ATLANTA — This video was filmed in February.
But this month, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement revoked Jessica Colotl’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Colotl, 28, is challenging the decision in court, reports said.
Here’s what she said in February:
"Just because someone is driving without a license or ends up in jail for a minor traffic violation ... [they] should not have to be deported," said Colotl, who is now 28. "I think that's a cruel and usual punishment that's actually against the Constitution."
Mr. Vetter – while you certainly can hold an opinion as to the type of person you want to immigrate to this country, that opinion is irrelevant to the applicable laws, except, of course, if enough people share your views, Congress can change them. The changes you likely would seek have not happened, as the voting populace is trending in the opposite direction, no doubt to the significant social costs which are being incurred to massive uncontrolled immigration.
I always think it folly to mention the taxes that illegal immigrants pay. While factually true (although the quantum is a point of argument), the topic leads to an inquiry into the massive amount of document fraud which has and is taking place. Such fraud is not a victimless crime, and moreover, if the average US middle class citizen engaged in such conduct, serious consequences would likely obtain. Ironically, this pattern of fraud mimics the same kind of corruption and lack of respect for rule of law found in the countries to which the illegal immigrants are from, and it is hardly unreasonable or insensitive to demand that that this kind of conduct should not be tolerated here.
Note also your emotive pleas don’t make a lot of sense from a global or strategic perspective. Take, for example, Mexico, which does not have to be a poor country with severe income disparities. Through corruption and poor governance, a significant number of people do not have opportunities in Mexico. And with the US being one of their largest social safety nets and one of their largest sources of income (repatriation of dollars from the US rivals revenue from PEMEX, yet another corrupt and incompetent government entity), Mexico has no reason – no necessity – to change and make things better for their people because our lax immigration policies enable Mexico to continue in its current state.
I mention all this because there is rarely balance when it comes to progressives and immigration. The emotions are nice, but they reflect thoughts and conclusions we all could have arrived at in middle school. Immigration is a complex problem, and while I believe a sound immigration policy (and indeed immigrants themselves) are vital to our national interest, respect for a rule of law and a frank assessment of the ever growing second order effects of a failure to enforce the law is both warranted and hardly a radical thought.
Great analysis! The only point I feel a little differently about–I would restrict even legal immigration…
Ms. Newell and Mr. Armbruster are not well informed on at least two points: Undocumented individuals do pay taxes: see http://www.itep.org/immigration/ Undocumented individuals “contribute an estimated $11.74 billion to state and local coffers each year via a combination of sales and excise, personal income, and property taxes, according to Undocumented Immigrants’ State and Local Tax Contributions by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.” That figure does not include federal income taxes paid through Empoyer Identification Numbers or amounts withheld for Social Security and Medicare. They are not entitled to social security or medicaid benefits.
With respect to a child born to US citizens in Mexico: Mexico has distinct designations for “Nationality” and “Citizenship.” Every child born in Mexico, regardless of their parents’ nationality or citizenship, is designated a Mexican National. No Mexican National can become a Mexican Citizen until that person reaches the age of 18 and does not have a criminal record or other disqualifying condition. Therefore, a child born to US citizens in Mexico is considered a Mexican National and is eligible to become a Mexican citizen.
Frankly I am tired of this kind of mean spirited ill-informed commentary on immigration and the human beings who have arrived in the United States. If a child has left a home where he or she whose life is threatened by violence or extreme poverty and has the capacity to run the gaunlet of narco and human traffickers to successfully arrive in the United States, obtain an education, work a demeaning job, stay out of trouble, be insulted by meanspirited people, and still wants to live in and contribute to this country then that is the person I want as a future American.
How do they pay taxes if they don’t have social security numbers? Is using stolen ones OK? And I am tired of demagogues like you!
Not a threat, you are here illegally and you should have a heart to heart with your parents. Ask them why they thought they could blatantly break US laws and put children in harms way to enter illegally to the US. Deportation is not cruel and unusual punishment or against the Constitution it is law. US Citizens can not to enter Mexico illegally and commit a crime or live in the country without being able to pay my own way. Mexico does not allow non-spanish speaking kids to attend school and US citizens would have to pay a huge fee for our kids to attend a Mexican school and must speak Spanish, US citizens can not own land in Mexico or draw any type of welfare assistance, if a non Mexican citizen has a baby in Mexico that child is still a citizen of the parents country of origin. You need to really ask yourself if what you are doing is right? You have to attitude that America is obligated to take you and your family in and support all of your educational, housing, food, and other needs. No, America is not a place you should feel that you can take advantage of and snub your nose at Citizens with your smug self serving attitude. Why do you feel that tit is America’s obligation to take care of illegals, house, feed, educate, and babysit illegals in US jails? Illegals are draining our tax dollars to the point we can’t take care of our own US born naturalized citizens because of people like you that think you can come to the US and expect to have a better life off the sweat of taxpayers dollars. Maybe you should fight to make Mexico a better place for people like you, you now educated by US tax dollars so put that education to work making Mexico the country you and others can be proud of. Mexican’s are offended by being labeled as anchor babies, roaches, leach, wet backs, ect… do you have any idea why? No, you thing all US citizens hate. No, most do not we are fed up with Mexican women in labour crossing the Rio just to get to the nearest hospital to have a US citizen child born in a hospital that will foot the bill paid by US tax dollars. DO you really think that is OK? For a Mexican to illegally enter a country an seek free medical care is nothing more than blatant arrogance, this is why US citizens have had enough and it is time to stop this madness. Please, do what is right, pack your things gather your illegal family and move on back to Mexico and stop wasting taxpayers money on court hearings that you are not really entitled to.
Well spoken Ms. Newell. Two thumbs up!