Student may still face being deported

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Dianna M. Náñez

The Arizona Republic

Five months after Gilbert police referred Gilbert resident Manuel Espinoza-Vasquez to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the 20-year-old Arizona State University justice and economics student is dealing with life knowing he faces potential deportation.

Before police stopped Espinoza-Vasquez for an improper right turn in March, most people knew him as an excelling college kid who loved school so much he never missed a day from kindergarten through high school.

But Espinoza-Vasquez's traffic stop led to questions that revealed he was living with a secret.

After police determined the ASU student had a blood-alcohol content of 0.02 percent, below the 0.08 percent legal limit for drunken driving, they asked him for identification. He said that when police refused his student and other ID cards, and threatened to arrest him if he did not present a legal form of identification, he gave police a Mexican ID.

An officer, he said, took the ID and phoned ICE.

"They (ICE) asked if I was in the country legally," he said. "I said, 'No.' "

Police transferred Espinoza-Vasquez to ICE officials in Phoenix, where he refused to sign a voluntary deportation order. He spent 10 days at the Eloy Detention Center and was released on bond.

Last month, Espinoza-Vasquez said he went to court for his traffic tickets and was cited for possession of alcohol and referred to alcohol-education courses.

Phoenix Attorney Judy Flanagan has agreed to represent him at a September deportation hearing.

In the meantime, Espinoza-Vasquez said he is focused on fulfilling his dream of a college degree.

He has increased his course load and takes a five-hour round-trip bus ride from Gilbert to ASU five days a week.

Espinoza-Vasquez's story has touched people on both sides of the immigration debate.

Eric Checketts, a University of Arizona student from Mesa, said he has met undocumented-immigrant students with stories similar to Espinoza-Vasquez's.

"It's such a tough issue. I don't believe there's any sort of policy or legislation that's going to solve every problem for every person.

The fact is there are good people here illegally," he said. "I've had classes with those people. But I do believe we have to draw the line somewhere."

Checketts said he does not see immigration as a racial issue and gets frustrated by people who would accuse him of being prejudiced because he prefers deportation rather than legalization for most undocumented immigrants.

"I understand why they come here. I mean, from what I know, things in Mexico are literally hell," he said.

"But we are a society of laws."

Checketts said he does not want to see the quality of life for Americans deteriorate because of illegal immigration.

"Look, we have a substantial number of people here (illegally). They have a certain drain on our society ... effects on health care and economics."

Espinoza-Vasquez, who came to the United States when he was 3, said he is not surprised when he hears people say undocumented immigrants hurt America.

"I'm used to it," he said. "I had friends in Gilbert who would talk bad about illegal immigrants in front of me."

He said the revelation of his residency status has caught people off guard.

"People at school and my friends were surprised," he said. "I guess they had a stereotype of what an undocumented person is supposed to be like."

Espinoza-Vasquez said he now sees friends' discovery that he is an undocumented immigrant as a positive outcome of his immigration woes.

"Some told me, 'We didn't realize it was people like you, Manuel,' " he said. "I joked, 'Yeah, I'm one of those people stealing your health care.' "

He said he understands the fear of telling people you are an undocumented immigrant, but he wishes more students who came to America as children would come forward.

"It opens up a dialogue," he said. "It's hard to persecute people who are your friends and neighbors. People realize you're an American, too."

Espinoza-Vasquez said that regardless of his legal worries, he is not giving up on becoming a lawyer.

He was encouraged, he said, to see a group of ASU students go on a hunger strike last week to bring attention to the DREAM Act, proposed federal legislation that would help put undocumented immigrants brought to America as children on a path to citizenship.

Espinoza-Vasquez said he supports the students' efforts and feels a kinship with them.

"We want to go to school so we can give back to our community," he said. "I want to help people less fortunate than me. I realize knowledge is power ... that they can take away your freedom but they can't take away your knowledge.

"These are the principles our country was founded on. What's more American than that?"

http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/a...tation0812.html

[JoeMama 0]

There's schools in Mexico where he can continue to seek his dream of becoming a lawyer. Get the degree and come back legally.

Edited August 12, 2007 by JoeMama

[JODO 2]

Cry me a river

[rika60607 215]

Hmm... poor kid. But IS he that innocent if he was driving without a valid driver's license???

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

? .....

[Marilyn. 340]

you people do realize that he didn't have much choice in becoming an illegal right? he came here when he was 3...

[JoeMama 0]

you people do realize that he didn't have much choice in becoming an illegal right? he came here when he was 3...

Sure we realize that. Now he won't have much choice going back to Mexico. His parents put him in this situation in the first place. Now he has to pay for their actions. Besides, even if he would have finished school, got his degree, it's highly unlikely there would have been no way he could have become a certified attorney-at-law without the proper ID. If he would have been able to succeed to that point to where he practiced in a court of law, could you imagine how many criminals would be freed on his account because they were represented by an attorney under a false ID once he was discovered to be in the US illegally in the first place?

I find the whole thing I ironic that he wants to become a lawyer, still at the same time, he is knowingly breaking the law he wishes to practices.

Edited August 12, 2007 by JoeMama

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

you people do realize that he didn't have much choice in becoming an illegal right? he came here when he was 3...

Yes. So he should have a talk with his parents who put him into this situation.

The American people are the wrong addressee for his complaint.

Edited August 13, 2007 by Mr. Big Dog

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Hmm... poor kid. But IS he that innocent if he was driving without a valid driver's license???

Yup. Now his stupidity will get him deported.

[nivesito 0]

Hmm... poor kid. But IS he that innocent if he was driving without a valid driver's license???

Yup. Now his stupidity will get him deported.

I don’t understand how come he was able to go to high school and college without a valid ID?!!! How is possible to live in a country for so many years, go to school, visit a doctor when you are sick etc. In my country and in Germany I can’t do anything without a valid ID or a passport where is stated that I have a student visa (for Germany). Please, can’t somebody explain it to me because I feel stupid

[peejay 327]

Hmm... poor kid. But IS he that innocent if he was driving without a valid driver's license???

Yup. Now his stupidity will get him deported.

I don’t understand how come he was able to go to high school and college without a valid ID?!!! How is possible to live in a country for so many years, go to school, visit a doctor when you are sick etc. In my country and in Germany I can’t do anything without a valid ID or a passport where is stated that I have a student visa (for Germany). Please, can’t somebody explain it to me because I feel stupid

Because the USA does not have a national ID.

That said, the teenaged clerk at the local Piggly Wiggly grocery store can ask you for ID to cash a check or buy beer and an apartment leasing agent can ask for ID to run a credit check on you, but it is forbidden to ask anyone to prove they are legally in this country or that they are who they say they are to get many public and private services.

It's all set up for an illegal alien to thrive and survive relatively easy in the USA. And there are a lot of influential people that want it that way for their own self serving interests.

And now a lot of people are beginning to slowly awaken to the downside of an illegal alien friendly society. What you sow is what you reap.

[babyandherboy 0]

I don’t understand how come he was able to go to high school and college without a valid ID?!!! How is possible to live in a country for so many years, go to school, visit a doctor when you are sick etc. In my country and in Germany I can’t do anything without a valid ID or a passport where is stated that I have a student visa (for Germany). Please, can’t somebody explain it to me because I feel stupid

That says it all! How can he get all that? I will never forget the day a few years ago when my buddies wife saw a rally by illegal immigrants for drivers licenses in California. She couldnt believe it - she said in Panama they would rope off the area and immediately put them on the boat back! But here - our police protect the area for them.

Our problem - American business wants cheap labor and customers, politicians want hispanic voters on their side, the courts are too political and spineless to adapt the "living document" (Constitution) to the times, but the worst offender - our media caters to idiot politicians, reports only their 5 second sound bites, lies, frames the news to suit themselves and are too lazy to discover the truth about stories they are reporting on. And the general public really doesn't care . . . yet.

They say Rome collapsed under its own weight - maybe the elites and money/power mongers who run this country were out back drinking and smoking during history class! And for sure they have not visited the American Southwest the last couple of years!

Heheheh - sorry, do I sound angry? That just hit the soft spot I guess

I love my baby Weng!!!

[Peikko 1,575]

You like the idea of an 'elite' being able to demand that one shows one's identity at their whim? Freedom is a precious gift, don't be so quick to wish it away

[Ban Hammer 13,083]

I find the whole thing I ironic that he wants to become a lawyer, still at the same time, he is knowingly breaking the law he wishes to practices.

ditto

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

One at a time,slow and sure