A year later: Illegal immigrants fear reform will never pass

Immigration reform “doesn’t have a chance. It’s stuck. There are only excuses,” said Rudy de Hoyos, 60, an undocumented immigrant from Nogales, Sonora. The Mesa resident has lived in the U.S. without papers for 23 years.

“I have more hope that President Obama is going to do something than (Congress),” said Pedro Sanchez, 46, an undocumented immigrant from Zihuatanejo, a coastal city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The Mesa resident has lived in the U.S. illegally for 26 years.

Experts say many immigrants have lost hope that Congress will pass an immigration-reform bill because the issue has become so mired in politics.

“I don’t think anybody thinks that Congress is going to act. At least none of my clients have any hope that Congress is going to pass anything,” said Delia Salvatierra, an immigration lawyer in Phoenix. “Their hopes are with Obama.”