Will You Be There When I Get Back?
The wife of a US sailor, about to leave for his third Iraq tour, is facing deportation. The wife came to America as a political refugee at age five and was granted asylum, but due to bureaucratic delays and mazes, she hasn’t been able to secure her status. I don’t know what’s more terrible: that’s mostly our own fault that she’s not legal yet, or that the rabid right-wingers supporting her deportation can’t distinguish her from someone who actually broke the law to come here.
I haven’t hid my position: I support full amnesty and a spiking (if not elimination) of immigration quotas. I pair this position with heavily tightened border security, so that we know who is coming into our country (and know that, if someone is trying to sneak into the country undetected, its likely for a “crime” more serious than pursuing a better life). But outside of that position, I think at a far more basic level we have an obligation to recognize when something is our own fault, and I think we need to stop the absurd and inhuman rhetoric that treats five-year olds like willful fugitives. Cases like this, where there is really no coherent argument against letting this woman stay in the country, are the ones that really worry me about the immigration debate, because they show more than a policy difference — they show an irrational anti-immigrant ideology that’s resulting in serious perversion of soul. It’s moral corruption that’s poisoning too many American hearts. And it genuinely frightens me.
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3 Responses to “Will You Be There When I Get Back?”
Well, I could hardly be more conservative on immigration policy, but this is beyond ridiculous. She came to the country legally! She’s not illegal, she’s gotten her paperwork messed up, and not even by her! Hopefully someone will employ some common sense (“encouraged” by media coverage) and her problem will be resolved.
My main objection on this issue is that anyone who opposes illegal immigration on moderate to strong terms is instantly labeled a racist. Barring further revelations, you’d have to be a frothing at the mouth fanatic to think deportation is warranted in these circumstances. And some will, and I deeply resent when I’m lumped with them.
I cannot tell you how glad I am to hear that, Lynx.
An analogy I feel is apt is my position on some of the far-right “supporters” of Israel. I’m a staunch supporter of Israel myself, but the folks who propose indefinite occupation and appear to want Israel to enter into a bloody holy war against the Palestinians and surrounding Muslim states are way beyond the pale. So, while I try and disassociate myself from them (and indeed, don’t think they’re appropriately even called “pro-Israel”, as it’s generally not “pro-X” when you want X to enter into an apocalyptic bloodbath with its neighbors), I think I have a further obligation to try and purge these people from my tent. That is to say, insofar as I have any influence on the pro-Israel coalition (which isn’t much), I need to try and use it to banish these people from appearing under my banner. It’s not enough to simply assert “they’re not me.”
This sounds fishy. If she’s married to an american she should be allowed to stay no? Aside from other details of the story that alone grants citizenship.