Illegal immigrants getting deported, back to Italy
Back in 2004, before the ICE raids and “build that wall!” chants, I met a couple. I didn’t say at the time their nationality, but I will now: They are Italian. And they came here illegally. And they were found out. To this day, they haven’t set foot back in America.
How’d you like to be deported Thursday?
As in, “Good-bye, America.” No funny stuff here today, folks.
Here’s the story, and prepare to get outraged if you believe in human decency.
Now I caution you — this isn’t your average news story. I fully admit I don’t have all the facts, and my knowledge of immigration law is non-existent.
But I do know the woman who is being deported, and I do know this country is making a horrible mistake in forcing her to go.
She’s been here 20 years. Twenty years. She’s not someone who just popped in. She’s someone who has made a life.
She’s someone who is an American.
She’s married. She has two children. She owns a profitable business (one that I know many of you populate). She owns a house. And she’s being tossed out. How did this happen?
The way it was explained to me, it’s because she tried to do the right thing.
She tried to become an American citizen, but something went wrong — her lawyer burned her, somehow, and while the facts are hazy, the results are crystal clear.
Immigration descended, told her she had to go, and she got a letter in the mail last week, sealing the deal.
While she and her husband both speak English, neither of them (nor myself) speak lawyerese, government-ese, or immigration-ese.
Other lawyers told her case was hopeless; she would have to go back to her home country and apply to get back.
As many foreigners are well aware, it’s not the easiest thing to get into this country legally.
I’d imagine it’s even tougher after you’ve already been kicked out.
Now I know there’s a fair number of you out there who are saying “good riddance” to this woman, who say she had no right to be here in the first place, and so on and so forth.
We’re talking 20 years, folks. We’re talking a woman who learned the language. We’re talking a woman who has two teenage daughters. We’re talking a woman who owns a business, pays taxes, and wants nothing more than to become a legal American citizen.
And we’re kicking her out. Where’s the sense in that? Can someone explain to me how this makes any sense whatsoever?
Let it be known I begged this woman to let me print her name in the paper. She wouldn’t, for fear the folks at Immigration would come down hard on her husband, the co-owner of the business, the father to their daughters.
Didn’t I mention? They’re going to kick him out also. He’s waiting for his letter of deportation.