Here is a story of an "illegal" immigrant, with the title of the article ignoring the "illegal" angle. I won't go into to too much detail beyond quotations so the reader gets the gist.
Will we get the impression that families being split up is rampant? Will we step back and hold the government as the guilty party in these scenarios or will the guilt rightly rest squarely on the individual(s) who broke the law?
I don't like the idea of families being broken apart by immigration law enforcement, but were it not for the actions of the offender(s) it would not be an issue.
Noellie Nouanounou is the mother of three children, 5, 4 and 1. She escorted her grandmother to the U.S. in 1995 and chose to stay. Native to the Congo she had been assaulted by militiamen and used this crime against her in her request for asylum. The immigration service denied her request stating, the assault "appears to have been a random act of violence, not one directed at [her] because of membership in any particular group."
I don't know that I agree with the initial decision, although I wouldn't claim to know the standards by which asylum is granted, nor whether these guidelines are applied correctly.
But here is where Ms. Nouanounou really went wrong...
According to the The News Observer(Raleigh, NC):
She appealed the ruling. While she waited for an immigration judge to decide, she said, she tried to bolster her case by altering medical records to make it look as if she had been complaining for years about aftereffects of the assault.So, she basically entered the country legally with her grandmother; remained illegally, then attempted to fraudulently remain. Do I blame her for taking these steps in her own self interest? No, nor do I condone her her actions. Unfortunately for her and others she rolled craps.
Once the judge learned what she had done, Nouanounou said, he rejected her asylum request.
On a side note I would like to bring attention to one of those things the media loves to do. Check out this quote from The News Observer:
She flew under the government's radar for years, even as she had kids, obtained a mortgage and learned to bake chocolate-chip cookies.Heartstrings or facts? Laws need to be logically addressed; the media can play these games, but we cannot.
This story is a heartbreaking example of what can happen to families residing in this country. It is a story, however, that speaks to the need for immigration reform; not one of condoning illegal entry into the nation.
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.**
