Using the "A" Word

I don't know what I think this means just yet, but I opened up my Google news alerts folder this morning and several articles jumped out at me because they actually used the "A" word in the title. That's right folks -- amnesty.

Source: LA Times

L.A. March Presses for Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
Participants call attention to the plight of women separated from families by deportation.
By Rong-Gong Lin II and Ted Rohrlich, Times Staff WritersSeptember 3, 2006

More than 1,000 marchers took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to call for a general amnesty for illegal immigrants and highlight the troubles of women facing deportation.

For months now this has been the demand that dare not speak its name. Politicians have been frantically dividing their time between crafting amnesty legislation and insisting to the public that it isn't amnesty.

Chicago's own illegal alien du jour, Elvira Arellano, has become the poster child for those who like to claim that America is separating families, rather than facing up to the fact that parents who choose to break the law by coming here illegally are setting themselves and their families up for heartbreak down the road.

"We're here for Elvira," said truck driver Trini Quezada, 48, who related that he has been in the country illegally for 32 years.

Yes, the bolding is mine. 32 years??? This guy had the chance for amnesty back in '86. He was 28 years old and had "only" been here illegally for 12 years way back in the day. He doesn't want to be a citizen...he's chosen to stay here illegally, reaping the benefits of living in this country without taking the responsibility. Get his ass outta here, already!

But while many of the marchers were concerned about the prospects of being separated from their families, Salvador Hernandez was dealing with the reality.

Hernandez, a U.S. citizen born in Mexico, has been separated for more than two years from his Argentine-born wife, who overstayed her visitor's visa and was sent to Argentina to apply for legal entry to the U.S.

Salvador Hernandez said she remains there with their 3-year-old daughter because her paperwork has disappeared in the U.S. government bureaucracy.

He carried a sign that said, "Help Me Reunify My Family."

I hate to break the news to you, Salvador, but marching for amnesty is the last thing you should be doing right now. Amnesty would apply to those currently residing here. Your wife is in Argentina.

I wonder how much longer the U.S. government bureaucracy will take to process her paperwork when they are deluged with millions of applications for amnesty?

Technorati Tags
Illegal Immigration * Illegal Alien * Amnesty * Elvira Arellano