Thread: Michigan Jail Houses More Mothers Facing Deportation

A southwestern Michigan jail has seen an increase in the number of immigrants facing deportation, particularly mothers without criminal histories.

May 8, 2018, at 5:24 p.m.




BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) — A southwestern Michigan jail has seen an increase in the number of immigrants facing deportation, particularly mothers without criminal histories.

The number of people housed in the Calhoun County jail from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has more than doubled from 98 immigrants in 2015 to 220 this year, the Battle Creek Enquirer reported.

Albanian immigrant Cile Precetaj, 46, is a mother of three U.S.-born children who's been seeking asylum in the country since 2000. She's among many mothers without criminal backgrounds being held in the Battle Creek jail and faces deportation as early as Wednesday.

Precetaj said there's fear and panic in the jail.

"We never did any crime," she said. "We just came here to this country to have better life and better education for our kids."


Precetaj was arrested last month during a routine monthly visit to the ICE office in Detroit. She fainted from an anxiety attack in front of officers and was briefly hospitalized before being taken to the jail, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Precetaj's case is currently in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

"In the past, before the 2016 election, she would never have been taken into custody like this," said Michael Lacey, Precetaj's attorney. At that time, only immigrants with serious criminal records would be removed, he said.

ICE said that 92 percent of all immigrants they arrested last year had criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, were an immigration fugitive or had re-entered the country illegally after being removed.

But the agency noted that "ICE no longer exempts classes or categories of removable" immigrants from potential enforcement.

Mothers living in the country illegally with clean records were not immune from deportation in the past. But immigration authorities previously used discretion and considered factors, such as family relationships, according to immigration law attorneys.

"The Trump administration made it very clear in January 2017 that they were undoing the priority system that created a secondary process for looking at things like family relationships and lack of criminal record in pursuing deportation orders," said Susan Reed, managing attorney for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. "Whether or not you have a criminal record or whether or not you're someone's mother doesn't matter to the government anymore."

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ng-deportation

Give the mothers the option to get deported with their children NOW...or sit in jail.

Her children are citizens of HER country. They are NOT US Citizens. Their countries law states if they give birth on foreign soil...then that child IS a citizen of her country.

She take her kids and goes and get them birth certificate in her country.

Stop the Bureau of Vital Statistics from issuing these birth certificates to foreigners!


WE DO NOT OWE YOU "A BETTER LIFE OR EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILDREN"...YOUR PRESIDENT DOES.

NOW SELL OUT PACK UP AND GO HOME!

Because they are mothers does not change the fact that they are illegal. The salient question would be how many are receiving Medicaid and public assistance for the kids. Children should be with their parents until they gain their majority, not used as immigration "chits". IMO

If the children are under 18, deport the whole family unit. If the children were born here our hands are tied by law and they will be able to return when they reach adulthood, but that is no excuse for allowing the minor children to remain here without their mother. The mother, while in custody, should be questioned and her whole family should be rounded up for deportation .... that includes any aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters and grandparents that can be found at her address or from information gathered during her questioning!

Deport them and their children. They cannot leave them here like a box of unwanted puppies. We do NOT want them!