Friday, May 11, 2007

Monica and Jose

People continue to ask me about my young friend, Monica.

To read the background on this update, go back into my archives for March 11, 13 and April 13 of this year.

Monica and her cousin, Jose, both seniors in high school here in Dallas, great students and wonderful kids, were picked up back in March by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers while attending a party in Greenville, Texas. Like I say, read the earlier posts for more details on what turned into a horrifying experience for them and their families.

Now to the update. Recently, both were informed of hearing dates on their cases. Later this summer these two great young people will appear before an immigration judge here in Dallas to have their cases heard. Most likely they will both be deported after being in the United States since they were little children. Monica came to this country when she was 5-years-old, thirteen years ago.

We have secured a great immigration attorney. However, there may not be much anyone can do to prevent my young friends from being sent back to Mexico. Their attorney is eager to try, but at one point told us the best thing that could happen would be for the U. S. Congress to pass the "Dream Act" (see post April 13, 2007), legislation designed to protect the children of undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for years and who have stayed in school.

So, my young friends may not be with us or their wonderful families much longer.

"What can I do?" you ask.

Work on this list today:

1) Pray for Monica, Jose, their families, the judge and their attorney.

2) Write your two Senators and your Representative in Congress urging them to support passage of the Dream Act as soon as possible. Feel free to use the story of Monica and Jose as an example of why we need to see it passed.

Some who read this won't understand my position or my concern.

Anyone acquainted with Monica and Jose understands completely.

4 comments:

mundiejc said...

I say open the borders. Make sure that entrants don't have small pox, or other communicable diseases that we've eliminated, and make it where they must work for several years before being able to collect welfare, and let them work and create a better life for their families.

I'll be praying for these kids.

Larry James said...

Thanks, Justin. I like your ideas here. I also appreciate your partnership in prayer.

Anonymous said...

With open borders the U.S. will be flooded, more than it is now, with workers willing to work for cheap wages. I thought the problem with poverty now was that the workers do not get a living wage.

Our hospitals, schools, etc. would be flooded more than they are now, and it is bad now.

Do you really think they would be able to work years before collecting welfare and other social services?

mundiejc said...

Christine,

Do you believe the border could be more porous than it is currently? The eras in this country where illegal immigration from Central America was at its lowest was when it was easiest to come across legally. The reason we have so much illegal immigration is because its almost impossible for people to get in, especially from certain countries.

Immigration is not the problem. The problem is not knowing who and what are coming across the border. If you make the legal channels easier to come through, you'll free up resources to find those that you don't want coming across... you know, like terrorists.

Let the people that want to work, work, whether that be as a guest worker, or even a slow process of citizenship. You will never stop illegal immigration... the best you can do is to let people in that want nothing more than a better life for their family, giving the border patrol more resources (and hopefully more time) to catch those who wish ill will on this country.