Originally from the Philippines, the Santos* family came to the states nearly 23 years ago to join other family members here. Grandparents had served with U.S. military and diplomatic officers through the 1980s, and had made petitions to bring family members to the U.S. The family was hopeful. Unfortunately, many years passed while they awaited their place in the quota line. Desperate, the Santos obtained their own temporary visas to enter the U.S. They would wait here for the permanent visa to be available. While waiting, the petitioning parent died -- ten years after filing. The temporary permissions expired. Legal options evaporated. The government denied their cases, as did the immigration judges and appeals courts. The facts are somewhat sympathetic, (long time in the U.S., valued community members with dozens or hundreds of relatives, long time tax-payers, lack of criminal involvement) but the government was not willing to agree that they should be able to stay in the United States. The reason --These people "jumped the line," and came to the U.S. without waiting their turn. Which might never have come.
What will happen now? ICE unquestionably has the law on its side -- it has all the right to arrest and detain all 4 adults, (3 of whom suffer from serious health and psychological conditions) and to place the 13 year old minor U.S. citizen, born here, in some sort of government custody.
I don't know what will happen tomorrow for the Santos'. Their plight illustrates why our immigration laws need to be changed. Families who have the legal right to bring relatives, and who have helped our country should not have to face cruel separation of decades before reuniting, only to have the chance taken away. Families who become successful parts of our communities should not have to depend on the ... kindness of a deportation officer ...
There are many laws that apply, but little chance for justice for this family or those like them.
It is quite possible that ICE will show some compassion and allow the family to stay longer while awaiting a new law, or to complete a course of treatment. We will hope for that.
President Obama is leading the beginning of an important discussion about immigrants in our country. Recently he said. "We can't tolerate a system where people come into the U.S. in violation of our law." We must have a way to regularize or "clarify" the status of people who come into our country in this way. We can -- indeed we must do this.
*names changed.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t0hpXOhw78KutbpFuySe6fnD2VUPtmSUuV3wR5hIjTiLVp5EdW70NUUele8PkDKl-7vFVqEqiOPHAUPtABd0-o-tiHJkdEjbbJee6dxqE_kdmfM3hrNdxWhG0Z7btH-S-e9-kjfLCMQ7wq8ANLCUEE=s0-d)
No comments:
Post a Comment