Posted on 07/21/2005 5:29:09 AM PDT by sonsofliberty2000
Today I am writing from a sorta weird position. I am truly in a paradox, and need help and advice.
I am writing about Rigo Garcia, my step-father now, but before a friend. He was introduced to me by my mother, and most times when this happens I end up either really not liking the person, or trying to ignore them due to a wanting to not like them. Neither occured with Rigo.
Here comes the issue: Rigo was here illegally in the US. He was arrested several months back for being an illegal, and while in prison my mom and him married (they did really love each other, and please discard the marrying for a green card thing, that is a movie cliche for the most part). His history as well as I can place it is this: He came in the early 1980's legally from Honduras with his parents and brother (maybe a sister, but I'm lacking a little info). He met a girl, they had a dauhter, and then he made a huge mistake by getting arrested with cocaine. They exported him. He decided that his daughter was worth the risk, and regretted his decision to do drugs andcame back. He settled down, worked many jobs, paid child support and started his own business. When I met him in New Bern, NC, a place many of you will recognize as my last port of call, he was working his own business as well as a full-time job. He had a house, and many nice things. The American Dream as some might call it. This all came crashing around him. I decided at the time to not write of these things, deciding the court would work it out. According to my mom the judge even told Rigo that he was an example of what an immigrant can come and do in America, especially those coming from an impoverished country such as Honduras.
So now my quandry: I am a staunch supporter of closing our borders. All know this from my previous writings and from personal knowledge. At the same time I feel they have bungled this. The judge was going to release him, but the INS instead of stopping the thousands a day in the border states have decided to export him anyways. I will not saywhether I feel my mother was stupid for her marrying him, nor will I judge Rigo. He did what many fathers would do in that situation, though he would even say he should have been more responsible. The current situation is this: the judge was expected to release him this week, but INS came and took him away. No one, including the lawyer as far as my mom knows, knows where they took him. I'm glad the INS has started to do their job, but I love how they have decided to fish for fish in barrels, and not those flowing over the border, where a simple net would catch them. My question is this: What can be done to help this man, if anything? Also, will you help me to help him? I do not see a quandry here, I see an agency trying to make it look like they are cracking down hard on illegals, but instead chasing those who made no waves, or attempt to hide.
Your mother took up with a guy with this kind of history? He entered the country illegally twice - the second time after being thrown out. He was involved in drugs; he's done felony crimes. And she married him whilst in prison? If not for the green card, then why?
I don't care about his acquisition of a house and many nice things. There are many legal ways to enter the US. Why did he not take advantage of any of them over the years?
I question the judgements of all concerned. Including yours. Quandary? What quandary? I see someone who is tossing their publically stated convictions overboard. And for what?
You, sir, might be better suited to joining the Waffle Party aka the Democrats. They're much more likely to abandon ideals for the sake of immediate gratification.
"my mom and him married (they did really love each other, and please discard the marrying for a green card thing, that is a movie cliche for the most part).
There are many people on FR that are surely literate enough to go to this site and read a few rules and prices and leave those myths behind.
Ask around. Get the best immigration lawyer you can find.
I understand your situation. You need a really good lawyer. I have a similar situation going on in my family but he wasn't even illegal. The unfairness of it sucks but that's the government for ya. I'll pray for you.
If your mom really loves him then she should be by his side in whatever country he is living in.
If he wants to be an American citizen then have him do what thousands do each year and go through legal channels. If he wants to sneak over the border then he is no better than any other criminal who does it.
So many people look past their own transgressions and make excuses for themselves these days. "It's just a little pot." "I was only speeding a little." "She was a few days away from turning 18." "Everybody else is sneaking over the border." Stop making excuses for yourself!
If this man is a stand up guy, he will do what is right and not make lame excuses. If your mom is a woman of integrity then she needs to stand by her man. If they cannot be together in the US or Honduras then perhaps one of the other countries around the world.
If you cannot be true to yourself and look others in the eye with a clear conscience then you are not the person you imagine yourself to be.
My guess is Rigo would vote conservative and be a far better citizen than Michael Moore.
Good point about Michael Moore.
Now, don't go picking on Kerik. He was just harboring one illegal, that shouldn't disqualify someone from being head of Homeland Security.
He is an illegal alien. He should be deported. Sorry.
Unless it happens to be your Illegal Alien.
Does ma ¿Hable Español? She might enjoy Honduras.
He entered the country illegally twice - the second time after being thrown out
From the posting:
He came in the early 1980's legally from Honduras...
My suggestion to you is to work on your acceptance.
Our society is supposed to be based on the Rule of Law. When one breaks the law, there are repercusions.
You don't have to like what is happening to Rigo; you don't have to agree with it; but you do have to accept it.
There are processes in place to make our laws; we spent lots of money on enforcing; we have procedures in place to bring cases to Court (however diluted our Justice System might have become); and after all is said and done, we must accept the conclusions.
I have a friend who is going through a similar situation regards a loved one. She herself is almost crazy with worry over the situation. I have told her the same thing; after she has done everything she can do, she has to eventually get to the place where she accepts the outcome, and attempts to get some peace and serenity in her own life, regardless of how others about her are choosing to live. Coodependency is a serious illness.
Why, in all this time, didn't he apply for citizenship?
LOL
This occured to me while reading the sympathetically-written tale, but I did not want to belabor the obvious:
Looks like Mom needs to move to Honduras.
Everybody's happy.
(After he serves his most recent time, of course).
The link is to a gif image, evidently not linked to the site.
In the 80's lot's of people claimed marriage to acquire status; I worked on a construction job in Lower East Side NYC and one of the guys had evidently hired himself out as a husband to a girl seeking status.
I'm just asking a question here. What's changed?
Well he was talking about how the government manages to find one person trying to do things right but ignores the thousands crossing the borders every day. That's what I was trying to get at.
Man, that is an enigma."
If anything, it's a "conundrum." OR "sticky-wicket."
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