Posted on 08/18/2008 2:03:25 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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.
Kemberly’s medical needs are Ms. del Cid’s greatest worry.
“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.”
“maybe she could take $5 out of the $600 a month she sends to guatemala to buy some condoms...”
Or save up for a few months and go get herself spayed.
While I find it admirable that she's earning at least some money to send home to her other kids, I've got to wonder just how much she is costing U.S. taxpayers.
We need to take care of our own and those here legally first. Then we might have a little sympathy for those who jump the lines.
This statement is an outright LIE. You know, living in an area with hispanics and my husband working with them, we all know they understand just what they WANT to understand as long as it benefits them. Other wise you get the typical, no habla english. I am so over all of them, I'm sorry for her daughter but we all have struggles in our lives. She is HERE ILLEGALLY AND BROKE THE LAW A 2ND TIME TO GET HERE!!!
Illegal immigration is not a victimless crime. All our kids educations are suffering because of hoards of illegals and anchor babies. Our hospitals are being bankrupted by illegals..while our citizens must pay up or face bill collection. Wages have been driven down..look at Pilgrims Pride(Pride my AZZ)..wages driven down by illegals.
We no longer hold back with this issue comes up with friends..it is time to call these people criminals and send them home.
This statement is an outright LIE. You know, living in an area with hispanics and my husband working with them, we all know they understand just what they WANT to understand as long as it benefits them. Other wise you get the typical, no habla english.
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BINGO !!!!!!!
It should be law that we report on Americans and not lawbreaking people who are breaking and entering.
The only thing I want to see in my paper is the increasing number of illegals that are being deported.
Fix your own darn country or come here legally.
Prospective citizens ought to be people who will *bring* a positive skill or craft to the United States. They should be in the credit column, and not the debit side.
Try closing your legs once in a while. Maybe ya should try having as many kids as ya can afford.
What does a Mexican and a cue ball have in common?
I asked, “Why?”
‘’It serves Mexico’s needs,’’ he said, and ticked off a list of such things as remittances to Mexico of $10 billion a year, which is 30 percent of the Mexican GDP [gross domestic product]. It provides employment for an exploding population, it alleviates social instability due to rising unemployment and it provides training for Mexicans, ultimately repatriating those skills back to Mexico.
I responded to his final aim – repatriation of trained and skilled Mexicans back into Mexico – and asked, ‘’Then your government would oppose amnesty for the illegal Mexicans in the United States?’’
He cried, ‘’Oh no! We support amnesty totally.’’ I replied, ‘’I don’t understand.’’ I assured him that if amnesty were in effect in the United States, then Mexicans would never return.
He then said something riveting: ‘’By populating the United States with millions of Hispanics who are tied economically, politically and linguistically to Mexico, we are able to exert enormous influence and pressure on U.S. policy and its dealings with Mexico.’’:
What is it with Chattanooga and all these sob stories about hispanic illegals? Has Chattanooga become the illegals’ destination of choice?
The harder you hit’em the more English you get out of ‘em!
Perla Treviso, a.k.a. Miranda Veracruz de la Jolla Cardinal.
What is it with Chattanooga and all these sob stories about hispanic illegals? Has Chattanooga become the illegals’ destination of choice?
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US Senator Bob Corker was Mayor of Chattanooga before he got elected to the Senate...
he still has a lot of influence...b usinesses etc...He’s a multi millionaire...
While he lived in Chatt he hired illegal aliens...
And was for the AMNESTY Bill last year...
He wont meet with me about the illegal immigration problem...
I’m getting a run around...
I think he likes foreign trade too...
Several American car manufcturers could have moved to Chattanooga i n the last couple of years...
Corker gave them a pass...
Now he wants everyone to know how hard he worked to bring Volks Wagon to TN
Go figure...
And everyone here should remember this scheming creep Juan "El Conquistador" Hernandez is John McCain's "hispanic outreach" advisor and bestest buddy and all that....
I'm going to attempt to be as politically correct as possible in response.
BULL$HIT
Yes, there is a term for the Juan Hernandez’s of the world: quisling.
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