Deportation: More Than 200,000 Parents Removed Who Say They Have A U.S. Citizen Child

Ianus · 12-17-2012, 10:51 PM

Not too surprising,but it definitely showcases the impact of Immigration enforcement on families.The statistics are just eye opening.

Quote:

Since 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed more than 200,000 immigrants from the country who say they are parents of a child who is a U.S. citizen.

The figures, obtained by Colorlines through a Freedom of Information Act request and published Monday, put the problem of family separation into sharper focus as politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling for renewed attention to immigration reform.

Deportations of people who say they are parents of a child who is a U.S. citizen account for 23 percent of total removals in the period covered by the data, according to reporter Seth Freed Wessler of Colorlines.

A heart-wrenching, one-paragraph letter from 12-year-old Anthony Hoz published last month by The Huffington Post highlights the pain of family separation that has become a common by-product of the current U.S. immigration system.

“Dear Rex Ford, please I beg you with all my heart to leave my dad with us,” Hoz wrote in the letter to immigration judge Rex Ford. “Because we need him so he can pay the bills of the house, and we love him so much. Me and my brothers are so sad because we don’t have my dad with us.”

Hoz’s father Maximino Hoz faces an uphill battle to escape deportation. A hardworking contractor who volunteered hundreds of hours at a community food distribution service, according to friends and colleagues who submitted letters to his case file, Hoz also has two DUI’s on his record.

The Hoz family took part in the “Wish for the Holidays” campaign, which delivered some 10,000 letters to members of Congress and President Barack Obama asking to stop separating families through deportation.

An ICE spokesperson sent a statement to The Huffington Post saying most of the undocumented immigrants cited in the new data had criminal records, though the agency has yet to compile official figures.

“ICE is sensitive to the fact that encountering those who violate our immigration laws may impact families,” the statement says. “ICE uses prosecutorial discretion to release individuals in ICE custody for humanitarian reasons such as being the sole caregiver of minors and when we are aware that the detention of a non-criminal alien would result in any child (U.S. citizen or not) being left without a[n] appropriate parental caregiver.”

The numbers provided by ICE, available on Colorlines' website, run from the last quarter of fiscal year 2010 until the last quarter of fiscal year 2012.

DareToAct · 12-17-2012, 11:02 PM

This sucks! This is why my mom does not even want to drive anymore.

Ianus · 12-17-2012, 11:12 PM

It's quite a statistic and why something simply needs to be done with regards to CIR,not just Dream act alone and the issue of political wrangling getting in the way.

I found out 2-3 years ago DHS sometimes uses the data when an individual is renewing their License and are wanted[prior Deportation order or Criminal record].States usually conduct background checks on individual when applying for any form of ID and I'm assuming these checks alert Federal authorities.

DareToAct · 12-18-2012, 12:01 AM

I just hope all this waiting is worth it, all I know is that even USCs are having hard times, so let the paranoia go on.

Oranges · 11:31 AM

Quote:

according to friends and colleagues who submitted letters to his case file, Hoz also has two DUI’s on his record.

Does this guy even know what responsibility means? I'm guessing he was stupid enough not to take it seriously the first time and didn't give a shit that his family would be in this situation.

Sorry, I have pity for those who really try and improve from their mistakes. This guy's reasoning is because he volunteers he has a right to get DUIs? Even U.S. citizens gets their licenses revoked and face action that could include jail time.

He should really have learned from it the first time. I know people who have two decades driving without documents and have ZERO DUIs. This guy just didn't give a crap that he was endangering himself or others and would put his family in this situation. Sorry, no tears shed for this case. They need to get a better father in this situation for me to show sympathy. The guy described in the article deserves what he is getting. The children do suffer, but they suffer because the father didn't give a shit about them, not because people who keep getting DUIs are removed from the street and eventually face disciplinary action. DUIs are taken seriously and they should be just like guns as seen in recent news. If the guy eventually killed your mother because he doesn't give a shit to drive drunk and endanger others and himself then you wouldn't be pitying him. I don't need that to happen to not pity his situation.

It sucks for those who really don't have criminal records, but I've seen and heard of plenty of people with clean records not being in this situation because the administration really does focus on people with criminal records. This guy is not an example of someone who did their best and got caught in a tough situation. Would actually care to see the ICE spokesman's statistics.

Cloudless · 12-18-2012, 11:40 AM

Well, according to some Republicans the obvious solution is to deny birthright citizenship

IamAman · 12-18-2012, 02:19 PM

I may sound cold but I can't feel too bad for many of them. They are the ones who make it tougher for the rest of us. They came here willingly without documents, they more than likely didn't pay a penny to the hospitals where they had their kid, and for many who got deported, they were arrested for something else first (not counting Arizona). As long as the kid gets to stay since the kids are innocent, life goes on. Dreamers have a different plight than other undocumented people here.

It's because of these people coming and having babies that undocumented immigrants have such a bad reputation. That's why immigration reform has been so hard to pass and why the Dream Act has failed passing. Having an Anchorbaby doesn't give them any more benefit than the rest of us here.

DareToAct · 12-18-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAman

I may sound cold but I can't feel too bad for many of them. They are the ones who make it tougher for the rest of us. They came here willingly without documents, they more than likely didn't pay a penny to the hospitals where they had their kid, and for many who got deported, they were arrested for something else first (not counting Arizona). As long as the kid gets to stay since the kids are innocent, life goes on. Dreamers have a different plight than other undocumented people here.

It's because of these people coming and having babies that undocumented immigrants have such a bad reputation. That's why immigration reform has been so hard to pass and why the Dream Act has failed passing. Having an Anchorbaby doesn't give them any more benefit than the rest of us here.

I could not help but agree. It has to be the ignorance and irresponsibility of the many undocumented immigrants that choose to have kids on top of the immigration problems that they are facing, which just makes things even more harder.

newyorker · 12-18-2012, 07:59 PM

Wow, if the report is true, that is really sad.
But have no fear! ... comprehensive immigration is happening in 2013.
Unlike the previous contentious battles that broke out in Congress bw the proponents (mainly Dems) and the opponents, this year, the republicans are actually willing to work on this for obvious reasons. Sure, deep down inside they still hate illegals and just want to deport 24/7, but they KNOW that if they want even the slightest chance at winning the white house next election cycle...they had better keep in mind that the minority is the new majority in this country! lol
Whether that demographic shift if good or bad, who knows, but for now, it may actually bring some positive change to the millions of undocumented ppl out there.

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Deportation: More Than 200,000 Parents Removed Who Say They Have A U.S. Citizen Child