Valedictorian will be allowed to stay (in U.S.) 2 more years

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http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/06/2679387/valedictorian-will-be-allowed.html

MIAMI -- The valedictorian of a Miami high school who had been ordered to leave the country will be allowed to stay for two more years.

Attorney Nera Shefer's office received notification from the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday that Daniela Pelaez was given a deferred action for two years.

******
Previous article:

North Miami students protest valedictorian’s order to leave country

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/01/2670105/north-miami-students-protest-valedictorians.html

Students at North Miami High School are protesting a judge’s order for their valedictorian to leave the country.

Daniela Pelaez, 18, was given the order for voluntary departure by a federal immigration judge on Monday after her request for a green card was denied.

Pelaez came to the United States at age 4 with her family from Colombia on a tourist visa, which they overstayed. Her application for residency was denied in 2010.

“I consider myself an American, no matter what,” said Pelaez, who has applied to several Ivy League universities and hopes to become a heart surgeon. “I don’t agree with the judge.”
------

Pelaez’s family, who is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia, finds themselves on both sides of the immigration line. Her mother, Ana Gonzalez, returned to Colombia in 2006 to get successful treatment for colon cancer and now can’t return to the United States. Her older brother, Johan, is a U.S. citizen and serves in the U.S. Army, returning from a tour in Afghanistan last year. Her father, Antonio Pelaez, was able to receive residency through her brother. But Pelaez and her sister, Dayana, are struggling to find a way to stay in the country legally.

More at links....
 
It's a difficult and complicated situation. I'm glad she is staying even if it is only temporary. I hope they will allow her to stay longer so she can finish her education.
 
Imo, this is why we truly need some congressmen with good sense and not just political partisanship. These young people, through no fault of their own, don't have a country. They should be allowed citizenship. The Dream Act is not a bad thing, imo.
 
Ok - I am directly in the middle of this "conflict".

PLEASE DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER HERE - I am only relating opinions and thoughts that have come to me through neighbors, associates, friends, etc. (Plus if you would have read the comments from the article posted in the Sun Sentinel - you would see these opinons for yourself).

PEOPLE are saying that she should go home. Not only that, but that she should be made to repay her "free" education as she was here illegally. And some go as far as to say that she should not be valedictorian because of the "high moral standard" clause and "no criminal background" (being here illegally is a crime).

Then there are others here with children who are also high school seniors saying that she is taking a "spot" away from legal, hardworking Americans trying to get into colleges.

I agree that she was brought here as a child BUT she is now 18 and is (was) fully aware of her status - so why hasn't she tried to remedy this sooner? She applied for resident status in 2010 and was denied. Don't know why she was denied but she was.

Others say there are plenty of great medical schools in Columbia - why couldn't she attend one of those? After all her mother went back there for treatment of colon cancer.........

Please remember - I'm just repeating things that are being said here about this. This is a very touchy subject here as most of the people here are illegals so the media is very biased about this. But, my experience of living here and talking to the hard working residents say the opposite. Most jobs here are unattainable to residents because of the language barrier - you MUST be bilingual before you can even apply. Last I heard - English is our official language and, I would think, requiring someone to speak a different language really isn't fair.

I think its great that this girl is super smart and done well in school. But, that doesn't change the fact that she is here illegally and has known it for quite a few years. Wouldn't she be able to do great things for her native country?

Touchy subject down here.


JMHO
 
I stopped reading the comments after this one:

It would be so much cheaper and better for the cvountry if we just shot illegals on sight, smart or stupid, working or bums, they must be removed.
Click to expand...

I also think the Dream Act is a good thing and should be passed.
 
Valedictorian takes deportation saga to Washington

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...e-20120307,0,6751245.story#tugs_story_display

...........On Wednesday, they met in Washington with Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami, whose district in Congress includes North Miami Senior High School. The young women also met with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. David Rivera, R-Fla., whose office took the lead working with federal immigration officials on her behalf. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, who wrote letters to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on their behalf, planned to meet with Pelaez and her sister on Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, asked the sisters to stop by his office, too.
------

Pelaez came to the United States at age 4 with her family from Colombia. Now she is something of a poster teen for the DREAM Act, which has languished in Congress, but would help people whose parents brought them to the country illegally when they were children. That legislation would help law-abiding young people stay in the country if they join the military or go to college. The legislation is largely opposed by the leading GOP presidential candidates. Although Rubio has called on other Republicans to moderate their rhetoric on immigration, he has declined to back the DREAM Act itself. He called the act as currently written "the wrong way to do the right thing."

(Wonder what he really means? It's nice to see that both Ds and Rs were working on her behalf.)

More at link....
 
Reader said:
I stopped reading the comments after this one:



I also think the Dream Act is a good thing and should be passed.
Click to expand...

SEE! I told you about how divided it really is down here and it gets nasty. I've actually seen worse said in person than what you quoted. Which is why I keep to myself and we don't go out very much anymore.

JMHO
 
Wise Old Owl said:
SEE! I told you about how divided it really is down here and it gets nasty. I've actually seen worse said in person than what you quoted. Which is why I keep to myself and we don't go out very much anymore.

JMHO
Click to expand...

Geez...I don't blame you! Come up to N. Fl....we have lots of country and open spaces...you won't have to stay cooped up...LOL...
 
Wise Old Owl said:
Ok - I am directly in the middle of this "conflict".

PLEASE DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER HERE - I am only relating opinions and thoughts that have come to me through neighbors, associates, friends, etc. (Plus if you would have read the comments from the article posted in the Sun Sentinel - you would see these opinons for yourself).

PEOPLE are saying that she should go home. Not only that, but that she should be made to repay her "free" education as she was here illegally. And some go as far as to say that she should not be valedictorian because of the "high moral standard" clause and "no criminal background" (being here illegally is a crime).

Then there are others here with children who are also high school seniors saying that she is taking a "spot" away from legal, hardworking Americans trying to get into colleges.

I agree that she was brought here as a child BUT she is now 18 and is (was) fully aware of her status - so why hasn't she tried to remedy this sooner? She applied for resident status in 2010 and was denied. Don't know why she was denied but she was.

Others say there are plenty of great medical schools in Columbia - why couldn't she attend one of those? After all her mother went back there for treatment of colon cancer.........

Please remember - I'm just repeating things that are being said here about this. This is a very touchy subject here as most of the people here are illegals so the media is very biased about this. But, my experience of living here and talking to the hard working residents say the opposite. Most jobs here are unattainable to residents because of the language barrier - you MUST be bilingual before you can even apply. Last I heard - English is our official language and, I would think, requiring someone to speak a different language really isn't fair.

I think its great that this girl is super smart and done well in school. But, that doesn't change the fact that she is here illegally and has known it for quite a few years. Wouldn't she be able to do great things for her native country?

Touchy subject down here.


JMHO
Click to expand...
<modsnip>
These children didn't have any choices. They were brought here by their parents. Why do you want to make them pay for something they didn't bring about? :banghead:
 
Wise Old Owl said:
Ok - I am directly in the middle of this "conflict".

PLEASE DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER HERE - I am only relating opinions and thoughts that have come to me through neighbors, associates, friends, etc. (Plus if you would have read the comments from the article posted in the Sun Sentinel - you would see these opinons for yourself).

PEOPLE are saying that she should go home. Not only that, but that she should be made to repay her "free" education as she was here illegally. And some go as far as to say that she should not be valedictorian because of the "high moral standard" clause and "no criminal background" (being here illegally is a crime).

Then there are others here with children who are also high school seniors saying that she is taking a "spot" away from legal, hardworking Americans trying to get into colleges.

I agree that she was brought here as a child BUT she is now 18 and is (was) fully aware of her status - so why hasn't she tried to remedy this sooner? She applied for resident status in 2010 and was denied. Don't know why she was denied but she was.Others say there are plenty of great medical schools in Columbia - why couldn't she attend one of those? After all her mother went back there for treatment of colon cancer.........

Please remember - I'm just repeating things that are being said here about this. This is a very touchy subject here as most of the people here are illegals so the media is very biased about this. But, my experience of living here and talking to the hard working residents say the opposite. Most jobs here are unattainable to residents because of the language barrier - you MUST be bilingual before you can even apply. Last I heard - English is our official language and, I would think, requiring someone to speak a different language really isn't fair.

I think its great that this girl is super smart and done well in school. But, that doesn't change the fact that she is here illegally and has known it for quite a few years. Wouldn't she be able to do great things for her native country?

Touchy subject down here.


JMHO
Click to expand...
She was 4 YEARS OLD! You want her to go back to a country she does not know and only lived in for 4 years? Really? This is her home, through no fault of her own! Come on!
 
ohiogirl said:
<modsnip>
These children didn't have any choices. They were brought here by their parents. Why do you want to make them pay for something they didn't bring about? :banghead:
Click to expand...

Well I do believe it. She's not 4 anymore, she can now take care of her self like the big girl she is and do the right thing by following the rules like we all do.

I am curious to know how much money people who support illegals make a year and how secure there jobs are.
 
leanaí;7671723 said:
Well I do believe it. She's not 4 anymore, she can now take care of her self like the big girl she is and do the right thing by following the rules like we all do.

I am curious to know how much money people who support illegals make a year and how secure there jobs are.
Click to expand...

This is about the most uncaring, sanctimonious belief that Americans perpetuate these days. You are illegal, it doesn't matter how you got to this point, send them back, to what? A country they have never lived in? To a life they have never lived? These children didn't ask for this! How can you sit here and insist they shoudl rectify something they have never had a say in?

<modsnip>
 
leanaí;7671723 said:
Well I do believe it. She's not 4 anymore, she can now take care of her self like the big girl she is and do the right thing by following the rules like we all do.

I am curious to know how much money people who support illegals make a year and how secure there jobs are.
Click to expand...

Really? How secure their jobs are? <modsnip>
 
I have to admit I am really torn on this one.

This woman was only 4 years old when she moved to the States. Obviously her parents should be held responsible for her illegal entry.

So why was her father issued residency?

I feel the children are truly innocent in all of this but illegal immigration really rubs me wrong. I moved to the UK a few years ago and in doing so wiped out my and my husband's savings as well as putting us in debt for years to come. I can't remember exactly how much in total but it was well over $20,000 - a large chunk of that was towards legal fees, airfare, and visa application fees for my children.

It just isn't fair that some people have to pay for the right to live elsewhere while others do not but I also don't believe children should be punished for their parent's mistakes either.
 
ohiogirl said:
This is about the most uncaring, sanctimonious belief that Americans perpetuate these days. You are illegal, it doesn't matter how you got to this point, send them back, to what? A country they have never lived in? To a life they have never lived? These children didn't ask for this! How can you sit here and insist they shoudl rectify something they have never had a say in?

<modsnip>
Click to expand...

She is an adult now not a child. She should have worked harder to fix her problem before turning 18. I have no problem with a child staying here who was brought here illegaly, but they better work hard on becoming legal before they turn 18 or so long.


You must be well off, have a secure job, be an illegal yourself and/or not give a damn about kids who are born here who live all there lives working hard only to have it given away to an illegal.

<modsnip>
 
leanaí;7672354 said:
You must be well off, have a secure job, be an illegal yourself and/or not give a damn about kids who are born here who live all there lives working hard only to have it given away to an illegal
Click to expand...

What is being "given away"?
 
Is there a finite amount of education to go around? :waitasec:

And we are talking about minors here - can we actually say that they are taking jobs from adult citizens?
 
Gardenlady said:
Is there a finite amount of education to go around? :waitasec:

And we are talking about minors here - can we actually say that they are taking jobs from adult citizens?
Click to expand...

Yes and yes.

No we are talking about an 18 year old adult.
 
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