Thread: FLA. American born kids may be deported to Mexico

American born kids may be deported to Mexico

5:50 PM, Oct 1, 2013
Ken Amaro

• JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Karen Johns, 49, is in a place no parent or grandparent wants to be.
  "I just want the children here so I can hold them when they cry," said Johns.
  Johns daughter, Misty Goble, is now in the Clay County Jail facing charges of child neglect or abuse.
  "It plays on my emotions," said Johns. "It is a whirlwind."
  And Goble's two daughters ages 5 and 6 are now in foster care.
  "I don't get to talk with them I don't see them and that's left a hole in my heart. It is breaking my heart," she said.
  A few years ago the children's father was deported to Mexico after being in the United States Illegally.
  Now the state is making an effort to deport the american born children to Mexico to be with their father -- Johns is against it.
  "I just want my grand children to be home with me, they know this place," she said.
  Carole Vogle is the court appointed attorney for Goble's children.
  "She [Goble] wants the children placed with one of her relatives," she said.
  Vogle said she's concerned about the living conditions, and the level of service.
  "There has been no documentation presented that they have services available for these kids," said Vogle.
  Vogle said a Judge will make the final decision but if the kids were deported it would leave the court in a difficult position, since there's no reciprocal agreement between Mexico and Florida courts in this type of case.
  "This court would have no jurisdiction to check on them," said Vogle. "There would be nobody supervising and if something went wrong this court would have no authority to bring them back."
  Johns said the right decision is to let them stay in the United States and live with her.
  "They would feel the love that they need. They're gonna need a lot of emotional support, psychological support and I'm willing to do all that," she said.
  As a symbolic gesture of her commitment Johns has removed all family pictures from their frames until her children in foster care are with her and not in a strange land.
  "It [empty frames] represents the emptiness that I feel. I've lost two of my grandchildren and I can't show the rest of them If I can't show them all," she said.
  Guardian Ad Litem Executive Director Melinda Brown said she could not discuss the case, Florida Confidentiality Laws prohibit it.
  "Our only interest is the best interest of the children," said Brown.
  A hearing is scheduled for November 4, and the Florida Department of Children and Families plans to do a 'home study' of Karen Johns home to see if she meets what's required to become the guardian of her two granddaughters.
• http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/article/330059/3/Family-fights-to-stop-deportation-of-grandchildren