Thread: Couple fight deportation after 20+ years

Couple fight deportation after 20+ years
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11/17/2007, 10:42 a.m. PST
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) —
Immigrants Pedro and Salvacion Servano have been model U.S. residents since arriving from the Philippines in the 1980s.

Pedro Servano, 54, is a prominent family doctor in an underserved area of central Pennsylvania. His 51-year-old wife runs a grocery store and bakery.

But a change in their marital status during their visa application process more than two decades ago has come back to haunt them, and now they are facing possible deportation back to the Philippine
The couple have been told to report to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office the day after Thanksgiving for the start of deportation proceedings, agency spokesman Michael Gilhooly said Friday.

Their attorney, Gregg Cotler, is devising a flurry of last-ditch legal and political appeals to allow them to remain in Selinsgrove, about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

"We love this country and this is our American dream to be here," Salvacion Servano said in a telephone interview. "We've been here for 25 years. This is our home."

Their difficulties can be traced back to 1978 when, while both were single, their mothers applied for visas for them to come to the United States.

The couple married in the Philippines in 1980, and two years later, Salvacion Servano's visa was granted and she left the country. Pedro Servano followed in 1984 after getting his visa, and the couple moved to Philadelphia.

The Servanos applied for U.S. citizenship while living in San Diego in 1990, but an immigration official noticed during an interview that their visa application listed them as single. They were accused of lying and misrepresenting their marital status, and the deportation process began, Cotler said.

"I guess it's an honest mistake," Salvacion Servano said. "It's not premeditated."

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Immigrants Pedro and Salvacion Servano have been model U.S. residents since arriving from the Philippines in the 1980sPage 2 of 2
The Servanos went about their lives as they filed appeals. They moved back to Philadelphia in 1992 before settling in Selinsgrove three years later. Pedro Servano works at Geisinger Medical Group in Selinsgrove, where he has about 2,000 patients.

Two of their four children graduated from Temple University, while one is in high school and another is in middle school.

Several years ago, the Servanos bought and renovated two properties in nearby Sunbury. Salvacion Servano recently opened a small grocery store there, selling Asian goods and baked items.

"They had an error on their visas when they first came here," said Terry Specht, Sunbury's city clerk, who frequents the store. "It's ridiculous to think they would lie about that."

But their appeals have been unsuccessful and appear to have run their course.

The Servanos turned to Cotler after receiving notice earlier this month that they had to report to the immigration enforcement office.

"It was a surprise to us," Pedro Servano said. "After that, it was as if a ton of bricks had fallen on our family."

Gilhooly declined to discuss the specifics of the case, citing ICE policy.

"They have had their due process through the U.S. immigration court system," he said. "They have exhausted their appeals."

Cotler hopes otherwise. His legal team is considering emergency appeals in court and directly to the U.S. attorney general's office.

The family has lobbied for help from politicians. Friends scheduled a prayer vigil in Sunbury for Saturday night.

Letters of support to the government have poured in from local dignitaries, Servano's patients and even someone from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

"I fervently believe in the ICE mission. However, the Servanos did not sneak into this country illegally, they have broken no laws, and they have not been a burden to the economy. They pose no threat," DHS counterterrorism operative Bill Schweigart wrote in a letter obtained by The Daily Item of Sunbury. "I cannot fathom how deporting the Servanos fulfills any portion of the ICE mission. In fact, I would argue the action runs counter to it."

Cotler said the couple understands the government's position, but would simply like another chance to tell their story.

"You would not find two nicer people, two more unassuming people," Specht said. "It's a

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/nat ... ornational

It sounds like they knew they 'papers were not in order' and should have been seeing that was done.

But, once again, is our government looking for the most sympathetic and least threatening to deport - making sure the media is aware of it beforehand?

I think so.

Pedro Servano, 54, is a prominent family doctor in an underserved area of central Pennsylvania.

How does an illegal alien practice medicine in this country legally?

I hadn't thought of that - but heck, our government doesn't care.

Originally Posted by kniggit

Pedro Servano, 54, is a prominent family doctor in an underserved area of central Pennsylvania.

How does an illegal alien practice medicine in this country legally?

Very good question.

Something is not quite right with this story ?

They have been here since 1984 so why didn't they file for citizenship during the 1986 Grand Amnesy ?

They came here on visas but visas expire at which time they became Illegals so why is the guy from DHS sayng they were not Illegals ?

How did he practice medicine legally ?
I think there is much more then this story revealed.

What a mess.........

Yikes! I live less than an hour from Selinsgrove and Sunbury, and my son is seen by one of Geisinger's "child neurodevelopmental specialists." This is very scary for me, it's hitting too close to home.

Sob story alert. The media bias continues.

Originally Posted by kniggit

Pedro Servano, 54, is a prominent family doctor in an underserved area of central Pennsylvania.

How does an illegal alien practice medicine in this country legally?

that is exactly what i was thinking! what kind of background check was done before he was even allowed to sit for the American medical boards? it couldn't have been too thorough if it missed he's in the country ILLEGALLY!!!!

Originally Posted by corhanem

Yikes! I live less than an hour from Selinsgrove and Sunbury, and my son is seen by one of Geisinger's "child neurodevelopmental specialists." This is very scary for me, it's hitting too close to home.

Are you registered with "Hazleton" Topix forum?
I'm one of the News Editors for "Hazleton, Pa. Topix (online) News. (same username)
http://www.topix.com/city/hazleton-pa