The Deported
This week, USA Today brought us the story about Karina Acosta. Karina is in Mexico now, but 3 months ago, things were different. Karina was a high school senior in Roswell, New Mexico. She was 18, she was pregnant, and she was an illegal alien. According to the article, as many as 40% of her high school's Hispanic students (which make up an estimated 90% of the total amount students) may be illegal.
Things took a turn when she was pulled over for blocking a fire lane, and found to be driving without a license. The school's policeman asked her for proof of legal U.S. residency. Like most illegal immigrants, that was one thing she didn't have. The officer reportedly gave her several days to prove she was in this country legally, but she could not. She was detained and deported, after agreeing not to fight the deportation in favor of being sent back to Mexico.
Above: If I respect your history,
will you respect my laws?
Believe it or not, under federal law (specifically this 1982 Supreme Court ruling), children who are in the U.S. illegally are guaranteed the right to a public education. What they aren't guaranteed is the right to stay here and give birth to a U.S. citizen once they are discovered to be here illegally.
Border counties in nearby Arizona are losing millions of dollars a year to the problems and law enforcement challenges caused by illegal immigration, yet some think illegal immigrants have done nothing wrong. Juan Montoya is a Roswell resident with some alarmingly naive words:
Things took a turn when she was pulled over for blocking a fire lane, and found to be driving without a license. The school's policeman asked her for proof of legal U.S. residency. Like most illegal immigrants, that was one thing she didn't have. The officer reportedly gave her several days to prove she was in this country legally, but she could not. She was detained and deported, after agreeing not to fight the deportation in favor of being sent back to Mexico.
Above: If I respect your history,will you respect my laws?
Believe it or not, under federal law (specifically this 1982 Supreme Court ruling), children who are in the U.S. illegally are guaranteed the right to a public education. What they aren't guaranteed is the right to stay here and give birth to a U.S. citizen once they are discovered to be here illegally.
Border counties in nearby Arizona are losing millions of dollars a year to the problems and law enforcement challenges caused by illegal immigration, yet some think illegal immigrants have done nothing wrong. Juan Montoya is a Roswell resident with some alarmingly naive words:
"It's not just about Karina. Karina is just one of many...I know people who have been picked up -- didn't break a law, they didn't pass a stop sign, they didn't do anything."
They didn't do anything except enter the country illegally, avoid paying taxes, and send a growing portion of the U.S. economy back to Mexico. Speaking of Mexico, according to a 2002 Zogby poll, 58% of Mexicans think the Southwest United States rightfully belongs to Mexico, and 57% believe that Mexicans should have the right to enter the U.S. without permission. I guess that goes along with the "right" to a free education once they're here.
Dolores Fresquez, one of Karina's former teachers in Roswell, bemoaned her deportation and claimed that public schools must be safe havens for illegal immigrants.
When will you people get it through your increasingly dense heads. It's not about "nationality." It's not about age. It is not xenophobic, bigoted, or racist.
Hard-working legal immigrants -- who retain their heritage and the traditions of their homeland while simultaneously learning English, assimilating into American life, and contributing to society -- are a national blessing.
Illegal immigrants -- who criminally "cut in line" to get here, avoid assimilation, make no attempt to learn English, evade taxation, flood Mexico with American dollars, and crowd our jails, hospitals, and schools -- are a national plague.
Dolores Fresquez, one of Karina's former teachers in Roswell, bemoaned her deportation and claimed that public schools must be safe havens for illegal immigrants.
"Schools are supposed to be safe for any student, regardless of what nationality, what age they may be."
When will you people get it through your increasingly dense heads. It's not about "nationality." It's not about age. It is not xenophobic, bigoted, or racist.
Hard-working legal immigrants -- who retain their heritage and the traditions of their homeland while simultaneously learning English, assimilating into American life, and contributing to society -- are a national blessing.
Illegal immigrants -- who criminally "cut in line" to get here, avoid assimilation, make no attempt to learn English, evade taxation, flood Mexico with American dollars, and crowd our jails, hospitals, and schools -- are a national plague.
Labels: Immigration
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Then again, if it weren't for aliens Roswell wouldn't be raking in all that tourism dough$$$.... top