Despite the severe winter weather conditions, about 15 people showed up early Wednesday morning for a rally to support Dolores Bustamante, who is a farm worker from Wayne County, at her hearing at the Batavia Immigration Court at the Buffalo Detention Center on Federal Drive.
Bustamante came to the United States with her daughter after running away from a domestic abuse situation.
She has since become an important part of her community, not only as a productive person at her job at an apple farm, but as a board member of Workers’ Center of CNY and Las Mujeres Divinas.
In 2014, she was turned over to immigration after being stopped by a State Trooper for a minor traffic violation.
Since 2014, she has been reporting to immigration, but today she was in fear that she may be deported after her hearing, leaving her daughter behind.
After walking into the Detention Center on foot with her attorney Jose Perez, Bustamante, not knowing what to expect, waived goodbye to her supporters.
About an hour later, supporters were happy to learn that Bustamante will be able to remain free here in the United States while her case is continued on May 17, 2017.
Her attorney will be filing papers for asylum.