Feds: Teen injured in Florida pileup won't be deported

(CNN) -- The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said Wednesday that an illegal immigrant who was injured and lost most of her family in Sunday's multivehicle wreck in Florida will not face deportation.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Miss Lidiane Carmo as she deals with the tragic loss of her family," ICE spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez said. "Reports of her facing deportation are completely false."

"ICE's stated priorities include convicted criminals, immigration fugitives, repeat immigration law violators and recent border crossers," Gonzalez said in a written statement.

Lidiane Carmo, 15, the sole survivor among her immediate family, came to the United States from Brazil when she was only 2, according to a pastor at International Church of the Restoration in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.

"She is like any regular American girl. (But) she wasn't born here," the Rev. Aron Amazonas said Wednesday. "She acts like an American girl. She almost can't speak the Portuguese language. She doesn't know the people there."

Church members were concerned that the teen could face deportation.

Lidiane and five members of her family were part of a church delegation returning Sunday from a conference in Orlando.

Jose Carmo, another pastor at the church; his wife, Adriana; and their daughter Leticia were killed, along with Jose Carmo's brother, Edsom Carmo, who was driving one of the church's vans, and a companion.

"The Carmo family was in the United States illegally," said Alonso Oliveira, a family friend and pastor. "The family wanted to obtain legal status but had no laws to help them do so."

The family stayed in the United States after their visas expired, CNN affiliate WSB reported.

Lidiane, who remains hospitalized, learned Tuesday that her parents and sister had been killed, Amazonas told CNN. "We know she is trying to process everything."

Amazonas said the church's top priority is taking care of Lidiane and sending the bodies of the victims back to Brazil.

"We are shocked with everything that happened with us and this lovely family. We are trying to give them the support they need," he said.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's got a bit more, just follow the link if you want to read the rest.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/01/us/flo...html?hpt=us_c2

Ouch, now for those that are crying over being illegal, you should be thankful that at least you do not have to go through this...

I wonder if there are provision for her to get legalized.

dont get me wrong. my deepest condolences goes to lidiane but what's the standard for not getting deported?

if i gain sympathy from the public, will barbara gonzales come out to press and announce that i wont be deported amd offer me work permit?

where's the fine line for getting sympathy? will the next undocumented guy who gets his family killed in car accident get work permit offered as well? it doesnt make any sense

If your whole family is dead and the only family you have is in Brazil, and your family's bodies are there..I don't know if I'd want to stay in that situation

The key to this decision: This happened in Florida.

I read several articles about this girl and the reason she didn't get deported is because she does not fall within the priority list of deportable individuals as outlined in the Morton memo (ICE's spokesman declared). So it's not because she gained the public' sympathy, legally speaking.

She's also a minor. Don't forget that minors don't accrue illegal presence in the country till they turn 18.

It's kind of a legal grey area, now that I think about it.

dunno about you guys, but if my family was gone, being in the country or not would be like last on my list. I wouldn't give a damn at that point basically.