Child Citizen Protection Act would give leeway on deportations

[babylonsister]

Bill offers leeway on deportations
By PATRICK McGEE


Gloria Gonzalez-Garcia’s family was torn in two Dec. 2.

Her husband, José Alfredo Garcia, was arrested by Mineral Wells police, and his status as an illegal immigrant quickly got him a one-way ticket to Mexico. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and deported the next day.

It didn’t matter that he had been paying taxes, buying a house or taking care of his daughters, who are American citizens because they were born in the U.S.

"The little ones don’t understand, and they don’t know what happened. They don’t know why their dad has to be in Mexico," Gonzalez-Garcia said at her Fort Worth home.

Garcia’s abrupt deportation is an example of how tens of thousands of parents are separated from their children when immigration law catches up with them.

A report released this month by the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Inspector General found that more than 108,000 parents of U.S.-born children were deported between 1998 and 2007.

more...

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1225873.html

[Maat]

1. I'm supporting this bill!

I'm a retired social worker now, but, when I was active (from 1993 to 2000), I never saw police contact ice, or anyone deport the parents of a U.S. citizen.

I think that it is barbaric to do so. You have a kid here, you get a permanent visa, in my humble opinion. That U.S. citizen has a right to live here - with his or her family.

I know that I'm going to get flamed, but it's just the way I feel (really).

:hide:

[TahitiNut]

2. Should every parent convicted of a crime escape punishment??

There are MANY children in this country whose parents are imprisoned -- depriving them of their parental relationships. At least the 'undocumented' aliens can continue their parental role in their country of citizenship.

:shrug:


Why do we equate deportation with imprisonment? Since when is deportation a punishment? It seems those who gnash their teeth at this are projecting when they play the racism/jingoism card ... since they're ASSUMING that another country is the equivalent of Devil's Island.

[pnutbutr]

3. citizenship

It's hard to find sympathy for someone who has been in this country illegally for at least 9 years and has not sought citizenship. If you are actively in the process of obtaining citizenship and can show documentation I do not believe you can be deported. Since he has been here that long, obviously has a job and has purchased a house, the cost of obtaining citizenship should not be impossible to come up with, it's about $600. Plus the info on obtaining citizenship is incredibly easy to find on the internet.

It's a terrible thing that this family and others get split up but really, do you blame the government or the person who sat on their ass for 9 years and did nothing to make sure this could not happen. I can't support this bill but would support one that gives the parent an opportunity to gain citizenship and stop the deportation process as long as they continued to actively seek citizenship.