Thread: Removing some of my own ignorace....

Ok, I have to admit, before I joined this board I avoided immigration articles etc. in the newspaper. Just always skimmed right past em.
However there was a headline today about Immigration and I decided to go a head and replace my ignorance with some
informative reading.

The article starts out with a picture of this lady, US citizen, with her kids 4 or 5, and saying all they want for Christmas is their daddy. Where is daddy you ask? Jail.
Seems daddy, (commonlaw husband, which is curious in and of itself to me), was a legal permanent resident but was pulled over for suspected drunk driving. No, he wasn't drinking, but, he did have a bag of COCAINE on him. They,(his wife lawyer etc) stipulate that it was less than a gram, as if that some how makes him more of an upstanding citizen.
Well he went to jail, but was released, with a 5 year adjudicated sentence. His lawyer told him it would not effect his status in the states. Then this man went to Laredo, crossed into Mexico to pick up a family member. As he was crossing back into the states he showed his Green card and they ran it and found the conviction. At which point he was taken into custody, to be prepared for deportation. I guess that was 20 months ago.
The common law wife is arguing, without his money etc. she is forced to raise her kids on welfare. I can't remember the wording exactly, but it reads as though its my/yours/anyone but the nose candy mans fault.
Apparently there are laws that are quite specific about coming here as an immigrant and getting busted with drugs.
Well the problem now is he is complaining he has missed two court dates that ICE was supposed to bring him to for his hearing to be deported. This has caused 4 judges to say his case is dead because of it. Save the fact apparently ICE has refiled charges,(regardless of how many times), because they can and thats their ability as an agency. I'm not saying ICE isn't deserving of some criticism, They could have took him and had him out of here when they had court dates etc. But that doesnt take away from the fact, ICE, (arm of Homeland Sec.) has the authority to re-charge as they see fit. So he sits in jail, an american jail.
When asked for comment Lamar Smith(Tx) summed it up well, (paraphrasing here),"Why should he be rewarded for being a coke head?" The law is clear about it, come here get caught breaking the law, you can't stay. So if freedom isn't valuable enough to keep your nose clean, then one should full well expect to suffer the established consequences.
Like I said, before this a.m. I hadn't payed a great deal of attention to the articles, but this very first one I did read chews at my patience/tolerance/common sense.
The claim is he has done more good than harm. Pays taxes, works etc. This is the problem with undereducated people.
They argue points that aren't valid,(although his lawyer is arguing it too, but it resonates with a majority here, so they get support that way). He knowingly did something that he knew would get him booted if he was caught. Now his family cries foul ball. !@#&* That !#@%
Is it my fault his (commonlaw) wife and kids will have to be raised on welfare?
Or is it his fault?
Similarly, my sister and I have the same education, same profession.
I had to make decisions that brought me here to my current job. Im not on welfare, but my sister is, (she stayed in an area her skills weren't needed), and she never lets me forget it. As if somehow her current situation is my fault. I tried to help her, had her a Job here etc. She refused.
Same thing with nose Candyman, he was here, literally home free, and he threw it all away.
I do love my sister,(and I hate it for her kids even more) but , we all make decisions that get us to where we are. Some people make better decisions that others.
The coke snorting immigrant made his decision, just as my sister made hers and just as I made mine.
Three people all making decisions on what is most important in their lives. I grew up poor, often times hungry(started working age 6, collecting cans, mowing etc). so having a life is more important to me than drugs. To be fair I have tried a wide variety of drugs and my current profession isn't/wasn't my first attempt at making it in the real world. However once I put away childish things and got serious about who I am, what I do, and natural consequences. I saw no other path to a better life if I didn't straighten up and fly right. At first of course it was tough, anything worth having or doing generally is tough.
Ten years later, my wings are stronger than ever because I endured, and ultimately perservered over bad habits and bad personal management.
Sure had I been caught up in something serious and jailed I wouldn't be sitting here typing this today. The fact is, I didn't get caught up because I made a conscience decision to do right. I had to get my priorities squared away, and am now a productive member of my community with relatively little to complain about as far as the decisions I've made for me. So hopefully others, legal, illegal, native or otherwise, will do the same. Feels great to get it out. Stepping down off my soap box now.

If you keep reading, you will find PLENTY to get you "het up" again! Same old story--just different names.

It sounds like you have struggled yourself but you have MADE it and that is what's important.

When asked for comment Lamar Smith(Tx) summed it up well, (paraphrasing here),"Why should he be rewarded for being a coke head?" The law is clear about it, come here get caught breaking the law, you can't stay.

That pretty much sums it up!