Teenage Illegal Immigrants
Reported by: Abbie Alford
Email: aalford@fox23.com
Last Update: 5/07 9:56 pm



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A teenager who’s in the United States illegally could stay in Tulsa.

Today, a Tulsa County juvenile court found the 17-year-old not responsible for another teens death.

16-year-old Eddie Ledesma died last November one day after being punched in the head following a soccer game.

Fox 23’s Abbie Alford spoke with the victim’s parents who say something needs to be done.

The Ledesma’s says the boy who hit their son needs to be punished.

Their son Eddie died of those injuries.

However, today a jury found the 17-year-old boy accused of manslaughter a non-delinquent.

That means no jail time.

Now the Ledesma’s say if the boy who was once accused of causing their son’s death isn’t going to prison then he needs to be deported.

"Being an illegal person, he killed a citizen, a boy who was a good boy who loved to play soccer. I don't believe [he] deserves to stay here and I would like immigration to take him back to Mexico," says Juana Ledesma.

Through a translator Mr. Ledesma says he doesn’t want to see the teenager walk free.

"They were making a great injustice. It's not fair that he took my son's life and he didn't receive any punishment," says Eduardo Ledesma. "He doesn't have the right to be here in America."

Immigration Customs Enforcement says the boy is in ICE Custody.

The Sergeant who oversees immigration issues in Tulsa County says not every illegal immigrant is automatically deported.

"They have an opportunity to go through a court system just like we have in a criminal court they have an immigration court where they go up in front of an immigration lawyer or they will go up in front of an immigration judge. They can appeal to the United States to ask for citizenship or lawful permanent resident status," says Sgt. Shannon Clark.


However, Juana Ledesma, who says she is in the US legally, says her son got no justice and she worries what will happen next.

"If he didn't pay in jail he's going to pay in life. But now he's going to stay here and he's going to build his life here. There is no way this can happen," says Ledesma.

The 17-year-old mother’s immigration status is in question. A spokesperson for ICE says juveniles who are illegal immigrants are allowed to be released to a parent or guardian who is an illegal immigrant.

Since it was juvenile court not all of the records are public information. So the reason why the jury found the 17-year-old not-delinquent is not available.

Tulsa County Sheriff’s office says right now there are 237 prisoners on ICE holds in the Tulsa County jail.

Officials say since the federal law 287 G started in September 2007, there have been 4,738 people held on ICE and 2,139 of those prisoners were arrested for criminal charges.

287 G was passed in an effort to crack down in immigration laws.

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