Novato deportation case getting down to the wire

The illegal immigration case of the Mejia-Perez family of Novato, is beginning to attract widespread attention as their impending deportation--scheduled for early next week--draws near.

The mother and father, Elida Perez and Sam Mejia-Reyes, fled Guatemala in 1992 and arrived illegally in the U.S. with their one-year-old son, Gilbert. They settled in Marin and had two more children, 13 year-old Helen and 4 year-old Dulce, who are U.S. citizens.  Their son Gilbert, who is 18 now, is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College. 

By many accounts, the parents became model citizens; working and paying taxes, while raising their children.

What they did not become, is U.S. citizens. 

Two years ago, immigration officials arrested the two, which prompted deportation proceedings for the couple and Gilbert.  The parents say they left Guatemala because of violence and war.

Deportation is scheduled early next week for the parents, as all appeals have been exhausted, but Gilbert's case has been delayed until next summer. The parents plan to leave their daughter Helen with relatives, but are taking their youngest daughter with them.

Supporters of the family have appealed to Senator Dianne Feinstein to intervene, but she has declined to do so.  On Thursday, a rally was held in front of her San Francisco office but the Senator did not make an appearance. 

Dream Activist, an organization devoted to assisting undocumented students and changing immigration law, has spearheaded the support for Gilbert and his family. They were behind the rally at Feinstein's office. 

While the family has had its share of support, a lot of people on the other side say they had nearly two decades to become legal citizens and the law must be upheld.

What do you think?

Comments

[Folkwolf101]

Tuff choices need to be made here. Sure, they were model citizens, paid taxes, all the while breeding a couple of more anchor babies; but, if you make an exception here you might as well open the gates for everyone to stream through unchecked. Bottom line, this sympathetic family came here illegally, and they are still here illegally. Sorry, La Raza! No number of rallies will make it okay for you to continue genetically cleansing the US population with more and more illegal immigrants. Illegal is illegal and no family gets the sympathy vote over another. These laws were made for a reason having everythign to do with our economy and with our national security.

[Joe Mama]

Society always rises up to protect those that do wrong. After 20 years of making no moves to become legal citizens, why should everyone rush to help now? How about helping the law abiding for a change.

[Randy L.]

20 years?!?!?!

The delay to become a citizen isn't even that long. These people do no care about our country or becoming Americans. They only wanted to take advantage of our generosity.

Deport these invaders.

[Woogity Boogity]

Why are they a model citizens again? Is it because their son goes to Junior College?

[CG]

As a legal immigrant, I say deport them. These people have clearly demonstrated by their own behavior in the past 20 years that they have no respect for this country and no interest in joining this society. Their time of financially taking advantage of America and Americans should have been over a long long time ago.

[Big Thinker]

I think that this case shows up Di-Fi's hypocrisy....

[J. H.]

In the first instance, these folks were not model citizens, as they came here illegally. The US has made the mistake to allow anchor babies to become the reason for whole families to be allowed to stay forever. This obviously needs to be rectified.
How many more people do we need to immigrate into this country? There are now 12 million illegal aliens in the country, which is sure to be an under count. Do we need 1 million more? 10 million? 100 million? I think the reality is that other countries need to deal with their overpopulation, instead of counting on the US to absorb their underclass. I think enough is enough, and no more exceptions.

[TC]

No amnesty for illegals who make no attempt to become citizens. They have broken the law every single day they have been here.

If their US-born children attempt to sponsor legal entry, they must be held financially responsible for the parents for an equal amount of time they were illegally in this country. Further, no eligibility for any government funded programs for the same period.

Lastly, there must be a significant fine to set an example.

There are plenty of multi-generation US citizens who are in need these days. No foreign invasion.

[Prolgazinternet]

Our country does not treat legal immigrants with human decency, since they are routinely denied medical services and participation in government programs. So we should stop seeking praise for non-existent achievements. The illegals are here because immigration policies are nothing but politics.

[Shari]

"By many accounts, the parents became model citizens; working and paying taxes, while raising their children."

Well, they never NEVER become citizens ... or even tried so how are they model? Sorry, but if they had the money to support three kids, they had the money and time to try and become citizens.

[Maureen O'Sullivan]

All these people with their comments should look back in their own family history and practice a little more kindness and understanding. Let them become citizens. Send them up to Catholic Charities in Santa Rosa and we'll help them apply.

[ImMe]

The parents made the choice to come here illegally. NOBODY forced them to have children after arriving (try birth control or getting permanently fixed). The parents willingly had 2 children after arriving here. Why can’t these two younger children not travel back to Mommy & Daddy’s country of origin? If they dare say it is a legal thing I say “Why do you want to respect the law now?”

If the parents do not want the 2 younger children to leave the states they need to make arrangements to have them tended to.

People say they are “Models to society” but every single day either parent or the older child worked, drove a vehicle without a license or insurance they violated the law in addition to violating the law just by being here.

Make them leave & come back through the proper channels or don’t back at all.

[AC]

The couple should have thought about this possibility when they decided to come here illegaly. Once you make that decision you should have to live with the consequences. I am a legal immigrant and have no sympathy for people who make choices and are not willing to live by the outcome. It's terrible for this family but the parents are to blame.

[Rick]

Do we need more janitors and gardeners? Hell no, deport them, kids included. Spawn from illegals should NOT be consider US Citizens.

[Maria]

What special circumstances exist that Feinstein should try to bend the law for them? If she did, it would be wrong. What she should do is send ICE to Novato to pick up all the day laborers who in 20 years will be trying to get the law bent for them. What she should do is kick ICE in the but* and tell them to do their job and deport illegal people and use their resources to process the applications for people eligible for relief that they just sit on for years. Our immigration laws mean nothing. If you get across the border you get a free ride and even have an attitude about it.

[Dana]

Sniffly sob stories are much less appealing when 15 million Americans are jobless.

In addition, there are 5 billion people on the planet who live in countries poorer than Mexico. They cannot all come to the first world for a "better life."

[Randy Lu]

Definitely deport! And it's so interesting DiFi has sensed the winds of change in our attitudes towards illegal immigration. After all she's one of the creators of the crackpot sanctuary policy.

[MoreMarin]

While we hold no position on whether they should be deported or not, we want to clear up a few points.
If you say that as illegal aliens, they are breaking the law and should be deported, then that is valid.
If you say that they should have become citizens then you are misinformed. Applying for citizenship would almost definitely gotten them deported.
As for saying they should have entered the country legally like the rest of us, you are misinformed too. When most of our ancestors entered the country there were few restrictions and our population was growing very fast. Today, to enter legally for reasons other than education or vacation, you need to have a fairly high level of education, have someone sponsor you and be lucky enough to get one of the available visas.

[Andrew]

Here's another case where legal American citizens don't count anymore. Polls have shown for the last thirty years that Americans want less legal immigration and no illegal immigration. Our politicians have ignored the will of the people, and we have been importing poverty and crime into our country as a result -- all paid for by U.S. citizen taxpayers. Well, why expect the politicians to pay attention to us, or the media to care? They obviously don't and haven't for a long time. Of course, we can only blame ourselves for this. It's long past time to toss every politician out who panders to employers who want cheap labor and/or leftist bleeding hearts who do not believe in limits and personal responsibility. It's also time to boycot the advertisers in media outlets that go along with those politicians and bleeding hearts.

[Juan Moretime]

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, good-bye.

[PJ Pendleton, a"BLH' in Santa Rosa]

Better to have a "leftist bleeding heart" than no heart at all! I suspect most of these hateful, bitter comments come from spoiled, over-indulged young people. The very essence of being an American was once the soul of compassion, empathy, kindness, caring, reaching out to others less fortunate. To paraphrase Einstein- 'the lines on maps which separate us were not put there by God',not to mention how frequently and sometimes dramatically those lines change. The accident of birth on one side or the other does not take away the will to survive, to try to make a better life for yourself and your family. Without firsthand experience of the desperation of depravation, to know what it feels like to lack basic necessities of life through no fault of your own makes it so easy for such judgemental points of view. Put a little love in your hearts.

[Maria]

Wow, bunch of racist comments here!

Before talking nonsense, you people should read up on immigration law. First of all, it's pretty much impossible for people to immigrate legally to the U.S. unless they have U.S. citizen sisters/brothers/sons/daughters/mother/father or you obtain a work visa. Second of all, it's definitely impossible to apply for citizenship once you're here.

So, despite this family having done everything right and following the laws of this country by paying taxes and not committing any crimes (being in the country illegally is not a criminal offense), we are punishing them by separating their family.

I hope they're able to stay with their three kids and continue to be respectable members of our society.

[Eric]

I second Maria...these people PAID TAXES, maintained a clean lifestyle and become part of the American society. They are more deserving to be American citizens that some of the scum that have posted idiotic comments above. GET IT INTO YOUR THICK HEADS...our US IMMIGRATION LAWS DO NOT PERMIT PEOPLE TO OPT FOR CITIZENSHIP ONCE THEY ARE INSIDE THE COUNTRY. GET IT?

This comment has been removed.

[j conz]

Sorry, my dad had to join the US navy from his native philippines in order to become a citizen. My uncle had to wait almost 20 years before he was able to legally immigrate over the the United States after my dad sponsored him and his family. Unfortunately only my Uncle and his wife were able to come since all of my cousins were too old now.

I have no sympathy for illegal immigrants. You should apply and wait in line just like everybody else trying to come in

[BP]

How could they have paid taxes if they were here illegally? Don't you need a SS# or a tax ID# to pay income taxes? Can you get one of those if you're illegal? Does this mean the taxes they have been paying all this time were just sales tax? Did they use stolen numbers? Not really comments....just questions...

[NewzJunkie]

But they're NOT model citizens. Paying taxes requires a SSN. You can't get a valid legal SSN without being either a citizen, resident alien, or here on a work visa. You can get a SSN via other ways, such as identity theft, or paying for someone else to do the stealing for you.