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High School Student Faces Deportation

By TChris, Section Social Justice
Posted on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 08:30:31 AM EST
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by TChris

The knee-jerk conservative response to immigration policy -- kick 'em out if their documents aren't in order -- ignores the plight of people like Manuel Bartsch.

Bartsch, 18, has lived in Gilboa, Ohio, for nearly half his life, but only learned he was there illegally in December when he was jailed after trying to find out his Social Security number so he could take a college entrance exam. He is to graduate high school next month and has been accepted at the University of Northwestern Ohio.

Toby Deal brought Bartsch to the U.S. on a 90 day visa when Bartsch's grandmother died, but didn't adopt him or process his immigration papers. Fortunately, Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine put aside his right-wing instincts long enough to go to bat for Bartsch.

Cleveland lawyer David Leopold, who persuaded the immigration agency to release Bartsch from jail Jan. 5, is also hopeful that identical Senate and House bills introduced this week by DeWine and Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Ohio, could get Bartsch a green card. The two bills would make Bartsch a permanent U.S. resident and allow him to apply for U.S. citizenship within five years.

"I know it's hard to pass these bills, but when he was sitting in jail in December and they were filling the airplane up with fuel to send him back to Germany, it took a miracle to get him out," Leopold said. "So, you've got to believe there's a good chance this will become law."

The House immigration bill would make Bartsch a felon. Would that make you feel protected from terrorism?

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    High School Student Faces Deportation | 13 comments (13 topical)
    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 08:52:58 AM EST
    We will see a lot of this if the anti-immigrant furor continues. Good people booted out of the only country they know. Sad days...my fellow Americans.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#2)
    by BigTex on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:34:07 AM EST
    In this case he didn't bring it on himself, but what do you say about the ones who do? In all the protests over the immigration bill students were walking out of school all week. Many went up to speak, wrapped in the Mexican flag, and declared that they were here illegally. What would you do about those who flaunt that they are here illegally, and who are breaking the law? On day 1 I can understand them walking out of class for a protest, but when a whole week goes by and they are still skipping classes, but no protests happen on the weekend, it makes it seem that they care less about immigration and more about skipping class. The principal at Reagan High School even flew the Mexican flag at his school. It's one thing to try to assimilate. It's quite another to fly the flag of a foreign country at a school, cut classes, and flaunt that you are here illegally.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:49:50 AM EST
    I can't (and won't) defend the actions of some immigrant protestors. The behavior of some is appaling, and not how you would expect someone looking to assimilate into America to act. I will not, however, tar all undocumented immigrants with that brush. And I will voiceferously defend the right of people like Manuel Bartsch to remain in the only country they know.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 11:35:54 AM EST
    Recently an entire Phillipine family was sent "back" to a country the children had never seen because the parents' visa was found to be improper. If we focus on punishing people for coming here without proper documentation -- and making that a felony -- we miss the opportunity to have citizens who contribute greatly to our nation. We don't want to criminalize 12 million undocemented peopel most of whom would become great citizens.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 01:53:00 PM EST
    Big Tex I don't know what the children in Los Angeles were doing but I would think many are not illegal but have parents who never became legal. People have a lot of pride especially about race, ethnicity, and nationality. The attacks on "undocumented" aliens, (Because non-documentation is the extent of their illegality; They failed to submit themselves for inspection at a port of entry, ie. applying for a visa.) was taken by many as blatant racism. One way to stand in the face of that is to display the flag of your ethnic heritage. I would dare say that these same children would stand up and defend this country against any invading or attacking force with as much or more fervor. I know that many children of undocumented aliens are born here and speak both english and spanish and go to school, to Church and Wal-Mart, and do everthing other children of there economic status do. With one big difference they do not take government assistance for fear their parents will be deported. I believe the INS statutes now allow for the de facto deportation of these U.S. Citizens with their parents. That is a crime against the constitution, and civil rights. I find it extremely hypocritical that De Wine stepped in for a kid of german ancestry. Are the children born here any more culpable that this boy? Is the person who raised Mr. Bartsch any less guilty of aiding an "illegal alien" than a social worker or church worker when they provide housing and assistance to undocumented immigrants? Is De Wine? Those children ARE U.S. citizens by birth. Is it becuase their parents are of a different hue that they should not stay in their native country, and be forced to live in a place they have never known? txexspeedy (as in Gonzalez)

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 02:03:33 PM EST
    txexspeedy... I believe the INS statutes now allow for the de facto deportation of these U.S. Citizens with their parents. That is a crime against the constitution, and civil rights. Unfortunately...for many years, many people have believed that if you are born here, you are "automatically" a citizen. That's just not true. If you are here legally (IE - documented - naturalized) then your offspring born here would indeed be citizens.. If you're not...they're not.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#7)
    by roy on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 02:19:36 PM EST
    BB,
    If you are here legally (IE - documented - naturalized) then your offspring born here would indeed be citizens.. If you're not...they're not.
    You're mistaken. Everything I've read from respectable sources contradicts you. For instance, the 14th Amendment:
    All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
    Not that I would suggest you're deliberately misrepresenting things. You probably just read something from someone who doesn't understand the law, like a certain congressman.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 02:23:42 PM EST
    BB I belive you have it backwards. The Constitution, Amendement XIV, States that "ALL persons BORN or naturalized in the United States, . . . ARE citizens of the United States . . ." Thus Automatic. It has only been recently, that the INS has made the determination that If parents are undocumented they will be deported. The children have to go with because there is nowhere else for them to go. A minor cannot petition for their parent to come to the United States. The children are not allowed to stay. Technically they aren't deported because they cannot be stripped of their citizenship. I guess exhiled is a better description. This was in response to allegedly "so many" pregnant mothers crossing over to give birth. That is why it happended.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#9)
    by roy on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 02:59:22 PM EST
    txexspeedy, I'm not familiar with that policy; got a link? I am familiar with the equally sad incidents in which parents are deported and take their citizen children with them because they can't make arrangements to have anybody care for them in the US. Bottom line, as long as we're deporting or holding people for any reason whatsoever there's no "good" answer to what to do with their kids. Immigration isn't special in that, except that maybe it's extra tempting to just stop enforcing the rules.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 03:31:40 PM EST
    Unfortunately...for many years, many people have believed that if you are born here, you are "automatically" a citizen. That's just not true. If you are here legally (IE - documented - naturalized) then your offspring born here would indeed be citizens.. If you're not...they're not.
    BB, We have been through this before and you are still wrong! Click here to get an education regarding this topic.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#11)
    by BigTex on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 03:52:55 PM EST
    I don't know what the children in Los Angeles were doing but I would think many are not illegal but have parents who never became legal.
    I don't know about what was going on in LA, but here in Houston students walked out and several of the students announced that they were here illegally. Two issues are in play, first is the truancy laws. I was okay with the day one protest. But not for any day thereafter. Espically when the protests didn't continue on the weekends. Second issue is the students who proclaimed that they were here illegally. Law enforcement should have stopped the protests on day two by rounding the students up and hitting them with truancy citations. As far as the ones who proclaimed they were here illegally, they should have been arrested on the spot and had their status determined. It's one thing to be here illegally, but quite another to flaunt that they are here illegally.

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#12)
    by krazycory on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 07:22:01 PM EST
    i also think alot of the kids wanted to sluff school i also feel that we should welcome the people from across any border but do the proper paperwork i'm sure that it isn't easy but my god come one and all but do it legally

    Re: High School Student Faces Deportation (none / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 08:39:39 AM EST
    txexspeedy writes:
    but have parents who never became legal.
    Ah yes. The issue. Their parents were here illegally. Fruit of the poisoned tree and all that. Truth be known, for years and years if you could get in you could stay in. No one really cared all that much, and the immigrants just wanted to be Americans. We now have 12 million or so demanding we accomodate them, and a fair percentage of them are claiming that a large section of the country should be returned to Mexico, or at least we modify the laws and customs of the US to include those of Mexico. There is a word for that. Dhimmitude anyone?
    The fact that we are seeing a covergence on the extreme Left of Islamic jihadist and Hispanic separtist groups (would-be Reconquistadors who actually do hate the US) opposing the enforcement or strengthening of immigration law in the US suggests to me that, in making common cause, they have a similar objective--the further dissolution of "the West."
    High School Student Faces Deportation | 13 comments (13 topical)