Thread: FL -Immigrant mom free, for now

Immigrant mom free, for now
Victor Manuel Ramos
March 6, 2009

A Tavares woman arrested by local police and handed off last week to federal authorities for possible deportation returned Thursday to her three U.S. citizen children after a judge issued a temporary stay in the case.

The arrest of 23-year-old Rita Cote and her weeklong detention by the Lake County Sheriff's Office touched off a controversy over federal immigration enforcement locally.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida filed a legal challenge, and several other advocacy groups complained that Tavares police were exceeding their powers by meddling in immigration matters.

Cote's release from a transitional detention facility for illegal immigrants in Broward County is temporary.


Debate on illegal immigrants' treatment fueled by arrest, detention of Tavares mother It essentially buys her immigration attorney time to argue for the suspension of her deportation, which could clear the way for her to stay in the country with her American husband and U.S.-born children.

"I am extremely happy," said Cote, reached by telephone shortly after her release. "I am truly grateful with everyone for the help provided to me and my family."

Although the legal fight is not over, her advocates — and especially her husband — were elated.

"There are no words that can express how I feel. She is going to be home," said Robert Cote, her 37-year-old husband.

The couple, married since 2002, have three sons, ages 2, 4 and 7.

They had not applied for her legalization because they lacked the money to do so, Robert Cote said, but now they hope to adjust her status with the advocacy groups' help.

An immigration judge in Harlingen, Texas, halted her deportation to allow for her case to be heard in U.S. Immigration Court in Orlando, said John Barry, her immigration attorney.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials decided to release Cote, also known as Rita "Fany" Enriquez-Perdomo, on her own recognizance until court proceedings.

"This is actually a big deal," Barry said. "It's a victory, and it's a discretionary decision on the part of [immigration officials]."

Cote was arrested Feb. 16 by Tavares police officers, who had responded to a domestic-violence call involving her sister and her sister's boyfriend, who at the time lived in the same home.

The officers discovered Cote is an undocumented immigrant and had a pending deportation order.

The order had been issued after Cote and her mother were stopped by border agents while entering the country illegally. Cote was a teenager at the time.

The ACLU's filing in U.S. District Court said Cote's constitutional rights were violated because she was arrested and detained in a Lake County jail for more than a week, without having committed any criminal violations or having been afforded her day in court.

Neither Lake Sheriff Gary Borders nor Tavares police Chief Stoney Lubins could be reached for comment Thursday, but Borders' office had acknowledged his department erred in detaining Cote for more than the prescribed 48hours in such cases.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 6724.story

The officers discovered Cote is an undocumented immigrant and had a pending deportation order.

THAT RIGHT THERE IS ENOUGH FOR ME! They did NOTHING about her status, she AND her husband knew the risks they were running. DEPORT! This is yet another flagrant violation that they hoped by having her anchor babies deportation would never happen.

Just another illegal invader attempting to exploit our system! Deport!

published: Friday, March 06, 2009


Court releases illegal immigrant to family



MILLARD K. IVES

Staff Writer

TAVARES -- An illegal immigrant was back with her three children and husband in Tavares Thursday night, more than two weeks after she was arrested on a deportation order.

Rita Cote, 23, was arrested by Tavares police Feb. 16 during a domestic assault call involving her sister and the sister's boyfriend. While at the home, officers discovered there was a pending deportation order for Cote, a Honduran immigrant.

After being detained in the Lake County jail for nine days and then transferred Feb. 23 to a transitional detention facility for illegal immigrants in Broward County, a judge issued a temporary stay on Thursday so the case could be heard in U.S. Immigration Court in Orlando.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials -- also known as ICE -- released her to her husband Thursday evening.

The arrest and detainment of Cote set off protests by immigration advocates, who denounced local police doubling as immigration officials.

The American Civil Liberties Union, along with Cote's immigration attorney, John Barry, also filed a habeas petition in federal court seeking to have her released to her family so she could resolve her immigration issues.

"We are thrilled for Rita and her family that ICE has released her," said Brandon Hensler, an official with the ACLU of Florida, in a prepared statement. "Clearly, ICE realized that Rita does not pose a threat to anyone and she should not be separated from her family."

Hensler added he wished the Tavares police and sheriff's office also had realized two weeks ago she was not a threat. However, Tavares police and sheriff's officials said they were only going by the book when they arrested and detained her.

Rita "Fany" Enriquez-Perdomo, then 15, and her mother had allegedly entered the country and were issued the deportation order after being stopped by border agents.

Rita met Robert Cote, a U.S. citizen, at their place of employment, got married and now have three children. Robert said financial restraints and other problems have prevented his wife from becoming a legal citizen.

He added he hoped their marriage and three children would help persuade court officials to allow her to stay.

"She will be another productive citizen," Robert said.

http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnew ... 9immigrant

Florida: If a teen is under eighteen (1 years of age, but older than sixteen (16) years of age, a marriage license can be obtained with parental consent. If a parent has sole custody or the other parent is dead, the permission of one parent is sufficient. If a person is under the age of 16, the marriage license has to be issued by a county judge, with or without parental permission. If a minor's parents are both deceased and there is not an appointed guardian, he/she may apply for a marriage license. A minor teen who has been previously married may apply for a license. A minor who swears that they have a child or are expecting a baby, can apply for a license if the pregnancy has been verfied by a written statement from a licensed physician. A county court judge may at his/her discretion issue or not issue a license for them to marry.

If she is 23 now, and her oldest child is 7, and she was married in 2002, wouldn't she have to have been pregnant to marry this (at the time) 30 year old child molester? What judge would allow a 15 year old illegal alien to marry her pervert molester? Something about this story doesn't make sense.

The ACLU's filing in U.S. District Court said Cote's constitutional rights were violated because she was arrested and detained in a Lake County jail for more than a week, without having committed any criminal violations or having been afforded her day in court.

First, she IS a criminal by virtue of being here illegally.

Second, she did have her day in court, otherwise how could a judge issue an order of deportation. They probably meant to say "she had her day in court, but we don't like the outcome."