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Ear to the Ground

Immigration Dept. Deports Americans

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Posted on Jan 24, 2008

Despite his Southern accent and the conclusions of a court to the contrary, officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement managed to convince themselves that Thomas Warziniack was born in Russia. So they detained and planned to deport him. He is just one of hundreds of victims caught up in an unforgiving bureaucracy who beg, often without recourse, to be taken seriously.

It took McClatchy’s Washington bureau just minutes to confirm Warziniack’s citizenship. And when immigration prosecutors were presented with his birth certificate, they insisted on an additional week of detention in order to have time to verify the document.

But at least he was spared deportation. Some American citizens haven’t been so lucky.


McClatchy:

Proving citizenship is especially difficult for the poor, mentally ill, disabled or anyone who has trouble getting a copy of his or her birth certificate while behind bars.

Pedro Guzman, a mentally disabled U.S. citizen who was born in Los Angeles, was serving a 120-day sentence for trespassing last year when he was shipped off to Mexico. Guzman was found three months later trying to return home. Although federal government attorneys have acknowledged that Guzman was a citizen, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Thursday that her agency still questions the validity of his birth certificate.

Last March, ICE agents in San Francisco detained Kebin Reyes, a 6-year-old boy who was born in the U.S., for 10 hours after his father was picked up in a sweep. His father says he wasn’t permitted to call relatives who could care for his son, although ICE denies turning down the request.

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By ladyshiner, January 27, 2008 at 3:34 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

The story about Warziniack is true, due to the fact that I am one of his sisters that had to fight for his right.  And ICE was not going to release him until we actually had to contact 2 senators to get their help in the situation. It is sad that things like this can happen to Americans and that most of their familys do not know it even happened to them. Due to the fact that they can not contact them. If it wasn’t for Mcclatchy News we would never of known this was happening to our brother.

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By DennisD, January 26, 2008 at 5:26 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I thought the government policy wasn’t to deport anyone willing to work for less than the minimum wage and give all mentally incompetent people jobs in the White House.

When he starts changing things after 7 years - it’s no surprise that ICE is confused.

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By GW=MCHammered, January 26, 2008 at 3:04 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

But are these people really deported? Because last I saw, the Mexican border was fast approaching southern Oregon.

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By Paracelsus, January 25, 2008 at 4:02 pm Link to this comment

When people have legitimate gripes about illegal aliens, the system defeats enforcement by contrived incompetence.

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By Conservative Yankee, January 25, 2008 at 7:08 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Is that like “Love it or leave” ???

I’m really getting to like this website!

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By Tim Fuller, January 25, 2008 at 6:01 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I thought you guys threw your rightwing bums out with the last election?
Enjoy.

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By Expat, January 25, 2008 at 4:38 am Link to this comment

Since we are trying to ensure we only have genuine Americans in America we should do as follows:
Start background checks on all US citizens, immediately.  All families who can’t prove they were here before, say 1622, would be deported immediately, however if you can document physical presence, lets say before, oh, 1898 then we will give you a special rider so you can immediately apply for citizenship with a guarantee you will be considered within 30 days as long as you apply from some foreign country (not the U.S.).  Your property rights would be assured for this time only.  Further, if you are not a white Anglo-Saxon protestant, you will be deported immediately.  Okay, okay, I know, what about the Native Americans?  This is easy; deport them as well until such time they can prove their ancestry (you know, Apache, Navaho, Sioux, etc.).  I think it’s time we recognized that whoever said the phrase “give us your poor, you’re weary, etc., etc.”, was a whacko.  It’s high time we took control of this situation in a decisive way and showed the world our true leadership and compassion.  Given I can prove residency before 1622; I would be willing to help in any way I can to ensure the fairness and efficacy of this program.
Peace, compassion, and goodwill to all.

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By Douglas Chalmers, January 25, 2008 at 2:59 am Link to this comment

“It becomes your word against the government’s, even when you know and insist that you’re a U.S. citizen,” Siulc said. “Your word doesn’t always count, and the government doesn’t always investigate fully.”: Marisa Taylor | McClatchy Newspapers

What this means is that, if you are not an Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Celtic WASP and especially if you aren’t white, you are still being treated as an outsider, an “auslander”.

That is, the fuckin’ cowboy and his clique now reign supreme in Washington and everywhere. Even the black police and security guards will trash you as a joke, uhh.

It also has been happening in other predominantly Anglo-Saxon countries in recent years, especially Australia, which is also a white “settler society”.

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By Archie1954, January 24, 2008 at 10:09 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I don’t know but maybe these people would actually be a lot better off in whatever country they are deported to. At least they wouldn’t have to prove citizenship since no-one and I mean no-one would ever dare question the word of the U.S.of A.

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By Jeff, January 24, 2008 at 10:00 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Yes, actually, it is.  If you don’t like it, do something constructive to make it better, or go find a place that you consider superior.

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By LonewackoDotCom, January 24, 2008 at 9:48 pm Link to this comment

*cough* edge cases highlighted in a story probably initiated by immigration lawyers or others who want to profit from loose borders by making enforcement more difficult *cough*

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By rowdy, January 24, 2008 at 9:41 pm Link to this comment

isn’t this a great fucking country.

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