Citizenship fight leaves migrant bewildered, jailed

The Houston Chronicle ^ | 11/23/2003 | DALE LEZON

[Orange1998]

I am shocked, I tell ya.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[jocon307]

"...his mother, who was hobbled with a sore back after years for(sic)scrubbing people's floors and clothes."

She ain't been scrubbing mine.

[DumpsterDiver]

Zavala said he was born May 28, 1976, in Weslaco. Colón said Zavala's mother told him that she and her husband, both Mexican citizens, crossed into Texas two months before Zavala was born and returned to their hometown, Salamanca in Guanajuato state, two months after his birth.

In 1980, Zavala said, his father died and his mother registered his birth in Mexico, stating that he had been born in Salamanca in 1976. She wanted him to have social benefits, such as public school, available to Mexican citizens, so she had to tell authorities he was born there, Zavala said.

Zavala and his mother sure have been busy trying to work both sides of the fence.

[HiJinx]

Zavala and his mother sure have been busy trying to work both sides of the fence.

Hmmm, interesting, that's the impression I came away with, too.

Tattooed birth certificate, though? Ouch.

[HiJinx]

Oops. The article said "tattered".

Not enough coffee, yet, this morning.

My bad.

[Orange1998]

She is just like the majority of the illegals that want the free giveaways from both countries. The lawyer fighting this is likely being paid by U.S. tax dollars.

[DumpsterDiver]

The lawyer fighting this is likely being paid by U.S. tax dollars.

Perhaps the good attorney would like a generous serving of hepatitis A green onions. (/sarcasm)

[Publius6961]

When their children attempt to cross the border claiming U.S. citizenship, however, many are suspected of lying by immigration officials and are forced to prove it, experts say. And proving U.S. citizenship is very difficult, said Jodi Goodwin, a Brownsville attorney and chairwoman of the American Immigration Lawyers Association in Texas.

What monumental BS.
The records office in the town he was born burned down?
What?

[20yearvet]

Let me get this right, the mom lied about his birth in 1980 to get benifits from mexico, then he lied about his birth in 1998 saying he was born in Mexico so he could get bach there easyer, and now He wants us to belive him? Maybe they should open a hospital on the border and all the kids could be born half in the US and Half in Mexico! that would solve all there problems.

[Redbob]

Mother snuck across the river just to drop her kid in this country.

I don't care WHAT his birth certificate says, he needs to be deported.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Allegra]

Technically, anchor babies aren't automatically US citizens anyway. The Mexicans and our own government subvert the 14th Amendment on that one. It says children born under the jurisdiction of the United States are naturalized citizens.

People who are in this country illegally do not technically fall into that category.

[dennisw]

I have zero sympathy for this clown. Let him crook money off of his mother since he claims she screwed up his US citizenship.

[JustPiper]

Claiming he was a U.S. citizen, he'd show border guards a tattered U.S. birth certificate to gain entry. He would come to Houston to mow lawns and live in crowded apartments in Spring Branch, and he would send money to his ailing mother in Mexico.

His good luck ran out Oct. 17. He was arrested for immigration violations when he applied for a U.S. passport and was jailed at the immigration lockup in Houston. Now, he faces deportation unless he can prove he was born in the United States.

Not hard to prove if he was 'legal' we can

[BeerSwillr]

The way I see it the concept of being "American by birth" needs some serious work.

The parents (at least 1) need to be legal American citizens before any of their off spring can be declared "American by birth."

Nothing else makes sense.

[gcruse]

Well, now, this is very complex.  Having claimed to be a Mexican citizen on more than one occasion, the court should take that into account and do a little rough justice for the complainant. Here it is.

"Adios, amigo.  Say hi to Mamasita, and don't come back."

[FITZ]

In 1980, Zavala said, his father died and his mother registered his birth in Mexico, stating that he had been born in Salamanca in 1976. She wanted him to have social benefits, such as public school, available to Mexican citizens, so she had to tell authorities he was born there, Zavala said.

Sounds like they're trying to mooch off both systems. I bet it's a fake or stolen US birth certificate he was carrying around. He deserves to be deported and have a record of this --- illegals are smart if they just agree to voluntary departure ---- which means they admit they are not citizens and agree to go back home ---- then it isn't on their record. It's a crime to lie and claim US citizenship and that will go on their record. Felony document fraud is what he was committing.

[Missouri]

"He can claim all he wants that he is a U.S. citizen, but he's not," Moreno said of Zavala. "He is trying to manipulate the information to his gain."

We need more guys like Moreno working the border. He tells it like it is.

[Orange1998]

The parents (at least 1) need to be legal American citizens before any of their off spring can be declared "American by birth.">/i>

I totally agree!