06:10 PM CST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006

By Karla Barguiarena / 11 News

Click to watch video

Ruben Arqueta may seem as if he’s intently gazing on his creations.  But in reality, there is something else on his mind.

KHOU-TV

Ruben Arqueta's visa might be revoked.

He said he is scared because his work visa might be revoked.

Arqueta is one of 40,000 Central Americans working in Houston thanks to Temporary Protected Status, a special visa program for victims of natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

The visas will begin expiring in the next few months and the fear is they will be canceled and immigrants like Arqueta will be deported.

“These countries are not ready and they never will be ready to receive this people,” said Nelson Reyes, Director “Gano-Carecen”.

Nelson Reyes is a community activist who has received hundreds of calls from immigrants concerned about their futures.

Critics argue it would be unfair to keep renewing these special visas only for Central Americans.  They said residents of other countries such as Pakistan clearly need it as well.

A congressional campaign to prevent immigrants from being deported is under way.

In a letter sent to the White House, Representative Ros-Lehtinen wrote, “These are persons who are contributing to the local economies. To not renew the TPS would be an absurd decision.”

“The employees make the business,” Galindo said.

Rafael Galindo who employs Arqueta feels the same way.

“It will affect not only me but it will affect the total nationally because that is who they are,” said Rafael Galindo, owner of the Red Onion.  “They are the force behind our names, our skills.”

The assistant chef doesn’t know what he’ll do if he is forced to leave the country.

Until a decision is made he will try to make his food, his escape.