Undocumented student's arrest called part of 'civil rights disaster'

[Dazon50]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/14/georgia.student.immigration/index.html

Agree or disagree?

I know there have been sentiments about how if we wanted better living/benefits another country has, would we allowed to sneak in and take advantage of the program so we could have what they have?

It brings up all sorts of things to think about in our quest to make the "perfect" world where everyone has chances to be what they are meant to be...happy, prosperous, successful, etc.

However, to go back to something that has disturbed me for years which is when the illegal aliens were allowed to become citizens some years ago, whether that did set the example that going outside the law to get what you want pays in certain cases.  If so...should there be a book we can all read that would inform us of this?

There has been much frustration going on as our quality of living is slipping and the questions as why this is happening.  

[ILADVOCATE]

I'm more concerned about the arrest being for a minor traffic violation and I know for a fact that the conditions in the places where the people are detained are often abusive and neglectful and people have died because they weren't treated for health conditions that were allowed to progress to fatal. Even prisoners deserve basic human rights and these detention centers are for people who did violate the law but for what in this case was a misdemeanor. I am concerned about their existence at all unless of course there was a severe criminal violation. As for immigrants who arrived here illegally they were able to have their status tried in court without the need for detention centers until those specific laws were signed into effect. If the concern however is terrorism or gang activity that's different but those people should be deported without question. There should be a more humane way to deal with this issue without of course encouraging illegal immigration to begin with. People who have been in this country since they were a child should have a different status but immigrants that have arrived here illegally should not be allowed to bring their children here or give birth to children here (in that case they will be citizens automatically) expressly for that reason. I've met with people who faced the conditions in detention centers and they should at least be up to the standards of any prisons in general.

[Dazon50]

Yes, I agree.  She is caught in a sense in the catch 22.  I see why it is important to really consider and think carefully about the outcome when setting a precedent...because of what example is set and who will try do the same thing.  Many parents are willing to sacrifice themselves so their children can have a better future.  Perhaps when they came, they didn't know it would result one day in this situation as they would not have thought through every scenario.

Should she go back and come back in the legal way?  If she has special circumstances, will others be angry because in their minds, their circumstances are equally valid?

Part of people's resentment seems to be that they are not allowed to do/be this, why should others get away with it?  

Scott Peck (probably not the first) before he died and in his best seller book...Life isn't fair...get over it!!  So...that can be used to answer the above question when this girl is allowed to finish her education and become a "legal" citizen without being deported and going through the process to come back in.  How many will accept that and be calmed?

I think our government and law makers/breakers definitely need to pay attention to what they are doing to represent the people.

[adgal]

I guess this is one of those stories where again, I can really see both sides of the immigration debate.  I fully agree, those that break the law should not be rewarded for it.  It does send a bad message and will encourage others to do the same.  On the other hand, she was 11 years old when she came to the US.  She had no say in it and did not break the law herself.  Her parents, yes.  I guess this debate is just not going to be a simple one.  So many shades of gray.

[flmagi]

Here are a few words from that site. Copied and pasted. My commentary below.

The undocumented student from Mexico whose case has become a lightning rod in the immigration debate had been released on $2,500 bond just a couple hours earlier. The 21-year-old student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia surrendered Friday morning to authorities in response to a warrant for her arrest issued Wednesday night by the Cobb County Sheriff's Office.
Just a week earlier, she'd been released from a deportation facility in Alabama after being stopped in March for a minor traffic violation.
"If I were to be deported, I'd have to start all over again," she said. "I'm hoping for the best."
The sheriff's office said she gave a false address when stopped for that violation, a felony charge that her attorney denies.
A spotlight has been trained on Arizona since Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that requires law enforcement officials to seek proof of legal U.S. residency from anyone whom they have stopped on suspicion of having violated the law.
Near him were other Colotl supporters, some holding signs reading "Education not deportation."
Under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program, state and local law enforcement can partner with the federal agency to gain some immigration enforcement authority in their own jurisdictions. If they conclude that someone is in the country illegally, they can turn that person over to ICE. Last year, a change to the partnership program prioritized the detention and arrest of those who have allegedly committed crimes.
The Cobb County Sheriff's Office is one of 71 law enforcement agencies in 26 states that have entered into this partnership program, according to the ICE website.
Colotl's legal problems started in late March when her car was stopped on the Kennesaw State campus. Born in Mexico but living in the United States since she was 11, she could not produce a driver's license, so she handed over as identification an expired passport from Mexico.
She was arrested the next day and turned over to immigration officials. She spent more than a month in the Etowah Detention Center in Alabama.
Friends came out in force and marched on campus in her defense. Earlier this month, she was released, and her deportation was deferred for a year, which will allow her to finish her studies. She hasn't returned to classes yet, but looks forward to earning her degree.
"I'm just trying to live the American dream and finish my education," she said.
Calling Colotl "a symbol of what's wrong with the immigration system," immigration attorney Charles Kuck thanked ICE for allowing his client to stay in the country for a year to finish her studies. He then set out to educate people about the challenges facing Colotl, providing a reason why she did not have a license.
In a statement Wednesday night, Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren said, "Ms. Colotl knew that she was in the United States without authority to be here and voluntarily chose to operate a vehicle without a driver's license, which is a violation of Georgia law. She has further complicated her situation with her blatant disregard for Georgia law by giving false information."
As for the use of the ICE program, he said, "I value any tool that helps me enforce the law and remove violators from our community."
But the band of lawyers and advocates who rallied around Colotl say Cobb County is abusing its power. In a joint statement Thursday night, they voiced outrage over Colotl's treatment and suggested that the felony charge is trumped-up.

"It is obvious from all the documents that I've seen that she has done nothing wrong and has given her proper address to Cobb County and immigration officials," said Chris Taylor, Colotl's criminal attorney. "There has been no crime committed."
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I have a problem with the last sentence above. There has been a crime committed, she is here ILLEGALLY. Now granted, her parents must have brought her here when she was 11 yrs.old and she is trying to get an education and looking for a better life than what she would have in Mexico. But she is here illegally. This is a case where the 5 year or more limit should come into play with amnesty. But until the borders are locked down to prevent further illegals coming over, an amnesty program will just invite more people to come here illegally.
It seems to me that a lot of these people and others, don't get the point that coming to the US illegally is against the law.
It seems to me that we are setting a bad example for ourselves, our children and our nation as a whole, when we find "Illegal" activities acceptable.  Wall Street, the banks and big corps can rip people off, do all kinds of illegal $hit, and pay off politicians and others to look the other way.Our politicians are dishonest. Oil companies can save a few bucks on oil leak prevention measures, but we all end up suffering the results of their greed. Illegal Aliens come over and take our jobs and use our resources and then go out and protest that the US wants to enforce the law. It seems everywhere you look, every business and individual is out to con, scam and break the law some how. And we wonder why this country is in trouble?Why so many kids are dead beats? Why so many just want to live off Welfare and other gov. programs? There are no morals. No one is setting good examples.  Why should the average person obey the law and try to do the right thing, when everyone is out to $crew the other and no one gets punished? This is what we're teaching every one and especially our children. It's pathetic!