CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- A group of U.S. immigration reform advocates participated in Wednesday\u2019s General Audience at the Vatican, giving the Pope letters from children who face being separated from their parents by deportation.<\/p>\n\tThe group, which traveled from Los Angeles and was blessed by the city\u2019s Archbishop Jose Gomez, hoped to encourage Pope Francis to advocate for them during his impending meeting with President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n
\tThe group chose 10-year-old Jersey Vargas, the daughter of undocumented immigrants, as their representative to the Pope. Vargas was born in the U.S. and her father is currently imprisoned in Indiana and at risk of being deported.<\/p>\n
\tAt the end of the March 26 General Audience, Vargas, the third of five siblings, was able to reach the first row to greet Pope Francis, giving him more than 1,000 letters from children whose families may be separated by deportation, as well as the gift of a handkerchief.<\/p>\n
\tVargas\u2019 mother sewed into the handkerchief two birds and a nest, representing herself, her husband, and their home.<\/p>\n
\t\"My father is suffering,\u201d Vargas told Pope Francis, according to The Tidings. \"And other children in the United States are suffering just like I am.\"<\/p>\n
\tThe Pope blessed her, kissed her forehead, and told her, \"I will talk to President Obama about it.\"<\/p>\n
\tAlicia Flores, director of \u201cHermandad Mexicana Transnacional\u201d and a member of the delegation, told CNA, \u201cwe have come to send a message to President Obama via the Pope, asking the Pope that he would advocate for all the families who are going to be deported, as is Jersey\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tFlores stressed that Obama has \u201cdeported more than 2 million people\u201d \u2013 more than were deported during the eight years of George W. Bush\u2019s administrations.<\/p>\n
\tObama \u201cmaintains he is deporting criminals,\u201d she said, \u201cwhile in truth he is deporting fathers whose only crime is that of giving a contribution to the country, since they are working, and of being without the proper documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tPope Francis\u2019 meeting with Obama will take place March 27.<\/p>\n
\tCaitlin Hayden, representative of the National Security Council, has said Obama is \u201cwilling to discuss with Pope Francis urgent global challenges, such as the lack of mobility and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe leaders\u2019 meeting will likely zero in on general topics, such as the crisis in Ukraine, social imbalances, efforts for peace, and the need to foster a culture of encounter.<\/p>\n
\tMore specific topics, such as abortion law, religious liberty, and same-sex marriage, are more likely to be discussed at a later meeting between the American delegation and the Vatican Secretariat of State.<\/p>\n
\tMarta Jimenez contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n\n
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