[pinoy_guy]

came across this news article, related to what Suzanne had been saying all along...

Public arrests cause panic in immigrants

Villega, like many undocumented immigrants in the Filipino community in the United States, entered the country legally as a tourist visa in 2003. He decided to overstay however when he was diagnosed with diabetes, claiming that he feared returning to the Philippines because the lack of his resources there meant a more debilitating condition. His daughter, a legal immigrant who came with a student visa, was set to petition him in 2010 when she becomes a U.S. citizen.

Villega is now awaiting a hearing with Homeland Security in March.Villega’s arrest is part of a seemingly new strategy of partnerships being undertaken by immigration authorities to curb the growth of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

. . .

Villega’s arrest is part of a seemingly new strategy of partnerships being undertaken by immigration authorities to curb the growth of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

. . .

Local officers trained under 287 (g) learn to use ICE and Homeland Security Department databases to find out a person’s immigration status. In addition, police now also have access to civil immigration warrants (also known as outstanding deportation orders), many of which were added beginning in 2002 to the FBI-run National Crime Information Center, formerly a database only for criminals.

Increasingly, because of this policy, undocumented immigrants are now being caught during routine traffic violations.


. . .

For Villega, it came down to a simple sentiment. “When they arrested me, I cried. And then I was just consumed with anger.” “Binastos nila ako. We are not criminals. Why do we have to be treated this way?”

ICE is not acting only with TSA, they're also working with bus companies...

[lawrence01]

But overstaying and working illegally is considered criminal isn't it ?? And if one is working illegally then I also presume that they are not paying the proper taxes as well.

Can someone denounce and reject my comment above if I'm totally wrong.


*Will add this link to our Return to Sender thread in the Int'l forum as well.

[lawrence01]

Everything is really getting tight for illegals.

TSA checkups on domestic airports and routine check-ups on traffic violations is one thing but actively going to bus stations or stops and boarding the bus to do random check-ups is another thing.

And I believe some counties in certain states have ordinances as well to make sure that the landlords do not rent out to illegals.

All cracks are being covered.

[suzanne4]

You are 100% correct. And the funnier part is that we still see those that state that they are coming to the US under the tourist visa and plan to stay, knowing full in advance that there are no visas available.

And even if that daughter in the above story were to petition her father, he is not in the US under a legal visa, so it would not work at all.

Since he is being deported, more than likely, he will not be able to return to the US for ten years.

I have been quite serious about this for sometime, it is not something that I just dreamed up. We are seeing this happen all over the place and even just getting pulled over one evening because a headlight is out on the car that you are in, can get you deported.

[elkpark]

Originally Posted by lawrence01

But overstaying and working illegally is considered criminal isn't it ?? And if one is working illegally then I also presume that they are not paying the proper taxes as well.

Can someone denounce and reject my comment above if I'm totally wrong.


*Will add this link to our Return to Sender thread in the Int'l forum as well.

I agree; I get angry when I hear undocumented aliens rationalize, "But we're not criminals; we haven't done anything wrong!" If you're not here legally, you're breaking the law. Why wouldn't we deport people if they don't have a legal right to be here? Any other country would do the same.

[high hopes]

All of you are right about what you have said earlier. A person overstaying in a place where you don't have proper documents and even working there is a crime. How can you not be called a criminal when you're doing illegal activities right? Its common sense.... Then, If they don't want to call themselves criminals then they should not have engaged in such activities right? I believe that people doing such activities should be deported immediately and pay fines for the troubles that he has caused.Breaking the law that is... I would suggest that a stricter law be implemented to prevent aliens from overstaying and working illegally, and for the immigration to double their effort in finding these aliens and deal with them as soon as possible.

[high hopes]

Just want to add something related to this topic:
Amnesty is good only for those deserving people who have done great contribution to the country's government, economy and growth but for those who have done nothing good, they should not be given any...
They(the aliens) already know the risk they are going to have and the consequences of their action if caught so they can't blame anyone if they are not treated well.

[pinoy_guy]

this story feels wrong on many counts.

He decided to overstay however when he was diagnosed with diabetes, claiming that he feared returning to the Philippines because the lack of his resources there meant a more debilitating condition.

does having an illness give a person the right to break laws?

let's say a person has migraine headaches, can that person justify his illegal stay in another country?

diabetes does not require special equipment to treat it.

but then the key words of his statement are "lack of his resources."

which most probably means he's getting free or subsidized medications from the US Government.

which he is not entitled to in the first place because he's an illegal immigrant--meaning he was not paying taxes; if he was, he was underpaying taxes as he had to use a fake or stolen SSN.

which means US Tax Payers are paying the bill.

meaning this person is stealing resources which are meant for US Citizens, or Legal Immigrants.

what I'm finding hard to understand is the closing quote.

When they arrested me, I cried.

I understand this statement, as he could be crying from shame of being caught breaking the law.

And then I was just consumed with anger. Binastos nila ako. (They were rude to me.)

What???

then the law-breaker becomes angry? at what?

he should be angry at himself, for breaking the law.

and what did he mean by being treated rudely?

he broke the law, and he expects to receive excellent treatment?

I'm sorry, I cannot understand this "entitlement" mentality.

you break the law, you better be prepared to face the music.

and I hope it's not in some US Jail, because that's another drain on US Tax Payers' money.

just deport them on their own expense.

We are not criminals.

let's see...
criminal means guilty of crime.

crime means an act committed or omitted in violation of a law forbidding or commanding it and for which punishment is imposed upon conviction.

hmmm...by these definitions, this man is indeed a criminal.

Why do we have to be treated this way?

uh...because he broke the law?

[lenjoy03]

I really feel bad whenever I hear or read this kind of stories, especially knowing that that person is a FIlipino. I understand that some go to US with a tourist visa and overstay hoping that they can easily get a greencard (which is not good because wherever you are, there is still retrogression), but by doing so, one must face the consequences of his/her actions. It's not fair to others who are undergoing the right process and waiting patiently.

[potatomasher]

Kudos to the US officials who are now very strict in arresting and deporting illegal immigrants. It's quite unfair for those who got into the eye of the needle just to get their green cards legally...This is justice.