Velazquillo, who graduated from South Mecklenburg High, was featured in a recent Observer story on young people like himself who are part of a national push by young people to the front of immigration reform.
Velazquillo was arrested in October. The charges: failing to dim his headlights and driving without a valid license. The group is asking for the public’s help to petition lawmakers to have Velazquillo’s case deferred. He says his last court hearing is on July 19, when an immigration judge will decided whether he should be deported. The group will also be calling for passage of "the Dream Act," a legal change that would make it easier for young people to become U.S. citizens if they attend college or join the military.
Opponents of the Dream Act say students like Velazquillo should be confronting their parents instead of making demands on the American people.
"Every illegal immigrant who gets into college here is going to displace a U.S. citizen because there are not enough seats," said Ron Woodard, head of NC Listen, which advocates for greater immigration enforcement. "The right thing to do is not disenfranchise an American citizen."
The vigil will begin at 6 p.m. at St. Peter's Church on South Tryon Street. For more information on the vigil, call 704-281-9911.
Photo: Angelica Velazquillo and her brother, Erick. In the U.S. since he was 2, he faces deportation for a traffic violation. Kevin Ziechmann - kziechmann@charlotteobserver.com
Another criminal caught...boo hoo
ReplyDeleteFirst off...
ReplyDelete"CPCC student facing deportation will honored at vigil" ???
Come on, a high school newspaper editor would have caught this one...
"CPCC student facing deportation will BE honored at vigil" There you go, I FTFY.
And second, send Erick and the rest of the lot of them packing back to their country of birth. What part of the term "ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT" is so hard to figure out?
I'm tired of these type of stories, I truly am. How about writing a story about someone like myself?
Four years ago I spent 1.5 years of waiting for replies, filling out paperwork and interviewing with the federal government to get my wife a LEGAL green card so she could stay in this country with me (her husband - a LEGAL US citizen) and not be sent back to her home country in Europe. I also spent thousands of dollars in fees to make all that happen....they don't do it for free!!!
How about writing a story like that? You know....a story about what these people SHOULD BE doing to stay here LEGALLY.
h2othf,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. Sorry about the missing word. I'm human.
As for your case, I'd be interested in learning more. You're right. It's amazing how difficult it can be for some families to reunite.
Why don't you give me a call at 704-358-6180 or drop me an email at fordonez@charlotteobserver.com with more of the details.
Thanks again for writing...
Photo: Angelica Velazquillo and her brother, Erick. In the U.S. since he was 2, he faces deportation for a traffic violation. Kevin Ziechmann - kziechmann@charlotteobserver.com
ReplyDeleteNo, he faces deportation for being an illegal alien. He was only caught because of the traffic violation.
Franco, can you ask him if he has registered for the draft, or is he also a felon for failing to do so?
I too spent lots of money and time getting my wife naturalized as a citizen, why not a story about people like us that do it the LEGAL way?
ReplyDeleteStories like this just encourage criminals, and yes, they and their parents are criminals!
I married someone from the Caribbean in 2007 after we spent a lot of money and spent time waiting. I know how difficult it is to come here legally. That doesn't mean I automatically want someone who was brought here as a toddler deported. The Dream Act is just a start. Of course we need to work on immigration issues, but I don't understand why this issues brings out the worst in certain people. What in this article could cause someone to write a comment bad enough to need to be deleted? How is that helping anything?
ReplyDeleteI, a naturalized US citizen that camere here legally at age 9, 20-year US Army veteran, taxpayer, homeowner, etc. could not receive in-state college tuition for my daughter, a dual, US-German citizen. The rationale that they (Colorado)used was that my daughter had never attended or graduated from a US high school. So, by saving the US taxpayers $$ by sending my daughter to school outside the USA I was punished and did not receive the same consideration that many illegals either get or are arguing for. PS-my parents left me with my grandmother for 4 years and spent thousands to bring the family here legally. I'll be happy to give you my story, also.
ReplyDeleteSo what will be honored, precisely? The accomplishments this country has allowed him to achieve despite the illegality of his residence here?
ReplyDeleteHe may be an illegal immigrant in the US, but that wasn't his choice. I've met some students with the same situation and they have lived all their lives in the US and some of them don't even their native language. Leaving the US for them is leaving their homes and families, something that is hard to do especially when you know that there is a chance that you won't be admitted back in the US.
ReplyDelete@Zambini who do you think you are? treating them of criminals? People like you should be ashamed of themselves!! Go read the american history and see how did your ancestors took the land from the natives! Following your logic you would are a criminal as well!
@Uwe Mueller, I don't understand your story... did your daughter go to school at all in the United States before applying to college or used her dual-citizenship as an excuse in some way? I am also a dual-citizen, but had no issue getting in-state tuition in North Carolina; however I have lived in NC for quite a while by that point and did go to a local High School too.
ReplyDeleteAs for the article itself, I still have no sympathy for him. I cannot go to Mexico illegally and except to live, work, or get an education without some sort of papers... this is also true for many countries in the world. He at least got a U.S. education, so he should do very well on the Greed Card test; which is something he should have been going after all this time than simply hoping for a free pass.
I am an AMERICAN CITIZEN>>> I married a Canadian who lied to me
ReplyDeleteabout being a Citizen and who the
day after being married produced
"Sponsorship"papers and told me to
sign them. I did because we were
married... BE AWARE ALL AMERICAN
born Citizens... The easiest way for an ILLEGAL to get Citizenship is through marriage. You will be legally and FINANCIALLY responsible
for this person for the next 10 yrs of your life... even if they
divorce you... The AMERICAN Citizen
loses all rights for protection and
the Imigrant gains all rights. Check for a birth Cerificate. This
country is still the best in the world and people will do ANYTHING
to get into it.......
Honored!!!! WHY.
ReplyDeleteHonored for what?
ReplyDeleteSince he was brought to the U.S. by his parents when he was 2, his parents were criminals, but clearly he was too young to be a party to the crime.
ReplyDeleteMaybe his parents did inform him of their status, but that is not necessarily the case. Certainly, they should be deported swiftly. The cases of the children are somewhat more complicated.
TO: h2othf and all the others who posted all they paid and did to come her legally:
ReplyDeleteThank You and welcome!
To those who choose to break the laws and be here Illegally....BYE!