Deportation of decent Filipino couple for paper mistakes?

Question

Please click the link below and tell me what you think. Do you agree with the decision or not?

http://www.cnhi.com/cnhinsstories/editorspicks_story_319230514.html

I think they would have no problem in regards of a job. He is a doctor and she is nurse, maybe doctor?, and a business woman. The only problem is that their family: children, ill parents who need to be taken care of. The family who left behind in U.S. that's what makes it so sad.

I don't know these people, I just saw the news online.

Answer 1

While the situation looks sad, what you have to consider is their intent to lie to the immigration officials. They were approved as 2nd preference immigrants, single children of citizens/lawful permanent residents. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that when you are approved as that preference, you should keep that status until you go to the U.S. My brother and I were also approved for 2nd preference. My brother got married and informed the U.S. Embassy in Manila of the change in his status. My brother is not a physician, yet he knew that he should report that change in status. I stayed single, so I was able to immigrate (my brother was not able to). Before anyone concludes it was a paperwork error, let me tell you this about the first time you enter the U.S. as an immigrant. At the port of entry, you are asked several questions. Among those questions are: Have you ever been married? Have you ever had any children? If your answer to both questions is "No," you are made to write the statements: "I have never been married." "I have never had any children." Because of this procedure, I am skeptical when it comes to the media claim that there was a 'paperwork error' or 'clerical error.' Nobody made an error here. The couple deliberately lied to immigration officials. Everyone sympathizes with the family members and rightfully so. The couple did this to their relatives. If you watch those commercials about insurance fraud on T.V., this case is no different. There was fraud involved. As one who came in legally and became a citizen, I have to say that they should be deported; otherwise, what do you say to those professionals who waited for fifteen years to come to the U.S., are unable to practice their professions (they are already retirement age) and end up getting jobs as security guards, receptionists, grocery crew, etc. instead of the high-paying professional careers?

Answer 2

There are several categories of immigrant visa. It is much faster for the unmarried child of a US resident to get a visa than for one that is married - check the visa bulletin:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bullet...

This couple married before the visas were issued, so they were no longer eligible for visas as unmarried children of residents. Correctly, they should have done what honest intending immigrants do - they should have informed INS and fallen to the next category of immigrant. Instead they did what many others do - they concealed the truth (this is also known as lying) to get to the US sooner. This was not a "paper mistake." It was fraud.

And by the way, as George mentioned, the story states clearly that they were caught in 1990 and have been fighting deportation for 17 years. So they have hardly been "decent" residents since 1980, have they? They have tried everything possible to stay, and failed because their original entries were fraudulent, and deliberately fraudulent at that, no doubt.

Answer 3

Well, part of the story here is that they've been fighting deportation for the past 17 years. They could have take the original decision and gone home but chose to fight. Now that they've played out ever conceivable appeal, they should be allowed to stay because they've been here so long? There was a time when that might have happened. Pre-96, if you were here for over 7 years and ordered deported, you could be considered very easily for suspension of deportation, but the law changed and now you have to show that you have an American citizen spouse or child who would be at serious risk if they were to go to your home country. Hard to do, if you're from the Philippines. Ah well.

Answer 4

George and Dognhorsemom are correct. This isn't a "mistake." It's called visa fraud. They knew they were married and they knew they weren't eligible for the visas that they were issued.

This type of fraud is very common. If they had told the truth it would have delayed their immigration to the USA by about a year, but no, they lied. I lived in the Philippines for almost 7 years and I've been married to a Filipina for 29 years. It's a cultural thing... you do whatever it takes to get ahead.

Answer 5

i agree with dog it is easier to come to immigrate to the U.S. as a single person and whether it was not an error "i did not do it does not suffice". why should they have been moved to the front of the line in front of those who remained single to expedite there entry to the U.S. sometimes at the expense of their youth making it harder for them to get married. i think they took a calculated chance (i do not believe it was an error) and they lost.

Answer 6

There are paper mistakes.. and there are paper mistakes. Your friends must have made a huge one because paper mistakes are not a cause for deportations.

Answer 7

That is honestly a ridiculous story. No one who has done so much good for this country should be deported, PARTICULARLY for such a small, insignificant mistake. There are lazy Americans in this country, who try to dodge work, who drop out of high school and/or college, who are ignorant and judgmental, who wouldn't help a soul, much less become a doctor, if you paid them to. Then, there are SOME hardworking immigrants, who deserve the better life America has to offer, and, additionally, America deserves the better services to our country that they have to offer. I don't agree with ILLEGAL immigration, but LEGAL immigration has proven, time and time again, to better America's economy, society, and values as a whole. Anyone who honestly believes these individuals should be deported have lost their minds - and probably haven't contributed to society HALF as much as they have.

P.S. It is quite possible for such small, minor mistakes to be overlooked - it happens every year with taxes, for example, when thousands of dollars that might be owed are overlooked, and, then, six or seven years later, the mistake is found during the IRS' ten year audits and the individual who made the mistake is expected to pay back the amount overlooked. Believe it - this country's internal bureaucracy is HUGE and mistakes happen on a daily basis.

Answer 8

Paperwork glitches cause a lot of problems. I knew one guy who cracked up when his paperwork got screwed up. Sad

Answer 9

Their is much here than is being told.The US system is not as heartless as painted to be.Lies were told and now have to be paid for no sympathy.

Answer 10

yes, i agree.....sob stories don't make me sob....

what makes me more curious is how the mistake came to be found????? after all these years????? something tells me there is more to the story than the press looked into....