Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Deporting our children

"Student Elizabeth Lee Facing Deportation- Mom Held," by Erin Allday
January 7, 2011 in the SF Chronicle

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-01-07/bay-area/27015246_1_illegal-immigrant-deportation-dream-act

Stories like this really make me mad. This student, Elizabeth Lee, was about to graduate from Lowell High School in SF and was planning to attend UC Berkeley when her mother, an undocumented immigrant, was arrested. Elizabeth, who came to San Francisco when she was 9, and her entire family were threatened with deportation back to Peru on January 19. It's not the first time this has happened to them. When she was 14, Elizabeth's mother was arrested and she was sent to a foster home for a week. Her mother managed to get her back and sought asylum in the US. The case was denied in 2008.

Several high-profile incidents like this one prompted California Senator D-
Dianne Weinstein to co-sponsor the Dream Act bill which would allow children who arrived in the US before age 15 and who attend college to remain in the country. The bill is currently dead in the Senate.

"It has been like a roller coaster. Some days are better than others," said Elizabeth Lee, who is taking classes at San Francisco City College while she awaits the outcome of her case. "I put so much effort into school as a distraction from my problems. I wanted to be someone."

This story is of course relavant to any one who lives in the this country, particularly in states with a large Latino population or other minority immigrant populations. Some of you might disagree with me on this one, but I think deporting children who are as American as you or I (except for a piece of paper) is criminal.

1 comment:

  1. This issue is so important in many ways. I really believe children should not be punished for their parent's actions. However, like you mention, if a child is 8 they will probably be deported (by choice of the parent for a minor) with the parent. I wonder if an 18 year old child faces deportation separately as an adult or as a dependent of an illegal immigrant. I'll do some research and see what I can come up with.

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