Thread: Hurricane Survivor Faces Deportation

Sep 19, 2008 7:54 pm US/Eastern
Hurricane Survivor Faces Deportation
Karla Garcia Survived Hurricanes Katrina And Mitch But May Not Be Able To Overcome U.S. Immigration
Reporting
John Slattery PARAMUS, N.J. (CBS) ― A deportation battle in New Jersey: an immigrant family that survived Hurricane Mitch in Honduras and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans is now facing another catastrophe as the mother may be forced to leave the country.

In Paramus, 38-year-old Hugo Gonzales, his wife Karla Garcia, and their three sons are on pins and needles, worried that Karla will be sent back to Honduras.

"Every day my sons crying saying, 'Daddy what happened with my Mom?'" says Hugo.

Karla, under house arrest by immigration officials, has been ordered to wear a tracking bracelet on her ankle. The family made news three years ago, surviving Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and being sent by the Red Cross to Paramus to start anew, with help from organizations like the Rotary.

"The whole community got together and helped the family," says Marty Diamond of Paramus Rotary.

Hugo, who had a green card, got a custodial job with the Board of Education. He became a U.S. citizen, and Karla got a cleaning job. But the long arm of the law recently stepped in because Karla entered the country illegally.

Several years after her husband entered the U.S., Karla came in through Mexico, was picked up by immigration, agreed to leave voluntarily, but because of Katrina, she didn't.

"She said she knew she did wrong, she broke the law, but in her situation, she had to come here," a translator for Karla told CBS 2.

Again, the family has mustered local support from church and school groups and the Rotary, circulating petitions with more than 900 signatures.

The family's attorney has asked immigration officials in New Orleans to reopen her case on humanitarian grounds, and allow permanent residency.

Unless the case is reopened, the woman has been ordered to leave the country no later than Oct. 23.





http://wcbstv.com/local/karla.garcia.hu ... 21664.html

Gee, why don't we just give every hurricane survivor $1 million.

Why do they even print this garbage?

Several years after her husband entered the U.S., Karla came in through Mexico, was picked up by immigration, agreed to leave voluntarily, but because of Katrina, she didn't.

"She said she knew she did wrong, she broke the law, but in her situation, she had to come here," a translator for Karla told CBS 2.

HA! New Orleans is alot closer to Mexico than NJ, and I'm not buying it. Using Katrina is no excuse, she was given a chance to do it right and she didn't. She needs to GO!

Out of Here, NOW!

Put them on the Bus, deport deport deport, next case