Thread: Minneapolis woman freed to await deportation

Minneapolis woman freed to await deportation

Return to Vietnam, at least temporarily, is still likely for Hoa Nguyen, who overstayed a student visa, but she won't go back in handcuffs.

By JENNA ROSS

Last update: October 23, 2009 - 9:35 PM


After an abrupt arrest, nine weeks in jail and dozens of letters to family, friends and elected officials, Hoa Nguyen is back in her Minneapolis home with her husband.

Dan Hanson has been fighting the detainment and deportation of his wife, who came to the United States from Vietnam under a student visa 10 years ago. After that visa expired and she missed a court date, she was jailed in Sherburne County. Soon after, a judge denied a motion to reopen her case.

Then, a surprise: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released Nguyen this week. Although the deportation order still stands, she's home.

"I'm rather jubilant," said Hanson, an Illinois native who met Nguyen while they were undergraduates at Luther College in Iowa. "After so much pain and unknowing, to have her here ... It's definitely the biggest relief I've ever felt."

The couple's lawyer, Michael Davis of Davis & Goldfarb in Minneapolis, said Nguyen's release was "a nice surprise," that spoke to the government's faith that "she's not a flight risk," he said. "It was a good-faith mistake on her part."

Tim Counts, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed in a statement that Nguyen was released Wednesday. He said the department could not release other details, but said Nguyen "has been afforded due process in the federal immigration courts."

Because the deportation order still stands, Nguyen will likely go to Vietnam -- but "not in handcuffs," Davis said. "She'll choose the flight and the time. She'll be leaving with dignity, on her own terms."

There, she'll meet with officials at the U.S. Embassy and could be allowed to return once schedules, waivers and petitions are sorted out, Hanson said.

In the meantime, the couple is "reveling in every minute together," he said.

They've eaten at their favorite restaurant in St. Paul, snuggled in a movie theater and are making a long, long list of people to whom they owe thank-you notes.

http://www.startribune.com/local/658281 ... nchO7DiUsX

Featured comment

Do your homework, if you want to stay legally
As many legal immigrants can attest to, attaining legal status in the US takes homework, reading and re-reading the fine print on the … read more application forms, hard-earned money, patience and diligence and strict adherence to the laws of this land. That is why you never blithely ignore the expiration date on your visa nor do you try to just shrug your shoulders and think that you can escape immigration law and stay here illegally after your visa has expired, especially if you came here to be educated in the first place. Stories like this taint the image and reputation of the many LEGAL immigrants who worked hard to earn their status by following the law and are working hard to be law-abiding residents of this country. I will, however, pray that once Mrs. Hanson is back in Vietnam, that her application for residency will go through smoothly so that she can be back here in the US with her husband as soon as possible.

So Ms. Nguyen is going to be deported. Thats good. Now why can't we complete this same deportation process for the millions of illegal aliens here from Mexico and South America? It would take time, yes, but eventually we could deport most. And once we start, many will self-deport before we do it for them.

Of course, we WOULD actually have to secure our southern border to keep them out. Probably way too much to ask, for our elected officials to fulfill their constitutional obligation to protect the homeland by actually securing our borders. Sorry, my expectations are way too high.

She'll be leaving with dignity, on her own terms."

Is she had done the "dignified legal" thing in the first place she probably could have become a citizen.


PS
One illegal down and 12-40 million to go........

Originally Posted by ELE

She'll be leaving with dignity, on her own terms."

Is she had done the "dignified legal" thing in the first place she probably could have become a citizen.


PS
One illegal down and 12-40 million to go........

No kidding ELE! It's funny how these people never consider their dignity when they are breaking the law. It's only after they are caught and held accountable that their dignity suddenly becomes important.

She should have been back in Vietnam 9 weeks ago!