Opinion Editorials, June 29, 2007
June 2007 Opinion Editorial Links
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For God's Sake, Don't Deport Mrs. Jimenez!
By Mahmoud El-Yousseph
ccun.org, June 29,2007
I felt very sad and angry after reading the story of 23
year-old Yardlin Jimenez of the Domincan Republic. She is a subject for
deportation because she entered the US illegally back in 2001.
The sad story is that her husband, Specialist Alex
Jimenez, 25, has been listed as missing in action in Iraq
since May 12th. He was one of three U.S. soldiers captured in Iraq's
notorious "Triangle of Death." Alex applied for a green
card for his wife several years ago. The government found out that
his wife entered the country illegally, and wants her expelled.
The fact that she was illegal is irrelevant. It would
be the same for me if my car insurance or registation lapsed. If for a
while , I was driving my car illegally- but never caught-then bought
insurance and registered my car, I would then be "legal"
and my prior illegality would not be held against me.
Given the fact of the extenuating circumstances of her
husband, deporting Mrs. Jimenez at this juncture would be a cruel and
inhumane act. It would render the "support our troops" slogan
meaningless. If any illegal alien deserves amnesty in this country, Mrs.
Jimenez should be the top choice.
In the past, America showed its gratitude to foreign
nationals who risked their lives by helping the U.S. and its citizens, by
granting them legal residency status. Case in point:
In late 1980s, the U.S. granted residency status
to a Lebanese citizen and his entire family for helping Federal
agents capturing a TWA hijacker overseas. The hijacker was lured into
a boat ride from Beirut
to Laranca, Cyprus.
In 2003, as U.S. forces were marching toward Baghdad ,
an Iraqi nurse who helped care for Private Jessica Lynch in a
hospital, donated her own blood to save Jessica's life, and tipped U.S.
troops twice to come and pick Jessica up. The nurse was later whisked to
Kuwait
with her husband and eventually came to live in the U.S.A.
Support our troops means you honor those who risked
their lives for the safety and defense of America, look after their loved
ones, and give them the protection and moral support they need and
deserve.
As a veteran and a father of a U.S. soldier who
served in Iraq, my
heart goes to Mrs. Jimenez. For God's sake, don't deport Mrs. Jimenez
! Let her stay.
Mahmoud El-Yousseph
TSGT-USA [Ret.]
Readers Feedback: elyousseph6@yahoo.com
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