Illegals? Yes, but simply because there are unjust laws in the books. There were slaves upon the land once upon a time, until people's moral compass said enough. Even after the Confederacy was defeated, they continued their unjust laws--until the Supreme Court did what was right and overturned them 60+ years later. The change needed in immigration now might not happen for a while, but it will happen--of that I'm certain. I hope going thru this experience, motivates these kids to not just survive but to thrive. I hope one of these kids grow up to be a political figure and can lead to effect real change in the immigration process. You can't change other people's hearts; but you can change the laws to protect the vulnerable, regardless of color, gender, age or country of origin. People come here looking for opportunity to improve their lot--I know, I was once illegal. But I had the chance to redeem myself. Sympathy for them? You bet. I was taught not to kick people when they asked for help.
4
The comments here for the most part appall me. They are harsh, heartless, and as impersonal as a guillotine coming down regardless of what is on the chopping block. It just comes down and kills.
This smug and condemning attitude is particularly galling when considering that this administration is running roughshod on all of us, is lining its pockets serving their own and their cronies' interests, destroying our heritage with indiscriminate drilling and fracking AGAINST Americans wishes, depriving us of our right to clean air and water, and literally kill dark skinned people, for the most part, almost with impunity.
In other words, those who - and often Bible quoting like Jeff Sessions - enforce the law are themselves a far cry from law abiding.
Whereas this family, hardworking (making a living cleaning houses and doing construction) were able to BUY A HOUSE, send their daughter to COLLEGE, doing COMMUNITY WORK, all things many born here Americans claim they can no longer afford doing even while working in white collar jobs.
The blindsided self righteousness in these comments is truly infuriating.
15
I migrated 3 persons from Mexico legally. We spent a lot of money and over 5 years from
outside the US to finally be granted visas.
Someday I hope to return. Life on the other side of the border is no picnic. There are no
public services as such as found here. No social safety nets except in the fabric of family
and decentness expressed by a wonderful people. The government of Mexico provides
little for its people..so one learns to do for ones
self and seek out opportunity where it can be found. The family profiled will be fine. I would suggest that you yourself learn spanish as your
culture and all that you hold dear is rapidly disappearing.
2
Well said.
Thank you.
This is not just an anguished situation for one family. There are many, many people in this situation. All of them would be stricken and saddened if the law caught up with them and was enforced, dashing their hopes and dreams. Who wouldn't be, after all?
Articles like this are compelling, because who wants to be responsible for breaking up families? On the other hand, don't get me stared on how my own dreams and aspirations were (and continue to be) dashed by forces beyond my control (and I am not an immigrant). But I realize that we don't get everything we want just because we want it.
The reality is, this country did not become the place that so many millions want to move to by letting anybody move here any time they want. Or by having laws on the books that get violated with impunity. Why aren't people who find life in Mexico too desperate migrating to countries in Central or South America, for instance?
There is a reason that people aren't flocking to other nearby countries. As compelling as this tragic reality is, blaming ICE or the US government isn't going to change anything. As long as proponents of "kinder" immigration laws come off sounding like the only moral thing is to have open borders, this problem will continue. It will take much more than tearful articles and photos, I'm afraid.
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@Allen People did move here any time they wanted, back when my family came here. They did not come through New York. They took boats to Montreal and walked across the border.
1
@nellie
And those who can afford it just fly in...I get that. I'm not saying I would not do the same if it were me (see above). The problem has, predictably, divided into (only) two camps, with each side labelling the other as heartless or lawless, scoring political points with their base, and nobody listening, or actually solving the problem. And it has been this way for years.
My problem with this article is that it falls into that category: Immigrants (however they got here) with their American dream being crushed. It is beautiful and sad, but it does not go beyond the "guilt people into silence, make them choose a side" approach, which only widens the divide. We see a lot of this lately. It isn't working, is it?
The people who yell the loudest for/against don't really want a solution and they don't really care about the people caught in it. As I see it, the only responsible thing is to address the problem in real terms: have smarter border security all around (including by air); increase (and better regulate) the inevitable flow of would-be legal immigrants; and create a way for the millions of people who are working and building and prospering to attain citizenship. The first is key, or the anti crowd will use the lack of it to stoke fear of the "other", as they are now doing.
FYI, Nellie : I do not have white collar jobs. I was an adjunct professor at an Ivy League University, but the pay wasn't sustainable, and I had female bosses who wanted to promote other females.
3
@Allen
Also, we need more honest language. [[“Their family has been torn apart,]] says the article.
But in reality, [[Lulys spent a year with her brother and parents before DECIDING to return to Michigan and finish high school. Now SHE LIVES WITH HER AUNT AND UNCLE IN ANN ARBOR, NOT FAR FROM HER SISTER PAMELA, who’s studying at Michigan State University.]]
So, the family is just spread out, not "torn apart," and the goal always was to have the kids leave home to go to college. And anyway the father left his wife behind for a decade and the mother left the grandparents to move to the U.S., so let's be mindful of that and let's tone down the "torn apart" language unless we're also going to say the parents "tore apart" their own family at some points.
Also, dad came here in '87, at age 21, and lived for a decade without his wife, right? There is no second "wife" or second family here in the U.S.? Ten years, a young single guy making cash off the books doing construction, and no girlfriends stateside? I ask because I've seen it before and I wonder if those kinds of details are sometimes omitted because they don't fit the wholesome narrative.
1
She was not here legally, it really just comes down to that.
Do things the right, lawful way without shortcuts and you don’t have to look over your shoulder.
Many of us have done so, it’s not that difficult and it’s not too much to ask.
13
Oh we’re it that so easy. There is no “right” way for these people because there is almost no possibility of legal immigration to our country. Moreover,Trump and his party want to limit the relatively low amounts of legal immigration!! That is why such comments always strike me as disingenuous.
1
So how does deporting two hardworking taxpayers and upending the lives of their citizen children serve the greater good?
16
@Gustin. It restores the rule of law. It ensures fairness and integrity in our immigration system by telling all immigrants and would-be immigrants that cheating will not be tolerated.
17
Exactly what I was thinking.
It’s better to be poor and free than living in a golden cage (illegal in the USA). I think Aesop said it a long time ago
8
The story of Lourdes and her family is a story of a family torn apart by harsh enforcement of immigration law. Lourdes was deported after 20 years working hard, paying taxes, raising her family. She was strongly supported by the Ann Arbor community in her efforts to avoid deportation. More than 8,000 people signed a petition asking ICE to let her stay. Lourdes made contributions to the community, helping to run an after-school English reading program. (I told the story of this family in my documentary LOURDES: https://youtu.be/R3q0MaRQAmw )
22
Why not a documentary on my family? I spent
over five years outside the country throwing
money at charalatans to finally migrate my family from Mexico. We saved and struggled and maintained our composure sitting in Tijuana. Paying outta pocket for healthcare and
education. Bring down the cameras. Im ready for my close up.
3
You cannot have a sovereign nation, dedicated to serving the interests of the citizens therein, and have open border or highly permissive immigration laws. Ms. Bautista knowingly violated the law. Now she has paid the price. Justice has been served. Hopefully she will exercise her rights as a Mexican citizen to hold her own government accountable for conditions she finds objectionable in her own country. The US is not her country.
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@Chi Lau If Ms. Bautista is indigenous, and I assume she is at least part indigenous, then I believe she has more claim to this land mass that is now known as North American than I do as a grandchild of European immigrants. Her ancestors were here first.
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@Chi Lau
I find your comment repugnant.
21
@Chi Lau They came here not to "break the law" but to work hard at the jobs freely offered them by employers who didn't and still don't care about their legal status. Those employers made the US the country of these employees for over 2 decades because they valued their inexpensive labor. The employers face no consequences for breaking the laws.
9