropeza had been ordered to leave the country by an immigration judge,
but she failed to comply with that order, Mack said. At the time of
her arrest, Oropeza was in the country illegally and was taken to
Tijuana, Mack said.

Oropeza did not have a criminal record, said Mack, who could not
provide details about Oropeza's immigration background. Oropeza was
arrested with three people who are believed to be relatives, Mack
said. One is still in deportation proceedings.

When reached on a cell phone yesterday, Oropeza declined to comment.
She said her attorney has advised her not to talk to the media.

MEChA, or Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, is a Latino
student group with chapters in high schools and colleges. It focuses
on empowerment through education as well as political, cultural and
social awareness.

A staff assistant in Palomar College's student affairs office who
works with student clubs said Oropeza was president last year and
remained in that role this year. She said MEChA is fairly active on
campus, especially in the fall. The group holds a cultural event on
campus each winter called a "Night of Culture" and collects toys for
the needy through the event.

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Linda Lou: (760) 737-7574; linda.lou at uniontrib.com

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