Thread: MN: Should Family Be Factor In Immigration Deportation?

Should Family Factor In Immigration Deportation?

(AP) Minneapolis As immigration authorities get caught up on a backlog of deportation cases, immigrant advocates say the personal situations and community ties of those here illegally should be considered in an attempt to avoid splitting up families.

In Minnesota, the recent arrests of two mothers of young children sparked public protests and pleas for clemency.

"I don't understand it," said Nixon Avendano, of St. Michael, whose wife, Sara Munoz Gonzalez, was deported last month. "Why deport a mother of five kids who has never been in trouble with the law? She's worked. Paid taxes. They (immigration agents) should be focusing on terrorism."

Others say the law should be followed and those who are here illegally need to accept responsibility.

"Immigration law is quite explicit over who is to be deported, namely illegal aliens," said John Keeley, a spokesman for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank. "They should be deported swiftly and humanely, regardless of their contribution to society. The mood of the public is not to split hairs."

The issue gained attention as Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that, for the first time, it has gotten caught up on its backlog of deportation orders. After years of climbing, the backlog leveled off then dropped by 500, ICE announced last month. But 632,200 immigrants are still on the list.

ICE also is arresting more immigrants with criminal convictions. The numbers jumped from 73,700 in 2002 to 89,000 in 2006, according to ICE statistics.

In recent years, about 3,000 immigrants have been deported annually from the Bloomington regional office of ICE, said agency spokesman Tim Counts. But many immigrants are sent to other regions, so the actual number of deportations is higher, he said.

Counts said it's not the law splitting up families, but rather "poor decisions by parents."

A report last week by Human Rights Watch estimated 1.6 million children and spouses have been separated in the past decade due to deportations based on criminal convictions alone. A 1996 immigration law expanded the number of crimes that resulted in mandatory deportation, adding offenses such as two counts of shoplifting, forged check and receiving stolen goods, the report said.

And it prevented those arrested from getting a hearing before an immigration judge, who could weigh the individual's contribution to society when deciding deportation. The group calls for a return to that policy.

The plight of families came to the forefront after raids at the Swift & Co. meatpacking plants in Minnesota and five other states last year. ICE released detainees from custody if they were sole caregivers.

But the agency's get-tough policy has a mandate from Congress, which nearly doubled ICE's funds for detention and removal of illegal immigrants, according to an analysis by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

In Gonzalez's case, she is a native of Mexico who overstayed her tourist visa and married her husband in 1993, he said. The couple have five children, ages 4 to 14.

One Friday in June, the family arrived home to find several immigration agents there. A half-hour later, Gonzalez was arrested on an outstanding deportation order.

Nixon Avendano worries about how he'll be the breadwinner, cook, mother and father to the children -- especially to 4-year-old Edwin, who has autism. "He can't sleep at night," he said, as Edwin crawled on his back. "Nobody sleeps much at night.

"Their mom is the medicine right now, and I can't give them what they want."

http://wcco.com/local/local_story_202145719.html

"I don't understand it," said Nixon Avendano, of St. Michael, whose wife, Sara Munoz Gonzalez, was deported last month. "Why deport a mother of five kids who has never been in trouble with the law? She's worked. Paid taxes. They (immigration agents) should be focusing on terrorism."

The art of indignation is heightened once again.

No need to split them up send all of their asses back. Besides most of them left husbands, wives and children back in their homelands. It's common practice in Messyco to leave wives, husbands, children and other family members behind to chase the "American Dream". If they don't care about those they leave behind in poverty to start new anchor baby families here why should we oblige them by paying for, educating and giving citizenship to those born to 2 illegal alien parents?

Its time to CLARIFY AND PUT AN END TO THE 14th Amendment ANCHOR BABY FARCE.

(AP) Minneapolis As immigration authorities get caught up on a backlog of deportation cases, immigrant advocates say the personal situations and community ties of those here illegally should be considered in an attempt to avoid splitting up families.

Others say the law should be followed and those who are here illegally need to accept responsibility.

Ah! There are people out there that know what consequences are.

Counts said it's not the law splitting up families, but rather "poor decisions by parents."

Tell it like it is! Hallelujah!

In Gonzalez's case, she is a native of Mexico who overstayed her tourist visa and married her husband in 1993, he said. The couple have five children, ages 4 to 14.

Gonzales had 5 kids who born in the U.S, and U.S. taxpayers picked up the tab for medical care and who knows what else.
There should be no exceptions. Illegal is illegal, so she should be deported. Her family can always join her and have Mexico support them for a change.

"I don't understand it," said Nixon Avendano, of St. Michael, whose wife, Sara Munoz Gonzalez, was deported last month. "Why deport a mother of five kids who has never been in trouble with the law? She's worked. Paid taxes. They (immigration agents) should be focusing on terrorism."

For every decision I make.....I am held responsible even if I didn't do anything wrong. Heck......I was fool enough to marry a guy that had a clouded past......all stuff BEFORE I even met him. Stuff I didn't even know about. But.....I still had to pay the consequences of his actions. I don't see people giving a mom with kids a break if papa decides to break the law to support the family or even care what happens to her or the kids.......about the most you'll get is...file for divorce and make smarter choices. That is if they don't bust you and charge you with crimes for allowing your kids to be exposed to this lifestyle while they're toting them off to foster care.

Parents are held accountable for their childrens actions even when they try and do their best. I mean how many old people have been scammed from their life savings and get.....oh well.....you should have known better. Why are they exempt from the same standards the rest of us are?


You are responsible for your own choices........heck nobody exempted me for being lied to....putting trust in the wrong people.....live and learn as my dad would say. Or....you made your bed.....now lie in it.

I got willed a house in which a latino group was paid for work they never finished. There's a law suit. Just found out this scam went on in New York as well. They got the owner.......but he's scammed so many people there's little chance anyone will get a dime after all is said and done. But I'm still responsible. I warned my dad not to get these guys....but he did. There's no community "help" for this injustice. I get it fixed or they take the house because of "housing codes". Fair? A result of MY decision? NO.....but I still have to pay the consequences. I can just see the compassionate latino community comming to aid of me to balance a wrong doing.........

IF THESE PEOPLE HAD ANY FAMILY VALUES, THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR FAMILIES TO BE SPLIT UP. THEY WOULD ALL GO BACK TOGETHER.

NO. FAMILY SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR IMMIGRATION PURPOSES.

EACH FAMILY MEMBER SHOULD APPLY FROM THEIR OWN COUNTRY ON THEIR OWN MERIT. JUST BECAUSE ONE MEMBER OF A FAMILY IS DESIRABLE DOES NOT MEAN ANOTHER MEMBER IS DESIRABLE.

THIS PRACTICE OF CHAIN MIGRATION IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR COUNTRY. THERE SHOULD BE NO APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FROM WITHIN THE USA.

ALL APPLICATIONS SHOULD HAVE TO BE MADE FROM THE APPLICANTS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

APPLICANTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO HOW THEY CAN BE OF BENEFIT TO THE UNITED STATES AND ITS CITIZENS

This is just silly.

No one is splitting up a family.

Which one of us would choose, voluntarily, to leave our kids behind?

These people are going back to their home country. To the place where they really do have roots and community attachments - what's the problem.

It isn't like anyone is being sent to Siberia to the wastelands or being sentenced to hard labor. They are being returned to their own home - and any parent, worthy of the title, would not even consider leaving their kids - or would never use them as a crutch to be allowed to continue to break the law.

In Gonzalez's case, she is a native of Mexico who overstayed her tourist visa and married her husband in 1993, he said. The couple have five children, ages 4 to 14.

She's illegal, her children are illegal...send them all packing!!