(Illegal alien) Mother of 5 tries to make ends meet (BARF ALERT)

At 7 months old, Kemberly Méndez doesn’t roll over or sit in a propped-up position. Her right thumb is flexed downward; her index finger is a nubbin and the rest of her right-hand fingers are webbed.

Her short life has consisted of physical therapy sessions and visits to specialists who are treating her for Poland syndrome, a pattern of one-sided body malformations, usually on the right side, that are present at birth.

But all the care Kemberly, a U.S. citizen, is receiving at Erlanger hospital and at the Shriners Hospital in Lexington, Ky., is in limbo because her mother is an illegal immigrant.

Kemberly’s mother, Lubia del Cid, a 35-year-old Guatemalan native living in Rossville, was among 100 Pilgrim’s Pride workers arrested on April 16. But because she had a previous deportation order, her situation is on hold, her attorney, David Elliott, said.

Immigration agents caught Ms. del Cid as she crossed the Texas-Mexico border four years ago. She was given a notice to appear in court. Because she didn’t understand what the notice was, she said she didn’t go and missed a deportation hearing.

Mr. Elliott said he’s asking the federal government to consider Kemberly’s medical needs in resolving her mother’s case.

“I just want my daughter to live a normal life, and I know that’s not going to be possible for her in Guatemala,” she said, cradling Kemberly in her arms.

“Handicapped children in Guatemala are treated very differently than here,” she said. “Over there they don’t understand that they’re sick; they just make fun of them.”

Ms. del Cid said doctors will try to operate on Kemberly’s hand in one to two years as her bones mature. Her daughter also will require a plate in her chest because of muscle deficiency.

Dr. Cathy A. Stevens, director of medical genetics at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, said although the rest of Kemberly’s body and mind are normal, the baby’s anomaly affects her motor development and she might need long-term physical therapy.

Before Ms. del Cid was arrested, she would send $200 to $300 every two weeks to her three teenage sons still in Guatemala to help pay for their schooling.

“What would I be able to offer them if I go back?” asked Ms. del Cid, who also has a 2-year-old daughter, Ashley Méndez, living here.

Since she was released with a monitoring ankle bracelet, Ms. del Cid has sold Guatemalan tamales and cut neighbors’ hair to bring in some money.

“I have to find a way to feed my children here and send money back to my children in Guatemala,” Ms. del Cid said. “I’m their father and mother.”

Comments from local people TN readers about this article:

I read this story online.

Shouldn’t Ms. Trevizo’s piece advocating special sympathy for illegal aliens be placed on the editorial pages of the paper? Is the journalist aware that thousands of American citizens arrested for breaking the law also often have family problems as well?
August 17, 2008 at 12:38 p.m.

Millions of Americans go without medical care and the illegal alien receives it for free. This is another one of those articles that intentionally glosses over the stark reality of mass illegal migration and how these people and foreign governments take advantage of America. You will not see a foreign policy regarding this issue from either of the two candidates running for president. While they plan amnesty for millions of Mexicans the Chamber of Commerce is cutting deals with the cartels. I could see this story if there were less then half a million illegals in the country. It would pull at your heart strings to feel sorry for this illegal. But we are not talking about a few hundred thousand people here. We are talking about a population in the millions that is having a direct negative social and economic impact on the life’s of the American people each and every and every day.
August 17, 2008 at 1:19 p.m.

Campbell, note that the baby is a citizen, not an illegal.

I recommend to the immigration judge that the “hardship” that the American daughter would face without her mother’s presence does NOT constitute an exception to immigration law in this case. The mother needs to be deported. She can arrange for her daughter to stay in the USA, if she would like. Or she can take the baby back to her country, to her family, where they could all be together.
August 17, 2008 at 4:50 p.m.

I have a son with special needs and we have struggled for his entire 12 yrs to provide him with his medical care. I have worked fulltime, being a mother and a father to my son when his father was on deployments or working 18 hr days, 7 days a week in the navy.
I lost my job to the recession the President says isn’t happening. My husband’s retirement doesn’t pay the bills let alone the medical expenses and perscriptions. Military benefits are not what they use to be, especially after retirement. We’ve lost our home, our car, and live without many of the bare essentials. No one seems to see what we do for our son as out of the ordinary. We give up all but the basic essentials to give him care, and yet we don’t qualify for any help. My family has lived in this country for generations, fought in every war. My husband’s family are Native Americans. Where is our help???????
August 17, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.

Each and every one of the prior posters is spot on.

We do not care for our own before aiding illegal aliens. I lay this at the feet of our news media and their sob-sister pleas and highly distorted and biased reporting in favor of everyone except those in dire need who are here legally.

How about some stories about legal residents trying their best to raise their kids?

Neither of our presidential candidates intend to even think about our problems — unless you are minority, single-female, or illegal. Sad affair, that.
August 17, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

This woman was an illegal & should be sent back to where she came from with ALL of the rest and thier children. Let the child come back in 18 years to claim citizenship if they choose it then. I believe the “anchor baby” ruling is BS at any rate.

If an American goes to Mexico or another country and produces offspring are they given freebies and citizenship? Absolutly not. It wasn’t supposed to be that way here either.

luvshelties,

Huge thanks to you and your husband for the military service. I am so sorry to hear you’ve been put in such a horrible position with your losses. I hope your situation improves. Would CoverKids help you any?
August 17, 2008 at 9:54 p.m.

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