home

Foreign-Born Widows Face Deportation

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 06:30:00 AM EST
Tags: immigrants, immigration reform (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

In 2004, Bush proclaimed himself to be a "compassionate conservative." Where's the compassion here?

Jacqueline Coats' husband drowned after he dove into a fierce Pacific Ocean riptide to rescue two boys. Now the immigrant from Kenya might be forced to leave the United States because he died before filing her residency application.

She is among more than 80 foreign-born widows across the nation who face possible deportation because their husbands died before immigration paperwork was approved.

A class-action suit for the women was filed yesterday. I hope they prevail. Also check out the website, Suriving Spouses Against Deportation.

< Is Dick Durbin Supporting Obama? | Inspector General is Investigating Alberto Gonzales >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Foreign-Born Widows Face Deportation | 15 comments (15 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Would this work?? (1.00 / 0) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 05:42:08 PM EST
    I would be all for immediate citizenship upon marriage... loss of said citizenship to occur upon divorce initated by the non-citizen within the first 120 months of marriage.

    Hang on-- (none / 0) (#1)
    by jr on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 02:21:27 AM EST
    A guy died after diving into a riptide to save two people from drowning, and we're going to deport his widow because his effin' paperwork wasn't finished before his incredible act of self-sacrifice?

    Okay, that's it.  I give up.  We need pitchforks, torches, and a castle to storm.  Who's with me?

    Did you read the article? (none / 0) (#4)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 11:48:37 AM EST
    Jacqueline Coats' deportation proceedings have been suspended while lawmakers consider the bill in Congress seeking residency on her behalf.


    Parent
    did you? (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Jen M on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 02:02:21 PM EST
    A group of California congressional lawmakers filed a bill in January asking the Congress to grant Coats legal status, but similar measures for other immigrants have seldom passed.

    Parent
    Fair enough, get out the pitchforks and torches (none / 0) (#7)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 02:21:40 PM EST
    on your hunch that something bad might happen in the future. You and our president have a lot in common.

    Parent
    this isnt the only woman (none / 0) (#9)
    by Jen M on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 02:32:41 PM EST
    in that boat. the article mentions quite a few.

    Parent
    Oy, The other women were not the subject of (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 03:19:49 PM EST
    the specific thread of comment(s) you chose to respond to.

    But feel free to change the subject if you like.

    Parent

    uh (none / 0) (#11)
    by Jen M on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 03:26:03 PM EST
    ok

    So the original post is off topic too?????

    Parent

    Totally on topic of the original post, of course, (none / 0) (#12)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 03:37:51 PM EST
    but also very much "moving the goalposts" w/in the specific comment thread you chose to join in and comment on. As you well know.

    Not an unusual tactic in the blogosphere, but, at the very least, as seen here, almost always counterproductive...

    Parent

    just (none / 0) (#13)
    by Jen M on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 04:26:32 PM EST
    running after the goalposts


    Parent
    Don't let the facts (none / 0) (#5)
    by Pancho on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 11:53:36 AM EST
    get in the way of hysterical outrage.

    Parent
    How many (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jen M on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 08:08:24 AM EST
    are widows of soldiers?

    "...use for a conscience..." (none / 0) (#8)
    by clio on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 02:30:43 PM EST
    That's easy:  nothing.

    Bush and his followers have no compassion or conscience.  Their only guide is self-interest and self-aggrandizement for which they will assume any attitude, profess any belief, and perform any action no matter how cruel, corrupt, deceitful, hypocritical or unconscionable.

    Should you doubt the completeness of their self-regard note how the "family-values" crowd treats their families.  The contempt Senators Craig and Vitter have shown for their wives and the shame and embarrassment they have caused their children and parents are recent examples.  Giuliani, Gingrich, Poppy Bush...the list is endless. [The Cheneys' public black out of their lesbian daughter while celebrating her sister's marriage and children is an egregious case.]  

    When they are not betraying their families they are abandoning "friends" who are no longer advantageous.  Senator Craig is but the latest example.  Rove's whole career is built on this "use 'em up and move on" method.

    Such people have no values or principles.  They see other people only as means to ends.  Caring for someone other than themselves is seen not only as a foreign concept but silly and distracting from their true goals as well.

    Aint rants great?? (1.00 / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 05:38:44 PM EST
    There, there..... feel better now??

    Parent
    Hard cases make bad law (none / 0) (#14)
    by diogenes on Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 11:31:12 PM EST
    How many foreign born widows had husbands who died heroically, and how many had husbands who died mundanely.
    If you think that this woman deserves special status, why not come right out and support granting permanent residency status immediately upon marriage, thus preventing this problem.  Although then I guess this begs the question of whether you would grant immediate permanent residence status upon gay marriage, engagement to be married, etc.

    Foreign-Born Widows Face Deportation | 15 comments (15 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment