Thread: British woman deported by ICE; barred for 10 years

Woman's travel visa expired

BROWNSVILLE - It's a situation Dennis Bogette says could happen to anyone. Improper paperwork could keep him from his new wife Joan.

Joan is an English Citizen. She flew into the country in February 2006 on an invitation from Dennis. A couple of months later, they got married. Three days before she was set to return to England.

Since then, her travel visa expired.

Jump to May 5 of this year, the couple is preparing to return to Minnesota after a trip to the Valley for business and to celebrate their first anniversary.

"Border Patrol asked us questions, asking if I was a U.S. Citizen, I said yes. When my wife was asked, she said no," Bogette says.

The Bogettes were detained and questioned by Border Patrol. The agents then took Joan away.

She was taken to the Bayview Detention Center, where she is still being held.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 spoke with Immigration Customs Enforcement, who tell us she's on her way back to England.

"She violated the Immigration Nationality Act. She will be removed from the U.S. and barred for 10 years from re-entering," says ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda.

Dennis Bogette acknowledges his wife broke the law. Now they're just asking for someone to hear their case so they can stay together.

He's filed a lawsuit against the government and hopes to have the case before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 will continue to follow this story.

http://www.newschannel5.tv/2007/6/19/97 ... -Problems-

Too bad she isn't Mexican, otherwise they would have let her stay

People from many European countries as well as Canada only get visas and have to leave. Even though they are educated and have jobs or their spouse does that is needed in the U.S. and by that I don't mean stealing jobs from Americans.

Why is it anyone from south of our border deserves our pity and our money and everyone else deserves the boot?

They only care about the votes. Many Hispanics also get citizenship papers processed quicker than others.

Dennis Bogette acknowledges his wife broke the law. Now they're just asking for someone to hear their case so they can stay together.

Illegal is illegal. You folks can stay together, however, you'll have to do it in England.

Originally Posted by MW

Dennis Bogette acknowledges his wife broke the law. Now they're just asking for someone to hear their case so they can stay together.

Illegal is illegal. You folks can stay together, however, you'll have to do it in England.

But what about the American premise of equal protection? I agree that she was here illegally and in a perfect world should be subjected to U.S. law that requres deportation. But it appears that she was paying her own way and indeed an asset to her community. How can we possibly justify sending her away while leaving in place millions who are raiding our hospitals, schools, judicial system, etc.? The law should be applied evenly; if we are not going to make an honest effort to enforce immigration laws, they should just be suspended. The selective prosecution amounts to harassment.

I feel sorry for this woman as I have a similar situation in my family. The father put in for citizenship and is waiting while others are being processed before him. His daughter is 20 years old and once 21 he can't sponsor her. The wife is on a visa that expires in September. They are from Canada and just as the British couple they are not a burden on tax payers as they have health insurance, pay taxes, and fuel the economy here rather than send the bulk of their earnings elsewhere. I will straight forward and honest with you; Canadians and British are not really welcome here but the door is wide open for Hispanics. In fact I was told by Mel Martinez's office that it is tough for Canadians to get green cards. I know that is due to the NAFTA agreement but then at the same time Mexico is under it as well and the rules are broken for them.

Originally Posted by MW

Dennis Bogette acknowledges his wife broke the law. Now they're just asking for someone to hear their case so they can stay together.

Illegal is illegal. You folks can stay together, however, you'll have to do it in England.

Yes but if they were from south of the border this would not hold true. We don't just pick and choose which laws to enforce we apparently pick and choose how evenly the law will be applied.

If they were breaking the law as stated then she deserves to go. Anyone else in the same situation also deserves to go no matter where they are from. On an aside, she can easily get a waiver of the ten year bar they mention...