I wanted to hear illegal immigrant college student Jessica Colotl acknowledge that her status was, “illegal,” in her statements on Friday. I wanted to hear the same from her supporters and attorneys. I heard nothing even close and that is very disappointing.
Friday I wrote about the college student here in metro Atlanta’s Cobb County that is in legal trouble for, among other things, being here in the U.S. illegally.
I wrote that I sympathize with Jessica Colotl because her parents brought her to the U.S. illegally when she was a 10 year-old and now she may be deported to a Mexico she does not know. I have since learned that she had a 3.8 GPA in high school which helped her gain entry to Kennesaw State University. She is the kind of immigrant the U.S. needs. Except that she is illegal.
Instead of acknowledgment, I heard on CNN that,
“The Cobb Immigrant Alliance likened the actions of officials to “schoolyard bullying.” Gonzalez, of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, called the sheriff “Wild-West Warren,” saying he “has abused his authority in this case. His actions clearly demonstrate the problems that occur when local law officers are granted authority to enforce immigration laws.”
And I heard,
“Jessica’s case is yet another outrageous example of the unaccountable local enforcement of immigration laws in Cobb County gone awry,” said Azadeh Shahshahani, ACLU of Georgia’s national security/immigrants’ rights project director.”
Her failure and the failure of her many supporters to acknowledge and to grasp the difference between legal and illegal is hurting Colotl. I have to believe she is getting lousy legal and public relations advice, along with poor guidance throughout her youth. We are a nation of laws. Those laws can at times cause pain. However, by retaining our respect for law we better protect the rights of citizens and visitors, legal and illegal. Sympathy can lead to changing our laws but it can not be allowed to override our law.
Folks, until supporters of illegal immigrants get over their mental block regarding the legal vs illegal status, those recognizing the difference will not feel secure in moving forward to improve the opportunities for future immigrants.
Jessica Colotl may soon be deported to Mexico thanks in large part to supporters that are hurting her cause. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will ever understand the damage they are causing to the Colotls of this nation’s future.
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Thank you.
It seems obvious to any immigrant family who are legally, this group is disrespectful and arrogant. They owe the USA the respect to follow the laws.
This family has taken tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, stolen, actually, thru lies. And have no guilt. That is sad.
The immigrants were one proud people… now they just look like parasites.
aclu.org/immigrants-rights/about-aclus-immigrants-rights-project
Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona calls for immigration reform
Posted: May 14, 2010 3:32 PM PDT Updated: May 14, 2010 3:32 PM PDT
Web Producer: David Rush
Tucson, (KGUN9-TV/JFSA)- The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona is calling on federal immigration reform. The group said it has serious concerns about Arizona’s new immigration law.
The Jewish Community Relations Council released the following statement:
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona has serious concerns about the new law, Immigration: Law Enforcement; Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB 1070) and its potential impact on human rights and human dignity. We acknowledge the need for a more secure border and comprehensive immigration reform that places priority on the safety and security of Arizona’s citizens, and thus urge Congress to immediately introduce comprehensive immigration reform that will address fair legal immigration policies and a commitment to enforcement that respects human dignity and human rights for all.
As members of the Jewish community who have been considered “strangers” throughout history, we know well the fear of living as “outsiders.” The Torah (Hebrew Bible) states that we “shall have one law for the stranger and the citizens alike” (Leviticus 24:22), and tells us seventeen distinct times to “Love the stranger.” In addition, we are commanded to establish a fair justice system and to “judge the people with righteous justice” (Deuteronomy 16:12). These passages provide great relevance with respect to the rights of immigrants.
With this law, local law enforcement officers who have “reasonable suspicion” about a person’s immigration status are required to demand immigration papers. We are concerned that this will create distrust between local law enforcement and those they are sworn to serve and protect. We are also concerned that members of the immigrant and Latino communities, both legal citizens and non-citizens, will be reluctant to report crimes or to cooperate with local law enforcement out of fear of discrimination for or separation from their families and themselves.
We hope bipartisan support will address a fair immigration policy, as our nation is committed to enforcement that respects human dignity and human rights.
I attend KSU and cannot get into classes that I need in order to graduate next Spring due to over-enrollment.
What about my education???
I was born in the US, pay taxes, am gainfully employed, and contribute to society through volunteer work. I am a legal citizen.
Hmmmmmm…wonder how many immigrants have taken my spot?
Do you really want to quote Leviticus?
Lev 24:19 When a man causes a disfigurement in his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him,
:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has disfigured a man, he shall be disfigured.
:21 He who kills a beast shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death.
:22 You shall have one law for the sojourner and for the native; for I am the Lord your G-d.
Leviticus tells us a couple things, one, compassion towards others. Attempting to cheat them with differing laws is just that and is a sin – stealing, bearing false witness, and coveting – commandments 8, 9, and 10.
The law is absolute. And quite plain. Violation is a sin. Frequently punishable by stoning.
Slavery was a common occurrence, and was not a moral infringement. Might call that a rather large oversight.
Equating Levitical law based upon an absolute moral imperative to the US legal system is non sequitar. The US legal code is amoral. Separation of church and state. It’s basis and authority is given with the consent and will of the governed, it’s impetus certain common values wholly agreed upon.
Read once more the preamble to the Constitution and you’ll realize a systemic failure upon the part of our elected officials and legal community to enforce standing law, criminal employers and illegal aliens. The problem and solution is two-fold, and must be addressed thus.
Leave the unicorns and rainbow-powered electric cars for 2nd grade social studies.
we need strict enforcement of the current law. no need of any comprehensive immigration reform bill. those who are for this bill, they have only one thing in mind, how to transform illegals into legals. make punishment more meaningful, so that people will really suffer if they got caught because of their illegal status. And implement a law immediately so that babies born in US of illegals will never be an automatic American citizen.
“Jessica Colotl may soon be deported to Mexico thanks in large part to supporters that are hurting her cause. ”
Siegel inadvertently summed up the immigration problem: She *may* be deported — because of inadequate support for her illegality.
Thanks again Arizona, for SB1070! Because of it the long-overdue day is coming when illegal immigrants *will* be deported when caught after having not self-deported.
Every passing day the overt and covert arguments for amnesty instead of enforcement weaken further.
In this case of Siegel covertly arguing for amnesty instead of enforcement, the rebuttal is that the only kind of immigrant the US needs is the one that follows the legal immigration process to begin with.
keeping these mexicans and thier anchor babies are just going to cost tax payers more more .i was to see the other day when i was in my local social sercurity office an 60 or 70 year old mexican lady didint speak a word of english getting a montly ssi check.i wonder how someone that never work a day in her life legally at least will be getting a check that she didnt pay anything for ss how does this happen.USA is allowing this to happen
and its taking all of us american for A VERY LONG RIDE BUT PLEASE I WANT TO GET OFF.
I have a very mixed feeling about this – on one hand I feel sorry for her circumstances and she should be allowed to finish her study (and go back to Mexico and file for legal immigration from there, if she wishes), but at the same time, as a former legal alien who has spent so much money to lawyers to keep my status always legal in the US (now a permanent resident of Canada), I feel she is playing a poor-me, victim- card where she will be given an easy way out of this ending in getting education without paying out of state tuition fees and pos. being granted amnesty after graduation …
Btw, does anyone know what has happened to her parents? Are they deported, or allowed to stay to support her? Very curious to know …
When Colotl’s supporters resort to name calling (“Wild-West Warren”, etc.), it proves that they have no basis upon which to defend her actions.
Granted, she nor her supporters have been capable of admitting that she is in our country illegally and has broken our laws. However, there is a bigger issue: Our President and ICE are derelict in their duty to enforce our laws.
Our legislators have already gone through the lawmaking process to establish laws that direct that Colotl be deported. The laws are real, bona fide, clear, and on the books. They are not some nebulous, proposed, maybe, maybe-not concept.
This situation raises two questions. (1) Since when can individuals like the President and the head of ICE decide that they are not going to enforce our laws? (2) How do we, the citizenry, go to court to force the President and the head of ICE to enforce our laws?
As a nation, we must abide by the rule of law. Otherwise, we will become a banana republic in which the well-connected will decide what’s best for the rest of us.
we have 3 branches of govt. For laws to be effective, all 3 have to work toward that end. If not, then the people have the right to elect new people in office. But people will still vote democratic/republican like blind animals. So why bother even caring ?. Our country will go down the tubes until another revolution straightens it out again.
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