Dude, Where's My Car?

[derekkj 0]

Associated Press

Published January 25, 2007, 7:24 AM CST

CHICAGO -- A 22-year-old woman is suing a Chicago Spanish-language radio station over allegations that they refuse to give her the car she won in a contest because she's undocumented.

Maribel Nava Alvarez won the Corvette on July 4, 2005, in a raffle sponsored by 107.9 FM La Ley.

In a lawsuit naming both the radio station and its parent company, Spanish Broadcasting System, Alvarez says La Ley withheld the car when officials found out she's undocumented.

She is suing for breach of contract and emotional distress.

In a written statement, La Ley said that it is legally required to get a valid Social Security number or tax identification number from anyone who wins prizes worth more than $500.

The station tried to give Alvarez the car even though her tax information couldn't be verified, the statement said.

Alvarez said she was never told she needed to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident to win the car.

Alvarez's suit also names SBS lawyer James Cueva, who sent her attorney a letter on Dec. 19, 2005, threatening to contact immigration officials if she pursued a lawsuit.

"I will caution you that if you insist on filing suit against SBS, I will in turn be forced to refer this matter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as I believe your client is in this country illegally," the letter said.

Cueva's remarks "have sometimes been presented without proper context," the station's statement said.

Alvarez said she has left the Chicago area out of fear that she would be deported.

[Savanphil 3]

Ummm, so I guess she's willing to get deproted over a car.....I hope she can take it with her

[William33 110]

She does not deserve the car. The prize should be a one way ticket home!!!

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

Alvarez said she was never told she needed to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident to win the car.

read the fine print, lass. der.

although i can see why she thinks she's entitled to it. after all, the sense of entitlement by illegals seems quite large, with addtional encouragement added by the socialist cheerleading squad in the usa.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

So, what happens if a Canadian visiting US wins one of these?

Or would the Canuck's S.I.N. be adequate to push off with the prize?

Edited January 25, 2007 by CherryXS

[SoL. 0]

So if she left the area to avoid being deported, how they can give her the car?

[Yodrak 7]

CherryXS,

Good questions, but the Canuck's SIN probably would not be sufficient.

The US IRS puts its' fingers into all pies, there is sure to be tax due to the US goverment based on the value of the prize. If there is, a US tax number is needed. Maybe there's a way for a Canuck to get one in this circumstance, but more likely there is a rule in the small print of the contest requiring the eligible winners to be US citizens or LPRs or to otherwise have a US SSN so that the IRS can be sure to get it's share.

Yodrak

So, what happens if a Canadian visiting US wins one of these?

Or would the Canuck's S.I.N. be adequate to push off with the prize?

[Henia 11]

Unbelievable... what an idiot!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

after all, the sense of entitlement by illegals seems quite large, with addtional encouragement added by the socialist cheerleading squad in the usa.

You're calling Bush a socialist now? Wow.

[ELW 5]

Uhh... so what lawyer is representing this lady?!

[mrc 0]

If it's a new Vette, I'm sure it's worth the price of her getting deported for it.