One mother may make a difference....

[melissan02]

Just saw on a national news website (don't know if I can say the name on this board or provide a link)...but anyhow it was foxnews.com in which a mother with a USC born son is going to Capital Hill next month (Sept.) to make our Congress take notice!

You all might remember that last year this was the woman who took sanctuary in a Methodist church in Chicago because she was to be deported. She and her son (who was born here in US) took refuge in the church and they have sheltered her for the last year.

She recently decided that she was going to risk being apprehended to head to Capital Hill and make our Congress take notice of her heart-wrenching situation. As I read it she stated that it was ..."time for our men and women of the government to act responsibly to fix immigration..." she went on to say if ..."if ICE is going to apprehend me, then they'll have to do it in front of my son and the people who need to fix this problem!"

YaaaaaaHOOOOO!!! I say go girl!!! :thumbup::thumbup: One person can make a difference!!! I urge any of you who live near Washington D.C. to join her on that day to show support for the immigration laws to change to benefit families!! Follow the story closely and if you can go I urge you to. I'm thinking about it...I'd drive 5 hours!!!

[Lachulagreeneyes]

I wish I lived close I'd sure be there!!!

[princesa]

I might go...I was wanting to go to make them take notice anyway. I'll have to look into it.

[Coventrated]

Long thread about her a year or so ago on this site.

Very few people had sympathy.

I doubt anything has changed.

[kitkat1]

LONG thread on VJ and no sympathy either.

Poll in Chicago paper - no sympathy there. 75% want to see her arrested immediately.

[ratito921]

good for her, the question is how close will she make it to capital hill?

[melissan02]

No sympathy? No sympathy! :curse: How awful! I was wondering why I hadn't seen this come up on the televised national news networks---now I know!!
Oh, but our trusted media sure does a terrific job:sarcasm: in covering the illegal immigrants that commit crimes, traffic drugs, etc. etc. Boy, they sure love to add fuel to the fire!!!!!!

I don't know how far she'll make it to Capital Hill, but I admire her gumption to do so.
So if mom is apprehended what happens to the USC son??? Guess our laws (and the american people) just send him back w/ mom too-huh?
WHAT A DISGRACE!!!! Poor mom....poor kid!!!!!!!!!

[inlimbo]

No sympathy? No sympathy! :curse: How awful! I was wondering why I hadn't seen this come up on the televised national news networks---now I know!!
Oh, but our trusted media sure does a terrific job:sarcasm: in covering the illegal immigrants that commit crimes, traffic drugs, etc. etc. Boy, they sure love to add fuel to the fire!!!!!!

I don't know how far she'll make it to Capital Hill, but I admire her gumption to do so.
So if mom is apprehended what happens to the USC son??? Guess our laws (and the american people) just send him back w/ mom too-huh?
WHAT A DISGRACE!!!! Poor mom....poor kid!!!!!!!!!

It is too bad that it's just not newsworthy. I personally have to admit I feel a little blase' about it all - once you've had your ride through the immigration wringer, nothing is really surprising. This woman certainly isn't the first person to have her life and her family's life ruined by immigration and she unfortunately won't be the last. It'd be nice to think that we could all stand up and make our stories heard, but the sad truth is that the majority of Americans either care only in the sense that they hate illegal immigrants, or it's just not on their radar at all :(

[kitkat1]

It has gotten a lot of media attention over the past year. But the response from the general public has been on the negative side. My guess (not my opinion melissa so don't jump down my throat please) is that people aren't very supportive or sympathetic to someone who ignored two deportation orders and worked illegally using another US citizen's social security number.

Many of the editorials have pointed out that she had other options - like many others, she could have relocated and stayed under the radar. Her son is a US Citizen and nothing in the law says that he is required to leave with her -- he has the right to stay in the country with relatives or whomever she chooses. That fact appears to make people rather unsympathetic because her argument is that she shouldn't be deported because her son is a USC, but that does not make her special or different and her case is far from unique. So I guess people think "why should she get special treatment".

I saw a poll in the Chicago paper today (where she is) that said 87% of voters in the poll want to see her arrested when she leaves the church. Given that Chicago is the second largest city in the US in terms of illegal immigrants, I think that impacts responses and opinions.

[inlimbo]

It has gotten a lot of media attention over the past year. But the response from the general public has been on the negative side. My guess (not my opinion melissa so don't jump down my throat please) is that people aren't very supportive or sympathetic to someone who ignored two deportation orders and worked illegally using another US citizen's social security number.

Many of the editorials have pointed out that she had other options - like many others, she could have relocated and stayed under the radar. Her son is a US Citizen and nothing in the law says that he is required to leave with her -- he has the right to stay in the country with relatives or whomever she chooses. That fact appears to make people rather unsympathetic because her argument is that she shouldn't be deported because her son is a USC, but that does not make her special or different and her case is far from unique. So I guess people think "why should she get special treatment".

I saw a poll in the Chicago paper today (where she is) that said 87% of voters in the poll want to see her arrested when she leaves the church. Given that Chicago is the second largest city in the US in terms of illegal immigrants, I think that impacts responses and opinions.

i have to admit i haven't been following this story closely, so I don't know all the details, but, wow, that is surprising that 87% are against her! That's pretty huge. Why did she have deportation orders against her in the first place?

[kitkat1]

As far as I recall, she was twice caught in immigration raids and charged will illegal presence and illegal work, the second time she was convicted of social security fraud and rather than follow the deportation order, she went to the church a year ago.

Today's Chicago Tribune says "Even some Latino immigrant advocates have privately criticized Arellano for thrusting Saul into the limelight too often and for stealing attention from other immigrants suffering similar plights"

Edit - found the details:

Arellano entered the United States illegally in 1997, was apprehended and deported back to Mexico. She returned within days and lived illegally for three years in Oregon. In 2002, she was arrested and convicted of using a false Social Security number to obtain employment and was sentenced to three years probation. Arellano was ordered to appear before immigration authorities on August 15, 2006. Instead, on that date, she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago to avoid arrest and deportation.

[inlimbo]

As far as I recall, she was twice caught in immigration raids and charged will illegal presence and illegal work, the second time she was convicted of social security fraud and rather than follow the deportation order, she went to the church a year ago.

Today's Chicago Tribune says "Even some Latino immigrant advocates have privately criticized Arellano for thrusting Saul into the limelight too often and for stealing attention from other immigrants suffering similar plights"

Edit - found the details:

Arellano entered the United States illegally in 1997, was apprehended and deported back to Mexico. She returned within days and lived illegally for three years in Oregon. In 2002, she was arrested and convicted of using a false Social Security number to obtain employment and was sentenced to three years probation. Arellano was ordered to appear before immigration authorities on August 15, 2006. Instead, on that date, she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago to avoid arrest and deportation.

So,in this case it sounds like people might be more disapproving of her than of just illegal immigrants in general. I think SSN violations are the worst public-relations thing for illegal immigrants because the vast majorities of Americans cringe when they think of someone stealing a SSN.

[kitkat1]

I think you're right inlimbo - that and the fact that there are thousands and thousands and thousands more just like her in Chicago, many of whom entered illegally only once and are waiting till their children are old enough to petition for them. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective in the city as well.

[inlimbo]

I think you're right inlimbo - that and the fact that there are thousands and thousands and thousands more just like her in Chicago, many of whom entered illegally only once and are waiting till their children are old enough to petition for them. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective in the city as well.

And I would imagine there are also a lot of people in Chicago who have already struggled their way through the process so they don't really sympathize with her way of dealing with the situation.

[melissan02]

And I would imagine there are also a lot of people in Chicago who have already struggled their way through the process so they don't really sympathize with her way of dealing with the situation.Well, I'm struggling w/ my husband through this process, yet I still sympathize with her. Makes me angry that there are illegal immigrants out there w/ USC children that are playing the age waiting game to THEN come forward to have their children petition for them!! In the meantime they're committing SSN fraud and working like the rest, but they know they have an "ace in the hole"...if you will. Too little regard is given to the USC rights for their family members which is why the laws need to change. I honestly feel like my rights are being violated as an USC!
Its almost like our government is giving us two choices...either be punished for being illegal (BOTH husband and wife...or in Ms. Arellano's case mother and son), OR BE ILLEGAL!!!! My what a choice....it's like a double edged sword...choose which side you'll fall on!---Good grief!:rolleyes:

*BTW....I honestly didn't think I lamblasted anyone...if it did seem that way then I truly am sorry. I'm on a soapbox...perhaps I should have posted in that thread. Sorry folks...sorry.