Thread: 11 illegal immigrants are granted 1 year reprieve

11 illegal immigrants are granted reprieve
Court lets them stay in U.S. for 1 year

By Oscar Avila
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 1, 2006


Eleven illegal immigrants from the Chicago area, arrested in a high-profile nationwide sweep, received an unexpected reprieve Monday after elected officials and the public weighed in on their behalf.

An immigration judge in Chicago granted the former employees of IFCO Systems a one-year stay of deportation. In return, the immigrants pledged not to appeal the deportation orders.


The delay gives the immigrants a chance to stay in the country if Congress approves a bill granting legal status to many of the nation's 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants. That measure has stalled, for now, but many analysts think the prospects will improve after the November elections.

In an emotional celebration, about 120 supporters enveloped the tearful workers with hugs as they emerged from Immigration Court onto Monroe Street in the Loop. Supporters had prayed in Spanish and English for the workers, clutching pictures of their families and religious icons.

Chris Bergin, the workers' attorney, said he was surprised that Judge Carlos Cuevas granted the extension, saying that he was certain that the intervention of elected officials made the difference. Bergin said the offer was the best deal possible because most workers had little basis for appeals.

One of the workers, Marco Antonio Quintana, said he was grateful for the support.

"Miracles do exist," he said.

In April, federal agents arrested more than 1,000 IFCO workers nationwide, including 26 at the company's McKinley Park facility. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had trumpeted the IFCO arrests as proof of a new get-tough approach against businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

In addition to the group of 11 illegal immigrants granted a reprieve Monday, 11 more IFCO workers here still must go before Immigration Court.

Ald. Daniel Solis (25th) joined the workers in the courtroom. He and members of Congress had earlier lobbied the Department of Homeland Security on their behalf. Attorneys also presented a petition supporting the workers with hundreds of signatures.

The case of the IFCO workers will likely revive criticism that politics interferes with the U.S. government's immigration enforcement. Activists who oppose illegal immigration complain that elected politicians often pressure immigration officials to scale back arrests if they affect their state's business interests.

Marc Raimondi, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, said the department was still evaluating the judge's decision but would likely appeal a one-year extension.

"In order for the immigration system to have any integrity, the laws have to be enforceable," Raimondi said. "We aren't going to be influenced by public sentiment. We are going to be influenced by enforcing the immigration laws."

Solis said he was merely protecting his constituents and insisted that the IFCO workers fit into the city's rich immigrant heritage, even though they were working here illegally.

Elected officials also will try to influence the U.S. government's enforcement strategy when they meet Tuesday with officials in the Department of Homeland Security's Chicago office. The delegation will include U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, both Illinois Democrats.

Gutierrez will ask the Department of Homeland Security to suspend all deportations to give Congress time to pass a legalization bill, the congressman's spokesman Scott Frotman said. Frotman said it does not make sense to deport illegal immigrants "because these are people who would ultimately be affected by the law."




http://link.toolbot.com/chicagotribune.com/70308

They need to go by the laws we have on the books now and not laws that may be passed in the future. I cannot believe that judges are no longer willing to enforce the current laws. We are living in a crazy world.

Originally Posted by sawdust

They need to go by the laws we have on the books now and not laws that may be passed in the future. I cannot believe that judges are no longer willing to enforce the current laws. We are living in a crazy world.

It is not legal to base current legal rulings on a law that isn't on the books.

An immigration judge in Chicago granted the former employees of IFCO Systems a one-year stay of deportation. In return, the immigrants pledged not to appeal the deportation orders.


The delay gives the immigrants a chance to stay in the country if Congress approves a bill granting legal status to many of the nation's 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants. That measure has stalled, for now, but many analysts think the prospects will improve after the November elections.

This is utter B.S. We need to make as much noise as humanly possible about this. Please let's contact the presses, Lou Dobbs, our Congressman, and whoever else will listen! These judges should not be forced, under pressure, from outside political forces to alter the law to benefit law breakers. This could negatively alter everything we're attempting to do. This coming year should be the year that a majority of the illegal immigrants are caught and deported. We must get the excessive number of illegals in this country down!

This was the big 'immigration sweep' involving several states and months investigation that was supposed to prove this administration was serious about immigration.

I can't believe anyone was fooled by this at the time - but if they were - they certainly should realize it was flim-flam. Of course, I don't think we will see much of this on national news. So, therefore, most Americans will still have the visuals of all those illegals being rounded up.

I can't believe anyone was fooled by this at the time - but if they were - they certainly should realize it was flim-flam. Of course, I don't think we will see much of this on national news. So, therefore, most Americans will still have the visuals of all those illegals being rounded up.

What this action will do is influence other immigration judges. If Chicago gets away with this, who will try it next? In all fairness to the DHS, it doesn't seem like they're too happy about it. I wish we knew who the political figures where that influenced the courts.

Marc Raimondi, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, said the department was still evaluating the judge's decision but would likely appeal a one-year extension.

Impeachment proceedings need to be started against that judge. Do we have any ALIPAC members in Chicago?

We need to email/call this Raimondi guy at DHS and demand that the judge's decision be appealed!

Gutierrez will ask the Department of Homeland Security to suspend all deportations to give Congress time to pass a legalization bill,

Unbelievable....deport this idiot along with them......what a scummy excuse for a rep. of the U.S. people. Can you imagine the FLOOD at the border if they actually did this...........the Guard would be trampled.

The case of the IFCO workers will likely revive criticism that politics interferes with the U.S. government's immigration enforcement. Activists who oppose illegal immigration complain that elected politicians often pressure immigration officials to scale back arrests if they affect their state's business interests.

Then these elected politicians need to join the traitor club with Jorge BOOSH as the dunce.

Traitors! I'm sure we all will agree, I'm sick to death of politicians and their personel political agendas.
YOU WERE HIRED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO DO A JOB FOR US, NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, US!!! THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE JOB YOU WERE HIRED TO DO.
HERE'S YOUR PINK SLIP.

Quote:
An immigration judge in Chicago granted the former employees of IFCO Systems a one-year stay of deportation. In return, the immigrants pledged not to appeal the deportation orders.


The delay gives the immigrants a chance to stay in the country if Congress approves a bill granting legal status to many of the nation's 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants. That measure has stalled, for now, but many analysts think the prospects will improve after the November elections.


MW wrote:

This is utter B.S. We need to make as much noise as humanly possible about this. Please let's contact the presses, Lou Dobbs, our Congressman, and whoever else will listen! These judges should not be forced, under pressure, from outside political forces to alter the law to benefit law breakers. This could negatively alter everything we're attempting to do. This coming year should be the year that a majority of the illegal immigrants are caught and deported. We must get the excessive number of illegals in this country down!

Did anyone other than me send Lou Dobbs this story earlier today? Perhaps our sending him information on this horrific incident is what convinced him to have it on his show tonight. It sure would be nice to know we're making a difference.