Recently, Senator Kevin Ranker spent an afternoon with Ben Nunez Marquez at the Helsell Mill. After being inspired by Nunez’s story he flew to Washington D.C. to meet with Senator Patty Murray about the situation.

Nunez, as he is called by locals, was one of eight people taken into custody for possible immigration violations five years ago after border patrol agents began questioning ferry riders arriving from the San Juans about their citizenship during “spot checks” at the Anacortes ferry terminal. Nunez was driving a sick, elderly woman who was afraid to fly to a medical facility.

Over the last several years, Nunez’s employers, Jack and Jan Helsell hired lawyers and applied for a year-long extension on the deportation so that they could find someone to fill his position at the mill. But the Helsells have yet to find a replacement.

After receiving a year-long stay, Nunez could be deported this spring.

“While there are other important issues I’m dealing with, none is personally more important than trying to stop the deportation of this wonderful member of our community,” said Ranker on his Facebook today. “While this is exactly the reason we need immigration reform, until that time, we can not fracture our communities in the name of Homeland Security by deporting our dear friends and neighbors. It is immoral and frankly, unAmerican.”