ADELANTO, CA - After running for a council seat in Adelanto, California and winning in 2004 did Zoila Meyer discover shortly that she was not an American citizen. Officials investigated Meyer's birthplace and current status after someone mentioned she had been born in Cuba. It turned out that she was a permanent resident but not a U.S. citizen. She gave up her council seat and applied for citizenship afterwards. Meyers' parents brought her to the U.S. as a one year-old infant but she had believed all her life that she was an American citizen. Now the mother of four is facing deportation charges because she broke the law by voting three years ago. In the United States, voting is a right and privilege reserved for only American citizens. Meyers pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of voting fraudulently. However, voting without being an American citizen is a serious crime. It is considered a felony offense and could easily result in deportation. Meyers is terrified of deportation since that could mean leaving her family behind and leaving the place where she has grown up most of her life. Meyer has her hearing on July 18 where an immigration judge will decide whether to deport Meyer or not. In the case of deportation, Meyer would be deported to Canada since that is the last entry point on her immigration documents. The only thing Meyer can do at this point to avoid deportation is to plead her case at the immigration hearing.

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/?NS_cid=24