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.
Clarify.
10 million people are not going to be returned to their home of origin.
Get real!
If people can't grasp that and work with what we have, they're not interested in fixing this awful mess.
Nothing like crow for breakfast. Duly chastised.
Immigration law is clear. Persons have chosen to disregard the law. For whatever reason, their disregard should never lead me to ignore the same law nor the consequences of the failure to adhere to it.
Could it be, the attempt to initially avoid the consequences of "those families torn apart" is perhaps the reason those laws were established in the first place?
No action is without result - good or bad. No choice is without consequence - equally good or bad. Hence, I should not demand or expect you to see grey if I choose to blur the black and white of established law.
Why is this even a question? Do you believe in the laws or not? Do you believe in laws only if you don't know the criminal?
Illegal = Illegal.
You know why have laws at all? Let's just all send in a list of laws we don't like to the national government and we'll just keep the ones everyone likes. How's that? The moral relativism that you Republicans apparently have to jump through to support their party is fascinating. Break the laws that are necessary when the right party is in office, hold fast to them when the other one is in power.
No action is without result - good or bad. No choice is without consequence - equally good or bad.
And that is where we are - all of us - illegals and Americans. We must deal with reality.
My, you really work to stretch my point to prove your bias.
It's better to solve the problem than let it continue to have something to rail against.
Is it going to get better by complaining about it?
I know, why don't you get elected to government so you can put your ideas to work.
Actually, he told us not to respond if we didn't agree.
It seems he was only looking for reenforcement of his hypocracy. This is the wrong place to look for it.
Well, not to get too personal, but how did your mom meet him? I'm a little cloudy on that. If she met him before he got arrested, there might be a case for their marriage being "real" (and not just for the green card). If not, then any attempt to show he's married, therefore he should stay would probably fall on deaf ears.
Of course, a couple must be married for two years before the immigrant can get a green card, but still to show that they were married before he got arrested might go a long way in springing him from the slammer.
I'm agitated by the border/illegal immigration issue myself so believe me I wouldn't be advising this if what you said about him wasn't true. It sounds like he could be an asset to this country though, from what you describe.
As far as I'm aware, a couple must be married 2 years before the immigrant can apply for a green card (legal status).
Bias? What bias? Adhering to the law of the land is now biased? Calling out leaders that refuse to do so is biased?
It's better to solve the problem than let it continue to have something to rail against.
Who's railing? There is a solution. Follow the laws already on the books. What do you not understand about that?
Is it going to get better by complaining about it?
Course not. Let's just fall lockstep behind a liberal administration that refuses to enforce the law.
"10 million people are not going to be returned to their home of origin. "
That's why the INS goes after the fish in the barrels with drug and criminal activities in their recent records and look the other way regarding the other 9.9 million illegals who flow into America in earnest working honest jobs.
You're trying to put the genie back in the bottle.
When something isn't working, it's time to find out why and fix it.
True.
It's an impossible task.
It needs to be addressed and controlled.
But that takes representatives with spines and leadership skills.
" When something isn't working, it's time to find out why and fix it."
Please join a committee focused on this problem, find out why it isn't working then report back to us on how YOU propose to fix it instead of (as you say) whine about it. Fair is fair.
I think if you are deported and sneak back in you give up all possibilities for legal status.If anyone knows for sure let me know please.
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