Thread: Lawsuit on behalf of children of undocumented immigrants exp

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 254596.htm

Posted on Sat, Dec. 16, 2006



Lawsuit on behalf of children of undocumented immigrants expands




By Ruth Morris

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

(MCT)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Saul Arellano, the seven-year-old Chicago boy trying to keep his mother from being deported, visited South Florida Friday on behalf of other children of undocumented immigrants.

Wearing a baggy cream-colored suit and carrying a stack of manila folders, the boy joined immigration lawyers at a press conference in Miami. The attorneys announced they would add 63 Illinois families to a lawsuit that seeks to stop federal officials from deporting the undocumented immigrants parents of U.S.-born children.

Saul, who lives in Illinois has been speaking for his mother since she sought refuge in a Chicago church four months ago to avoid being deported. Elvira Arellano argues that her son, a U.S. citizen, should be able to stay in the United States without being separated from her.

"Children don't have the stain of being illegal because their parents came here illegally," said Alfonso Oviedo, one of the lawyers who filed the federal lawsuit in October on behalf of the American Fraternity immigrant advocacy group of Miami.

Although some legal experts describe the case as a long shot, it has spurred immigrants from throughout South Florida and beyond to seek help from the group's attorneys. The suit started with a roster of 60 families, and now has roughly 200.

Oviedo stressed the case does not seek an outright ban on deporting the parents of U.S. citizens, but asks a judge to suspend those removals until Congress decides whether to legalize undocumented immigrants.

"Even a war has a ceasefire when they are negotiating peace," said Emma Lozano, president of the Pueblo Sin Fronteras advocacy group and Saul Arellano's guardian.

The Miami group is seeking class-action status and expects a decision on the request in January.

Oviedo said he is considering adding the Arellano family to the lawsuit, but wanted to investigate their complaint more closely. Authorities arrested Elvira Arellano in 2002 for working at O'Hare International Airport with a false Social Security number.

The false document charge, and the fact that she was once deported at the Mexican border, works against her, Oviedo said. The legal team was vetting families involved in the suit to represent only immigrants without criminal records.

While Elvira Arellano has remained in a Methodist church, her son has traveled across the United States and to Mexico to campaign for a stay of deportation. Lozano said he might also visit President Bush's Crawford ranch over Christmas to ask the president to push for new laws to help undocumented families.

Bush supports a guest worker plan, but a Senate bill that includes it and a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants ran into heavy opposition from House Republicans over the summer.

Advocates of boosted immigration enforcement insist the United States must become less hospitable to undocumented immigrants like Elvira Arellano to crack down on illegal border crossings. They also complain that illegal immigration is driving down wages for low-income American workers.

Some have criticized Elvira Arellano for putting her young son, who will turn 8 on Monday, before the cameras to push her cause.

"It's just a child," said Nora Sandigo, executive director of American Fraternity. "But he's the only one Elvira has, and the only one who can speak on behalf of his mother."

http://capwiz.com/sicminc/issues/alert/ ... &type=mcdc

Demand U.S. Attorney enforce our immigration laws in Chicago!
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps National Call to Action!
ALERT: We're forwarding to our members an important Alert from our friends at the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps -- please take action right away!

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps National call to action!

Americans have patiently waited for ICE/Homeland Security to deport Elvira Arellano, the illegal alien who defied a government order that she turn herself in to the Department of Homeland Security for deportation. Instead, she took sanctuary in Chicago in a West Side church. The 31-year-old woman was arrested in 2002 during an immigration sweep at O'Hare International Airport. Homeland Security officials noted that Arellano had already been deported once, in 1997, and that she had a criminal conviction for "Social Security fraud." This conviction makes her ineligible for U. S. citizenship.

Many of the groups supporting Elvira are anarchist or communist groups with an unstated mission of defeating the United States of America. Just what is the aim of a group that calls itself "Center Without Borders?" Why would they be helping a fugitive? Elvira Arellano's protest is really a protest to undermine the sovereignty of the United States of America by abolishing the concept of citizenship, as we know it.

Elvira Arellano's protest has gone international now, with Mexico getting involved, while she uses her son Saul as a political pawn.

Illegal aliens cannot be allowed to violate our laws with impunity; it undermines our compact of obeying the rule of law and ensuring justice equally regardless of race, ethnicity or religion. We must put a stop to the abuses of our good natured charity as Americans; we are being taken advantage of -- enough is enough!

It is time to clean up this corruption. Sending the fugitive Elvira Arellano back to Mexico is a good place to start.

TAKE ACTION: Have you had enough? Since Elvira Arellano is calling upon allies locally and internationally, we are responding likewise. Some people are comparing this criminal to a civil rights activists; some even call her a modern day Rosa Parks -- that is offensive. This is not about civil rights -- it's about the rights of Americans who demand that criminals be punished.

We are appealing to people across the United States: take time to write a letter! We cannot allow the fugitive Elvira to stay here in the United States and create precedence for illegal aliens across America. The country you save may be your own!

We are asking that you write a letter to Michael Battle, Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the man who is the "boss" of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (the Special Counsel for Northern Illinois). You can make your letter short, but be sure to include two things:

1) Please ask U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate why ICE/Homeland Security in Illinois has not deported Elvira Arellano, and

2) Please ask, why hasn't Rev. Coleman of Adalberto United Methodist Church been arrested for aiding and abetting an illegal alien and a fugitive?

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald already knows about these lawbreakers in Chicago. Let's give him another chance to enforce our immigration laws for the good of all Americans.

PLEASE Click "Go!" NOW to send a FREE message to Director Battle, asking him to direct Patrick Fitzgerald to enforce the law.

NOTE: You can also send a postal letter directly to Fitzgerald here:

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald
Special Counsel Northern Illinois
Washington Office:
Bond Federal Building
1400 New York Avenue, NW, Ninth Floor
Washington D. C. 20530

Be sure to send this Alert to EVERYONE you know who wants to help DEMAND that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald enforce our immigration laws in Chicago! Thank you!"

I just pressed Go...sending that message felt good!!!!

Done! Thanks for the link and info.

Email sent via the provided link. Please, everyone take 2 minutes and send the email. I'm sick and tired of this lady mocking our judicial system! It's a shame ICE has decided to pick and choose the illegal felons they want to ignore and the ones they want to go after. Elvira is a felon and her location is well known by all parties responsible for her apprehension and prosecution. What kind of message are we sending to our young people when law enforcement is allowed to pick and choose the written laws they wish to enforce? Darn, I'm totally disgusted by this whole issue regarding the criminal Elvira and her weapon of choice, Saul.

Originally Posted by MW

Email sent via the provided link. Please, everyone take 2 minutes and send the email. I'm sick and tired of this lady mocking our judicial system! It's a shame ICE has decided to pick and choose the illegal felons they want to ignore and the ones they want to go after. Elvira is a felon and her location is well known by all parties responsible for her apprehension and prosecution. What kind of message are we sending to our young people when law enforcement is allowed to pick and choose the written laws they wish to enforce? Darn, I'm totally disgusted by this whole issue regarding the criminal Elvira and her weapon of choice, Saul.

Perhaps I/we should start a complete separate thread so that more can see/particpate? What do you think?

It's just a child," said Nora Sandigo, executive director of American Fraternity. "But he's the only one Elvira has, and the only one who can speak on behalf of his mother."
_________________

Kind of role reversal here isn't it? This woman makes me sick.

I am the mother of four. The youngest 15. I am apalled at this female. I refuse to even acknowledge that that she "might" by some be called a mother.

As a mother, I would move heaven and earth to protect one of my kids. Never would I consider sending one of children out in this world to what she is sending hers to do.

No one will ever convince that this boy has a clue as to what he is even doing, all he knows is the fear that is imposed on him thru his "mother".

I can almost hear it now.... If you don't tell them to let say and be sad you'll never play PS2 again, you'll never to to Disneyland.. etc...

I need to go vomit now!

mrazmerized wrote:

Perhaps I/we should start a complete separate thread so that more can see/particpate? What do you think?

Definitely!!! Give it a title to get attention...like Email Alert or Participation Needed....there is so much to read I am sure there are people that would like to participate that have not seen this post.

BTT