Thread: Union City father could be deported by Christmas

SOB STORY STRAIGHT AHEAD;

Union City father could be deported by Christmas

nj.com
By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
Monday, December 12, 2011, 6:45 PM
Updated: Monday, December 12, 2011, 6:54 PM


Carmen Pereira, her son Jose Pereira Jr., 20, and her daughter Christina Pereira, 18, of Union City, console her son Nelson Pereira, 10, at their apartment in Union City on December 5, 2011. Their father Jose Pereira Sr. was taken away by immigration officials and could be deported to El Salvador. Michael T. Dempsey /The Jersey Journal


Jose Pereira, of Union City, was arrested by immigration officials on December 1, and is set to be deported. Essex County Department of Corrections photo

The Pereira family is not anticipating a merry Christmas this year.

A Christmas tree decorated with red ribbons and ornaments stands in the corner of the family's first-floor apartment on Bergenline Avenue, but the walls are free of any festive lights, and the paper snowflakes that usually hang from the ceiling are absent.

The festivities have been on hold since Dec. 1, when Jose Pereira, 51, who entered the country illegally more than 20 years ago, was picked up by immigration officials at the Secaucus warehouse where he has worked for about a month, and officials say his deportation is imminent.

The family is devastated.

"This is something that I never thought would actually happen," said his wife, Carmen Pereira. "You have immigrants who do stuff they shouldn't, like commit crimes and stuff, and he doesn't do that."

Carmen Pereira, 41, said the couple's three children -- Jose Jr., 20; Christina, 18; Nelson, 10 -- are lost without their father, especially Nelson.

"I don't think my son's going to have a Christmas," she said, through tears.

A SEPARATE CLASS

The Pereira family's plight is not uncommon.

Last year, 392,862 illegal immigrants were removed from the country, a record number since President Obama's inauguration, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement figures.

Anastasia Mann, the director of the Eagleton Institute Program on Immigration and Democracy at Rutgers University, said Pereira's case highlights the challenges facing many immigrant families that are of mixed-status.

While Jose Pereira entered the country illegally from El Salvador in 1982, his wife was born in Staten Island, and all of their children are citizens, according to Carmen Pereira.

"People think that this is a separate class of people (but) they're our classmates and our colleagues and the parents of our friends," Mann said. "They're a big part of the fabric of this country."

Jose and Carmen Pereira met over 20 years ago, when she still lived on Staten Island and used to come to Union City with a friend. Her future husband had moved there from El Salvador to be near his brother, she said.

They were married within three months, and have had only one problem with Immigration officials: when Jose Pereira was detained after returning home to El Salvador to visit his sick mother.

Carmen Pereira said she had to travel to Texas with the couple's marriage license so that he could be released into her custody.

"They said we were going to receive a letter to go to court but that was a letter we never received," she said, adding that they tried and failed to get her husband legal status based on her own citizenship.

'DE FACTO AMNESTY'

This shouldn't be happening to Jose Pereira.

This summer, the Obama administration announced it would suspend deportation proceedings against many illegal immigrants who pose no threat to public safety or national security.

The directive hasn't endeared Obama to those who oppose any effort that permits illegal immigrants to stay in the country. Gayle Kesselman, co-chair of the Carlstadt-based New Jersey Citizens for Immigration Control, said Obama's order amounts to "de facto amnesty."

"Do we want to have borders, or do we not?" Kesselman said.

The change in immigration policy signaled by Obama would seem to apply to Pereira, who records show has committed no federal or state crimes. But he remains behind bars at Essex County Jail, and ICE spokesman Harold Ort said an immigration judge has issued a final order of deportation.

Carmen Pereira said she was told on Monday to bring his belongings to the jail by Wednesday.

Told of Pereira's predicament, Kesselman said she feels for him and his family. She might support some type of legalization program for folks like him if the government would address some of the major flaws in its immigration policy, she said.

"I am not angry at these people that are coming over here because they're looking for a better life," she said. "I angry at the greedy employers looking for cheap labor who have joined forces with greedy politicians looking for cheap votes."

'UNABLE TO MEET THE NEED'

Carmen Pereira is struggling not just with the prospect of losing her husband of 21 years, and taking care of their three children on her own, but with finding anyone who can help her.

With the economy in the doldrums and illegal immigration a four-letter word to a large swath of the population, nonprofits set up to help immigrants fight deportation are underfunded, according to Amy Gottlieb, director of the Immigrant Rights Program for American Friends Service Committee.

AFSC, a Quaker group that performs policy and advocacy work on behalf of immigrants in addition to providing them legal aid, is David to the federal government's Goliath, Gottlieb said.

"We are absolutely unable to meet the need," she said. "We can't keep up with the money the government has."

Gottlieb, an attorney, said Pereira's case seems "particularly egregious," considering the length of time he's been living in the U.S., his American-born children and wife and Obama's recent directive.

"Why are we going around tearing fathers away from children?" she said. "It's heart-wrenching."

For now, the Pereiras wait, hoping for a miracle. They've received calls from Jose Pereira from Essex County Jail, and at least one letter. Writing mostly in Spanish, he wishes the family well, and asks for their forgiveness, Carmen Pereira said.

In the middle of the letter, handwritten on a yellow sheet from a legal pad, there is one line in misspelled English:

"Pleace help me."

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2011 ... e_dep.html

This really is sad. But why dod the man not try to get legal for the last 20 years?? Was he thinking that he would never be caught or that MAYBE they would make him legal?? You gotta be proactive. Sorry, I hate it for the family, but you gotta take care of your business.

had only one problem with Immigration officials: when Jose Pereira was detained after returning home to El Salvador to visit his sick mother.

I bet there is more to this than they're admitting.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

I bet there is more to this than they're admitting.

There's always "more" to the story, stolen SSN's, driving without a license or insurance! All I know is one more American just went back to work to help pay for his wife and 3 children, 2 of which look like they could maybe help Ol' Mama-ceta!

"Why are we going around tearing fathers away from children?" she said. "It's heart-wrenching."

Kind of like when our military men are deployed? It's really hard on their children. Heart-wrenching, in fact.

Just another illegal alien sob story. They never take accountability for their own actions. It is always the fault of someone else and we are the heartless ones for wanting our immigration laws to be enforced. Sorry, no kleenex needed here.

Originally Posted by Oldglory

Just another illegal alien sob story. They never take accountability for their own actions. It is always the fault of someone else and we are the heartless ones for wanting our immigration laws to be enforced. Sorry, no kleenex needed here.

Another thing that happens is they NEVER get their mail.

"They said we were going to receive a letter to go to court but that was a letter we never received,"

Another thing that happens is they NEVER get their mail.

I know!!! They should complain to the postmaster general about that. Well hopefully his mail will be forwarded to Peru or mexico, or where ever the hell this latest one is from. Hard to keep track of all the sobbers.

Every illegal here takes the chance of being seperated from their families. They are all aware of this fact. After 20 years of being here, he could have become legal and this never would have happened. I for one could never take such a risk.

This was On befor same old story
NO amnesty or Dream act