Thread: SOB Raid mars future for 3 graduating today from Postville

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Raid mars future for 3 graduating today from Postville
By KEN FUSON • kfuson@dmreg.com • May 25, 2008

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Postville, Ia. — His name is Santiago Cordero.

He shouldn't be here.

For some people, perhaps most, judging by the comments posted on blogs and newspaper Web sites, no other information is necessary: He is an illegal alien. He shouldn't be here.

But he is, and at 2:30 p.m. today, Santiago Cordero, 18, is expected to join the 33 other members of his senior class at Postville High School's commencement. He and two young women who also shouldn't be here will receive their diplomas.


The three Hispanic graduates were going to celebrate together afterward, invite friends and family members to a big party. Those plans evaporated on May 12, when federal agents stormed the Agriprocessors Inc. meat-processing plant here, conducting the largest single-site workplace raid in U.S. history. Santiago's mother and many other friends were among the 389 detained and arrested. Most face deportation.

Santiago wonders if the agents will come next for him. He wonders what he did wrong. He knows what people say: He shouldn't be here.

"If they met one of us, they might be surprised," he says.


They still talk about the kick.

Santiago was one of the first Hispanic students to start on Postville's varsity football team. Last fall he was a co-captain, the kicker and a defensive lineman.

During one game, Postville lined up for an extra point. The holder bobbled the snap, just as Santiago was getting ready to kick. So he stopped, his foot in midair, like in a freeze-frame, while the holder recovered the ball. Then he swung his foot down, completed the kick and made the extra point.

"The place went silent," Superintendent David Strudthoff says. "I'd never seen anything like that in my life."

After games, Santiago stayed behind to visit with the young Hispanic children. Of the school district's 600 students, about 200 are Hispanic, and the great majority of them are in kindergarten through eighth grade.

"He understood the concept of what it meant to be a role model," Strudthoff says. "No one sat him down and explained it to him. He understood it."

The Hispanic youngsters were instantly drawn to Santiago. He's 5-foot-9, with broad shoulders and an even wider grin. His senior classmates voted him most likely to model for a fashion magazine.

During those postgame visits, Santiago told the youngsters that they, too, should go out for sports.

"I think if I talk them into going out for sports, it will keep them out of trouble," he says. "If they go out, they're more likely to stay in school."

He also volunteered to serve as an interpreter for parent-teacher conferences, and when the younger students needed to have their hearing tested. It wasn't a big deal, he says. He thought he could help.


On the morning of the raid, Santiago and another Hispanic student, Wendy Razam, 18, were with other seniors at a government class field trip in Waukon.

At lunch, some of the students turned on their cell phones.

"Everyone had the same text message," he says.

Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had detained hundreds of Agriprocessors workers, including Santiago's mother and both of Wendy's parents.

"It was terrifying," Santiago says.

His mother and Wendy's mother were eventually allowed to return to Postville; each wears a monitoring device on an ankle. Santiago expects his mother to be deported to Mexico, and Wendy expects her parents to be sent back to Guatemala. Wendy will probably join them.

"My dreams are broke," she says.

Santiago says he will look for work. He doesn't know what he will do, or where. He is the oldest of seven children. Most of the children will return to Mexico with his mother, he figures. A brother might stay in Postville with his father, who has the necessary paperwork to work legally as a school district custodian.

Santiago says an uncle escorted him to the United States, a year after his father came here. His mother then brought the rest of the family.

"I didn't have a choice to come," Santiago says.


He learned English. He went out for football and two school plays, one of the first Hispanics to do so. He studied hard, and will graduate today in the top 10 of his class, with a grade-point average better than 3.0 (out of 4.0).

When the senior awards were distributed recently, Santiago received two scholarships and was a "Dollars for Scholars" recipient. He also won a senior volunteer award.

Does any of that matter? Of course not, say the people who write to the school superintendent, including the person who said, "Take your head out of your rectum and look up the definition of 'illegal.' " That was one of the kinder messages.

Santiago and the students like him shouldn't be here, they say. Case closed.

"These children didn't have a choice to come to America," Strudthoff says, "but they did have the choice to attend school on a regular basis, they did have a choice to do their homework, they did have a choice to follow the law, they did have a choice to join choir and band, and they did have a choice to be on the student council and go out for sports, and they did have a choice to graduate with honors.

"They did have that choice. So whenever they were given the choice, they always made the correct choice, but yet they will be subjected to the same punishment for the crimes that their parents committed."

The morning of the raid, Strudthoff asked a federal official a question he asks often these days: Should children pay for the sins of their parents?

The official, he says, replied that it's the parents' fault, not the government's, for putting their children in this situation.

"If that's such a wise idea, then why don't we apply it to the war on drugs?" Strudthoff says. "If you have a raid in a crack house, if you have a raid in a methamphetamine house, and children are in the house, then shouldn't the children also be arrested? And shouldn't the children be given the same sentence as their parents?"

Strudthoff, 51, has been Postville's superintendent for nine years. He says school officials don't know how many undocumented students there are because he doesn't consider it their job to ask. It's their job to educate them.

"This is an adult war, not a child's war," he says. "No school I've ever heard of turns 5-year-old children away."

His frustration has turned to anger. He wants Congress to pass the DREAM Act, which would give the children of illegal immigrants the opportunity to earn permanent resident status if they attend college or join the military. The U.S. Senate voted against the bill last year; the House has never considered it.

"If you don't have the courage to stand up and protect the weakest and most vulnerable in our society, then how are you going to tackle something as large and complex as comprehensive immigration reform?" Strudthoff asks. "You can't."


A year ago, Santiago approached school officials. Postville, he said, needed a soccer team.

Recruit some players, he was told. So he did.

This year, for the first time, Postville fielded a junior varsity soccer team. Twenty-eight students representing five nationalities participated. The team's only loss came to a group of varsity reserves from Cedar Falls.

As for next year, "we don't know if we'll even have a team," Strudthoff says.

School officials have identified 70 Hispanic children who won't return to Postville next year; some have already fled with their families. Strudthoff doesn't know where they went.

"When they say the immigration system is broken, that's not really accurate," he says. "It's shattered."


Postville's seniors gathered Friday morning to rehearse today's commencement ceremony. A teacher set the parameters for what will be permissible during the actual event:

"You can celebrate, you can cheer, but no Silly String."

Santiago joked with the boy next to him. He says his classmates have been supportive of him, Wendy Razam and Gaby Campos, 17, a senior who came to the United States from Mexico.

Senior Barbara McMullan, 17, says students believe the raid was unfair.

"It's hard to explain, because it's not anyone's fault," she says. "At the same time, it's everyone's fault."

Superintendent Strudthoff says the three Hispanic seniors face arrest the instant they graduate.

"The minute they graduate and I hand them that diploma, they're no different from their parents," he says. "They're a criminal, period."

Tim Counts, an ICE spokesman, says anyone who is in the country illegally can be arrested and removed at any time, regardless of age or academic status.

"Having said that, we conduct our enforcement actions at the appropriate time and place," he says. "We're certainly sensitive about law enforcement actions in and around schools."

This will be Strudthoff's last Postville graduation. He is leaving for a similar job in Wisconsin. Although the timing with this month's events is coincidental, "health-wise, I think I need to get away from it."

Santiago reads the blogs, sees the anonymous comments of those who say he shouldn't be here.

"Not all people are the same," he says. "There's people who don't have a heart, and there's people who are understanding."

He doesn't understand why he's looked at differently than other immigrants in America's past.

"I feel like I did something good," he says. "I haven't gotten into trouble. If I want to stay here and do something good for me and the people around me, I think it should be fine for me to stay."

He thinks he would be a good citizen.

"I have been," he says.

A month ago, the three Hispanic seniors thought they would be attending college. None does now.

Santiago had hoped to become a police officer. He thinks he could help people.

But that's in the future, if it happens at all. Today, he will walk across the stage, collect his diploma, and either try to find a job in a country where he's not supposed to be, or return to a country that no longer feels like home.

Strudthoff will shake his hand and wish him well.

"It's harder than hell to hate people when you get to know them," he says.







http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... /805250327

Why do illegal immigrant parents bring their children here illegally and then blame us when they get caught? The parents are responsible for what happens to their children. If the parents are arrested because they broke the law, the children pay the consequences. It's sad, but true. We are not responsible for these kids and we don't owe them anything.

"If that's such a wise idea, then why don't we apply it to the war on drugs?" Strudthoff says. "If you have a raid in a crack house, if you have a raid in a methamphetamine house, and children are in the house, then shouldn't the children also be arrested? And shouldn't the children be given the same sentence as their parents?"

No, the children shouldn't get the same sentence because they weren't selling drugs, they didn't break the law like the illegals did.
On the same subject, when was the last time a drug dealer was allowed home from jail to take care of her kids? It sounds like the illegals are treated better than Americans to me.

"It's harder than hell to hate people when you get to know them," he says.


Who hates the kids? Where did this come from?

200 out of 600? that says it all. how many usa citizen kids didnt get the education their parents tax $$$ paid for, take your free upbringing and schooling and go home to mexico. the gravy train is over.

Santiago says an uncle escorted him to the United States, a year after his father came here. His mother then brought the rest of the family.

"I didn't have a choice to come," Santiago says.

His family are criminals and are to blame. Along with the employers who should go to prison for as long as possible. Nevertheless, he is still illegal and has no right to be here. It's time for the whole family to go home.

He wonders what he did wrong. He knows what people say: He shouldn't be here.

He should realise his parents are criminals but that he in an innocent kid that's lucky to have got an American FREE RIDE.
Who cares if he's an athlete?

His mother and Wendy's mother were eventually allowed to return to Postville; each wears a monitoring device on an ankle. Santiago expects his mother to be deported to Mexico, and Wendy expects her parents to be sent back to Guatemala. Wendy will probably join them.

"My dreams are broke," she says.

They were stolen dreams. Be grateful you were not caught until you graduated!

He is the oldest of seven children. Most of the children will return to Mexico with his mother, he figures.

That's 7 gone and 2993 to go! The ankle bracelets will let it sink in

Santiago received two scholarships and was a "Dollars for Scholars" recipient.eventually.

Which should have ONLY gone to an AMERICAN kid!

Should children pay for the sins of their parents?

Concerning ILLEGAL's, Yes, and remember we wouldn't want to seperate the family now would we ....

Strudthoff, 51, has been Postville's superintendent for nine years.

Immediately fire this guys ass!

School officials have identified 70 Hispanic children who won't return to Postville next year; some have already fled with their families.

70 more gone, PLUS their families. Attrition through enforcing laws!!!

Santiago joked with the boy next to him. He says his classmates have been supportive of him, Wendy Razam and Gaby Campos, 17, a senior who came to the United States from Mexico.

Senior Barbara McMullan, 17, says students believe the raid was unfair.

Yes, and according to Dr Phil, your brain stem is not fully grown untill 21 years of age, so you have no reasoning skills yet. That's why you are a kid, not an adult.

It's hard to explain, because it's not anyone's fault.

WRONG, it's your parents fault for being criminals and bringing you into the lifestyle. Again, consider yourself lucky to have snatched an American education.

Superintendent Strudthoff says the three Hispanic seniors face arrest the instant they graduate.

The minute they graduate and I hand them that diploma, they're no different from their parents," he says. "They're a criminal, period."

Finally, this idiot Superintendent says something right!

This will be Strudthoff's last Postville graduation. He is leaving for a similar job in Wisconsin. Although the timing with this month's events is coincidental, "health-wise, I think I need to get away from it."

I'd say he's in the hot seat from the emails confirming he has no understanding of America's laws on the books.

He doesn't understand why he's looked at differently than other immigrants in America's past.

???? That proves his not knowing America's laws! He forgot the word "illegal" before the word immigrant, BIG DIFFERENCE!!! It also proves the "brain stem" statement above.

He thinks he would be a good citizen.

He would be, now go home and wait in line like law abiding people from other countries do. Just because your parents illegally entered the country does not give you a pass for being an American. You CANNOT even vote here, ever!!

Santiago had hoped to become a police officer.

I'm quite sure illegals cannot become police officers. You'd NOT pass the background check. I refer you to Dr phil's statement again!

Originally Posted by draindog

200 out of 600? that says it all. how many usa citizen kids didnt get the education their parents tax $$$ paid for, take your free upbringing and schooling and go home to mexico. the gravy train is over.

Let alone the taxpayer money spend on English classes.

The official, he says, replied that it's the parents' fault, not the government's, for putting their children in this situation.
Bingo....no truer statement was stated

WorriedAmerican.....loved your breakdown of all the quotes!!!!!!

I guess if newspapers are going to continue publishing these "anecdotal" stories of hardship----we should respond with our own anecdotes---lives cut horribly short by drunken illegals, young people murdered, people ruined by drugs, families losing it due to unemployment.