Posted on 05/19/2008 5:18:51 AM PDT by devane617
Meynardo Garcia's ambitious dreams of becoming an artist are on hold, while he fights the U.S. government over his mother's decision years ago to break the law. His mother slipped Meynardo, then age 10, into the United States illegally from Mexico. He's now 18 years old, a senior at Broward's Coconut Creek High School.
Meynardo's saga as an undocumented immigrant would have largely gone unnoticed but for his art teacher, his fellow classmates and his prize-winning artwork.
Nearly 1,000 classmates have signed a petition to allow Meynardo to stay in the country and his art teacher has gotten him an attorney to represent him in his legal battle.
Last month, he won first place in the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center's student art competition, beating out 500 other nationwide contestants.
He produced intricate artwork on a poster board with an airbrush, a technique Meynardo taught himself. It depicts a somber group of Latino boys surrounded by barbed wires and includes words written in Hebrew.
''When I studied about the Holocaust, it reminded me of kids in my neighborhood,'' Meynardo said. ``Those kids didn't have freedom and the kids in Mexico don't either.''
He wasn't able to claim the $250 prize because he doesn't have a social security number.
''He has an innate sense of what a composition needs,'' said his art teacher, Jacqueline Sacs. ``In 2007, he didn't know what the Holocaust was but wanted to participate in the contest. His piece awakened a passion for him about children.''
She hopes his artistic ability will somehow help persuade an immigration judge to allow him to stay.
His interest in art began in high school when he started sketching classmates and participating in art competitions, winning most of them.
Today, he attends school all day and then goes to night school to catch up on credits in order to graduate this summer. He wants to attend college in New York to hone his art skills.
Inspired by such artists as Diego Rivera, Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso, Meynardo eventually wants to open art studios for children around the world to give them the chance to express themselves.
''I want to give children -- especially in Mexico -- what I couldn't have,'' he said. ``Having a place to paint could give them a chance to become something in life.''
Meynardo's immigration quandary is similar to what faces an estimated 65,000 students who graduate each year from U.S. high schools as undocumented immigrants. At least 5,000 live in Florida.
Immigration advocates, who argue that these children are being punished for the wrongs of their parents, have spent years unsuccessfully lobbying Congress to approve the Dream Act. If passed, the bill would grant legal residency to those going to college or joining the military.
''The reality is most of these kids may not even remember their home country,'' said Deborah Lee, staff attorney with the Florida Immigration Advocacy Center. ``They feel more aligned to this country because they are growing and changing here. Emotionally, they are connected.''
Meynardo's story is a modern-day version of John Steinbeck's classic novel The Grapes of Wrath -- with a Mexican twist.
It begins in his hometown of Oaxaca, a city in southern Mexico, one of the country's poorest regions. His father abandoned the family in 1994, when Meynardo was just four years old. Three years later, his mother and her boyfriend left for the United States to pick crops in California, leaving behind the young boy with other relatives. In 2000, she paid a smuggler to sneak him into the United States.
''We had no choice but to come here and make a living,'' Meynardo said.
Today, Meynardo lives in a small home in a poor area of North Lauderdale with his mother, her boyfriend and their two U.S.-born children. Neither the mother or her boyfriend are legal U.S. residents.
His estranged father, who reportedly lives somewhere in South Florida, obtained his U.S. residency or green card but has had no contact with his son in years.
Meynardo went undetected by U.S. immigration authorities until last August when police stopped him and his friend in their car at a security checkpoint in the Port of Miami. Unable to produce any identification, police contacted U.S. immigration agents who questioned him in a local motel for three days. He was sent to a detention center in New York; his friend was deported.
It's unclear why he was sent to New York, but he remained there for 21 days as U.S. authorities prepared to deport him.
''I thought it was the end of the road for my dreams,'' Meynardo said. ``I grew up here. I belong here. My dreams are possible only here.''
A relative called Meynardo's art teacher and asked her to write and fax a letter to immigration authorities. Days later, he was released from custody in New York and reunited with his family in South Florida.
His immigration status remains far from certain. At a recent court hearing, an immigration judge granted Meynardo a continuance until Sept. 18.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials won't comment on cases because of privacy laws.
Under immigration rules, only an employer or family member can petition on behalf of a foreigner seeking permanent residency.
But with his estranged father unwilling to petition for him, Meynardo's options to obtain U.S. residency are slim, explained Miami immigration attorney Jorge Rivera, who represents the teen pro-bono.
WEB VOTE
Do you think children of undocumented migrants should be given an opportunity to stay in the U.S.?
What....there's no artists in Mexico?
Where can I sign the petition to deport him?
Other than that, GTFOOMC.
Yes, this has to be the new attitude.
We've lost ownership of our country. It has become nothing more than the world's hostile.
The sooner we start considering it reclaiming it as our country, the sooner we can require very controlled immigration and assimilation to protect all that makes this country great.
Send his @ss back to mexico - NOW!
Now, things just might be different if he was a brilliant candidate for an engineering education or some other trade that actually advances the quality of life.
You beat me to it. An “artist”?? We all know what that means these days. Unimaginably bad work, and an express train to a welfare check.
Hey, I know a guy who is GREAT a stucco work. He should stay darnit!! /s
These are the sacrifices, no matter how tough, we need to make. Our loss is Mexico’s gain. Asta la vista, baby.
An Artist? What does he do for Art - put JESUS into a glass of urine? I bet he is no MONET or Van Gogh!
“Monet should have been drowned as a child.”
Pablo Picasso.
Let him paint murals on adobe walls in Mexico.
He has simply to return to Mexico, and apply for a student visa. He can then return and go to school. His mother and boyfriend can be deported after they reimburse us for his current school education, medical costs... etc.
He has legal recourse to return and do it the right way. The immigration laws are NOT broken!
Follow the link. You can see some of his “art”.
I’m sure they have art schools in Mexico.
If he was an anchor baby we would not have this post - he would be a legal U.S. citizen.
...and: We had no choice but to come here and make a living,'' Meynardo said.
BS! He's now been identified. He has NO SS#. If allowed to stay, he will steal some legal citizen's number. DEPORT HIM IMMEDIATELY!
I agree with you that this article is nothing but touchy feely nonsense, but I disagree that art cannot enhance the quality of life. I am prejudiced, however, because I am an artist myself and I like to look at good paintings on my walls.
Do you think children of undocumented migrants should be given an opportunity to stay in the U.S.?
Yes 9
24%
No 18
49%
Variables in each case should be considered 10
27%
Total Votes: 37
At 17 years old and after 7 yars in public schools, he didn't know what the Holocaust was. Thank you NEA.
Deport crimmigrants immediately! The ability to stay within the lines when coloring does not change the fact that they are here illegaly.
Starting his senior year of high school, and he didn't know what the Holocaust was? Great job of education, government schools! And then, when he did learn, he decided it was all about him.
If the children of illegals are themselves illegal and we allow them to stay- then if we deport the parents we are “splitting up families” so I vote NO the children of illegals cannot stay. I don’t want to split up families.
Yes, look what he learned.
''When I studied about the Holocaust, it reminded me of kids in my neighborhood, those kids didn't have freedom and the kids in Mexico don't either.''
There should be no bending of the laws for illegals, artists or not. btw, we have no shortage of artists. Some very talented ones have a tough time making a living.
I was going to say- how do we know this kid is really an artist to begin with? He interjected hispanic kids into a historical event that happened to Jews. The reason he won is because some bleeding heart liberal thought his inspiration was politically correct and depicted how mistreated hispanics are. He won by catering to the liberal judges- not on the merits of his art.
If he is the next Picasso- there is a thriving art community in Mexico and he will be a great addition to it.
Picasso hated Monet. Again, Art nowaday is whatever you can do and get money for it!
The story ended in the 2nd sentence. All the rest of the article is immaterial.
We might be well off to deport his teachers too, if he spent 8 years in U.S. schools and only recently heard about the Holocaust.
Do I have to? What is it Dung on the VIRGIN MARY? Jesus in a jar of urine? Or is it DUNG on the Mexican Flag? Hey, I'm going to see if I can get an Art subsidy - so I can throw DUNG on the Mexican Flag. (Or can you only get that if you throw DUNG on the American Flag??)
Though he was not born in the country, but was 10 when “imported”,
the 14th just needs some strict constructionist interpretation to end “anchor babies”.
“subject to the jurisdiction thereof”
does not include someone whose mother is here illegally.
At 17 years old and after 7 yars in public schools, he didn't know what the Holocaust was. Thank you NEA.
Could we deport the NEA, too??
He’s the ideal product of American public schools. Moral equivalence between concentration camp inmates and ordinary residents of Mexico. I agree that Mexico stinks, but this is really mind-boggling, and could only come from a teenager, or those perpetually-adolescent, solipsistic liberals.
His art is crummy, too. Adequate technique, but aside from that, it’s embarassing.
All the winners and honorable mentions are from Florida. How nationwide was this contest?
His work looks average for a high school kid, not exceptional.
The brain drain from other countries is UNFAIR! Equal Rights for all nations! Why should the USA have all the talent?
Who will fix and lead third world nations into the future if all their motivated people escape, I mean emigrate?
/50% sarcasm
That is a question you need to ask ALL of your elected representatives. Officials have been twisting our Constitution to mean that anyone who is born here is a citizen regardless of the status of the parents. This is used by illegals as a means to get social services in this country. It is even worse than that- many Mexican women who do not plan to live here ever- will cross the border to have their baby. That citizen baby is then entitled to a free education among other things. Thousands of children who live in Mexico, but were born here cross the border every day to attend our schools. Those same children are also eligible for benefits to go to college.
Art was always something you could get money for. The difference is that, in the old days, you actually had to please the customer with your art. Now the idea is to get money from the government, so making something that is pleasing to the senses is unnecessary and possibly undesirable.
Adios.
If he is that good, why doesn’t mexico fight to ‘get’ him back?
80 ft wall, 2000 miles long, and no more anchor babies
GOOMC
Duncan Hunter for VP, give him charge over homeland security, then he can ‘invent the border’ (since we already have internets)
Today, he attends school all day and then goes to night school to catch up on credits in order to graduate this summer.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Why does he need to catch up on credits?
Why are the mother and the boyfriend still here? Surely, by now, the immigration officials know who and where they are.
That is sick!
Diego Rivera didn't have to sneak into the US to become successful. He earned his artistic renown in Mexico long before he began working abroad.
Thus, he is now legally an adult and thus able to apply for a student visa under his own application. If he is such a talented artist, maybe he can also apply for a scholarship from any number of institutions of higher learning that offer such programs.
Maybe the newspaper which printed this sob story could even lend their efforts to such a worthy cause.
And why limit his options just to the United States? For really talented art students, there are a number of universities in Europe which could make him even better offers.
Meynardo lives in a small home in a poor area of North Lauderdale with his mother, her boyfriend and their two U.S.-born children. Neither the mother or her boyfriend are legal U.S. residents.
His estranged father, who reportedly lives somewhere in South Florida, obtained his U.S. residency or green card but has had no contact with his son in years
Lots of family values in that one sentence. Wonder how much welfare, etc. his mother has collected on those two anchor babies plus the amount spent on all 3 kids education.
I suspect that Meynardo is illiterate, innumerate, has only an minimal command of the English language, and is utterly incapable of college level work....This is in spite of 8 years of residency in the U.S. and the $100,000 to $200,000 the U.S. taxpayers paid for his government elementary, middle, and high school education.
To head off bad graffitti, a lot of businesses hire guys like this to paint nice murals on the side of their buildings. I've seen some artwork by some quite talented people.
But send him and his mom back. Since crossing illegally wasn't his fault, I say he should be immmediately eligible to apply for a student visa for college. Mom can't come back for a while though.
It is sick, but it is how we are doing things. When we try to complain about all the issues with illegal immigration- we are called racists.
Another issue- it is far easier for an illegal to become legal if there are family members who are citizens- that is why babies given citizenship at birth are known as anchor babies- they can anchor the whole extended family into citizenship. If this boy is given any sort of legal status in order for him to stay here- then his entire family just got further to the front of the line to be made legal.
What is even worse is they can use these babies to get in line in front of those who have followed all the rules to apply for citizenship and have been waiting and waiting...
There is so much to this- and our officials see nothing wrong with it- I think they see more votes. This is why amnesty of any kind is such a bad idea- amnesty would allow all those who broke our laws to come here illegally to go to the front of the line for citizenship- ahead of all that chose to go through the legal process to begin with.
This is why our immigration process is so messed up, if we ended automatic citizenship and enforced all of our immigration laws, it would be the same process for everyone and would go a long way toward fixing our immigration nightmare.
There are many fine tourist traps in Mexico he and his POS mother can practice art while making a living. They need to get on with it. but she needs to pay back all she has stolen from the American people.
He is not an anchor baby. His mother smuggled him into the US.
Is it illegal to be an artist in Mexico?
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