Family battles reality of immigration debate (Illegal Fluff Piece- Freep the Comments)

Longview News Journal ^

[mnehring]

The debate over U.S. immigration policies has become personal for a Longview family.

Linda Bischoff said Americans have forgotten the engraving on the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ..."

She also said federal laws and lack of knowledge by the public have forced people seeking refuge to enter the United States illegally.

"I used to think, 'Why don't they just get a visa and come here legally?' " Bischoff said of illegal immigrants. "Now, after going through the endless process of paperwork and extreme cost and still not being guaranteed you'll get approval, I understand why."

Today, Bischoff expects to say goodbye to her son-in-law, Ortelio Alejo, as he packs his things for a return to Mexico. She's not sure whether he'll be back.

Alejo spent five months in the Gregg County Jail awaiting a court hearing on a charge of failure to obey warning signs. A Longview police officer arrested him in January on a charge of not having a driver's license during a traffic stop just outside of Alejo's East Longview neighborhood, known to locals as the "Mexican part of town."

Officials dropped the driver's license charge, and Alejo, 28, was sentenced May 26 to time served on the warning signs charge. He agreed to be out of the United States no later than today in a voluntary departure agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

With tears in her eyes and her head resting on her husband's shoulder, Alejo's wife, Shannon, a U.S. citizen, described the effect of her husband's departure on their family.

"I don't know how I'm going to handle it or what I'm going to do," she said as she cradled their 8-week-old son. "It hasn't hit me yet. I'm still in denial."

'Normal working family'

Because of a provision in immigration law, Alejo opted to stay in jail while awaiting his court hearing. During that time, he missed the birth of his son, Eladio, and his wife, no longer able to pay bills without her husband's income, moved back in with her parents.

"We were living on our own, a normal working family, until this happened. Now I've had to quit my job to take care of the baby, and he's not been able to work," Shannon Alejo said.

Bischoff acknowledges her son-in-law broke the law in coming into the United States illegally. She added that had he applied for a visa after getting here, he would have had to go back to Mexico without a guarantee of being able to return.

In a letter to the editor in the News-Journal earlier this month, Bischoff complained that even though Alejo broke the law, federal and county officials should not have done the same.

According to a court motion that attorney Jose Sanchez filed on Alejo's behalf, Alejo remained in jail just more than 24 hours longer than allowed. Under a federal mandate, ICE had 48 hours from the time Alejo's time was served to take him into its custody.

Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano said releases from the jail are sometimes slowed by paperwork delays, though he didn't comment specifically about Alejo's release.

Sanchez said he immediately began working on Alejo's visa application, but U.S. law requires Alejo to suffer a penalty for entering the country illegally. Alejo must return to Mexico and wait for the U.S. State Department to consider a waiver Sanchez filed stating that Alejo's wife and son will endure hardship in his absence. If approved, the waiver will allow Alejo to legally return to the United States quicker.

"Normally, the penalty for entering the country illegally could range from two to 10 years. In some cases, ICE can waive that penalty if certain criteria is met," Sanchez said.

Bischoff said proving a hardship is not easy.

"We have a list from Jose of 40 things we can do to help prove hardship and stress on Shannon and Eladio. All of them cost money, such as psychiatric counseling and certified copies of everything you can think of for all of us, my husband and I included," Bischoff said.

"This whole process so far has cost us over $6,000, and we're not even close to being done yet. That's not including the emotional investment you go through, especially when someone you love is being taken away from you."

'Some have forgotten'

Bischoff said people are quick to judge when they aren't aware of all the circumstances.

"These people (illegal immigrants) risk everything to come here. People don't understand how bad things must be for them in their own country to motivate them to swim the Rio Grande, walk across miles of desert or pay coyotes (human smugglers) thousands of dollars to get to America."

Alejo described his life in Mexico as he rubbed the tiny foot of his son.

"There is no public school in Mexico after the sixth grade. You must pay for it if you wish to continue your education, and most can't afford it," he said.

Alejo said he averaged $30 a week at his full-time job in Mexico, and the cost of food is expensive.

"You barely make enough money to feed your family, much less buy clothes or pay for medicines," Alejo said. "Saving up the costs for a visa or green card to America would take a lifetime if it was even possible at all."

Alejo said he worked on a ranch in Mexico from the time he was 8 until coming to the United States four years ago. Both of his parents died when he was young, leaving him and his seven siblings to provide for themselves, he said.

"Some people don't understand. If you had no hope, no education, and you worked sun up to sun down everyday, what would you do?" Bischoff asked.

"This country was founded on the principle that America was a refuge for those seeking to escape persecution and inhumane conditions. Almost all of us are here and can call ourselves Americans because of this," Bischoff said "Some people have forgotten that."

* * *

[mnehring]

There is a comments section you don't have to register for that is being overwhelmed with the usual illegal apologists... have fun..

[RobinOfKingston]

The lifeboat theory obtains here. When the Good Ship Rest-O’-The-World is sinking Lifeboat America can only take on so many before she is in danger of sinking.

[wbones8765]

My family immigrated to the US as well. I am a first generation natural born citizen. My grandparents were born in Canada. I have no sympathy for those who broke our laws. It maybe tough, but there is a line. Why should anyone get preferential treatment for cutting the line? I think that is unfair, and UNAMERICAN.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

"There is a comments section you don't have to register for that is being overwhelmed with the usual illegal apologists... have fun.."

Yo Owl....this is right up your alley...I know how you love to comment and make lib-tards mad...ha ha ha

[Cowboy Bob]

With tears in her eyes and her head resting on her husband's shoulder, Alejo's wife, Shannon, a U.S. citizen, described the effect of her husband's departure on their family.

Why doesn't Shannon move to Mexico with her husband? I'm sure the Mexican Government will greet her with open arms.

[muawiyah]

Guy came into the country without a visa or other permission. Then he got married, etc., etc.

A real sob story.

Then he broke a string of traffic laws.

Then he got caught.

Then he AGREED to a voluntary departure ~ and I can't say that enough "a voluntary departure" ~ yup, he agreed to that.

The law is pretty clear in these cases. What he has to do is LEAVE THE COUNTRY and apply for a visa. Since he has an American citizen wife it should be pretty easy to get. He doesn't even have to go to Mexico. He could go to Canada, or the Bahamas, or just anyplace where there's a US consulate. It may take some time to get it issued since he's a known scoflaw ~ always into trouble with running stop signs, driving without a license, and who knows what else.

[muawiyah]

If she has $3500 per year income she can stay there with him. That's cheaper than paying another lawyer to do the impossible for her husband.

He's got to leave to apply for the visa. He has to wait for the visa interview.

Ain't no thing.

If he'd had any kind of visa this would have been so much easier.

[lilylangtree]

Suspect they didn’t pay their taxes either.

[douginthearmy]

The immigration issue is simple: most Americans are pro-legal immigration, anti- illegal immigration. Most politicians are exactly the opposite. Dem leaders get a large underclass they can exploit for votes. Rep leaders get a large underclass their donors can exploit for cheap labor. Both sides win, America loses.

In order to maximize illegal aliens, the government makes legal immigration both too limited and far to difficult and expensive a process. They also make becoming an illegal immigrant very easy by not enforcing the laws already on the books.

[dcwusmc]

My comment:

By DC Wright, USMC Retired

Jun 28, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this

Ms. Bischoff, cry me a river. My wife’s an immigrant and we jumped through every hoop there was to get her green card. We decided that it was worthwhile to DO IT RIGHT. If you can’t be troubled to teach your family to abide by the rules about strangers coming into your (MY) house, and then get burned by it, I haven’t a single tear to waste on you. Put some ICE on it. Get over it. Your daughter can move to Mexico to be with her man. Then maybe they’ll have time to think about doing things the RIGHT way next time.

I absolutely LOATHE line-jumpers and their enablers. The rules are there for EVERYONE who wants to come live in my HOME. You keep your doors and windows locked to keep out the uninvited, I’m sure. In a country, that is what borders and border crossings are. Anyone coming in the front door and abiding by the rules is welcome, as far as I’m concerned. But those who try to sneak in through the back window deserve any bad thing that might happen to them. Your son-in-law is not one bit different. Be happy he didn’t die of dehydration or whatever when he broke into this country. And that he survived to be deported. That means your daughter can go live with him.

[Cheerio]

'Normal working family'

There is nothing NORMAL about this family unless the America I grew up in has changed that much. Oh I know the answer - HOPE and CHANGE will bring this little 'Normal working family' family back together again.

Another hot button with me is the interpretation of the 14th Amendment when a illegal parent is deported. The 14th Amendment only applies to kids dropped on US soil when the parents are subjected to the authority of the US. Example - When a foreign diplomat comes to a USA station and drops a kid in a DC area hospital, the kid does not automatically become a US citizen like the Mexicans have been led to believe. The 14th does not need to be re-written, it needs to be properly interpreted. Mac Collins used to have a great website explaining how convoluted this has become and it is more urban legend than any basis in law. But courts have been very active in the last 4 or 6 decades.

[ridesthemiles]

No sympathy here...
My great grandparents came to America from Norway in the 1850’s.

Worked hard on famrs. Grandfather owned a bank in a very small town. He never foreclosed on a single farmer during the Depression. He put all 3 of his kids- ony boy and 2 girls thru the University of Wisconsin in the 20’s.

Myself and all my brothers have been self-employed most of our lives, some with employees, some alone.

These intruders don’t want to play by the rules.

[ridesthemiles]

Mexico is a country dominated by the theory of unlimited children in a family that has little or no education, and little chance for decent employment, as would be described here in the USA.

It is probably a hand-to-mouth existance, but sometimes having only a couple of kids instead of 14 to feed makes some sense, and might allow for one of those kids to get a little higher on the ladder with education.

Persecution doesn’t count as a reason for Mexicans to be swarming here.

[ridesthemiles]

WHY did she marry an illegal intruder in the first place?????

Is she coyote-ugly or just plain stupid??

[ridesthemiles]

No sympathy here...
My great grandparents came to America from Norway in the 1850’s.

Worked hard on farms. Grandfather owned a bank in a very small town. He never foreclosed on a single farmer during the Depression. He put all 3 of his kids- one boy and 2 girls thru the University of Wisconsin in the 20’s.

Myself and all my brothers have been self-employed most of our lives, some with employees, some alone.

These intruders don’t want to play by the rules.

[wbones8765]

I have no sympathy for someone who came here illegally crossing our border. I do not have a problem with legal immigration. None of us have a problem with that at all. It is the people who broke federal law.

[bcsco]

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[BellStar]

I am so pro-legal immigration, and so anti- illegal immigration. My Irish ancestor was a slave under Cromwell. “After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, Cromwell dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England, conquered Ireland and Scotland, and ruled as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.” Until 2005 I never knew there were white slaves not just indentured servants. He was sold than as an indentured servant out of the sugarcane fields in Barbados to a household in Massachusetts in the early-mid 1600’s. It was fascinating to read the story of my families on struggle to be free. That said go back, get a visa and get on with living FREE! Hay a stint in the military changed my dad the Col.’s evil frat boy ways so just a suggestion.

[BellStar]

I am so pro-legal immigration, and so anti- illegal immigration. My Irish ancestor was a slave under Cromwell. “After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, Cromwell dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England, conquered Ireland and Scotland, and ruled as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.” Until 2005 I never knew there were white slaves not just indentured servants. He was sold than as an indentured servant out of the sugarcane fields in Barbados to a household in Massachusetts in the early-mid 1600’s. It was fascinating to read the story of my families on struggle to be free. That said go back, get a visa and get on with living FREE! Hay a stint in the military changed my dad the Col.’s evil frat boy ways so just a suggestion.

[DvdMom]

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