my sister wants to sneak a child over the border??

Question

She is a 3rd year law student - only a few more months until she graduates with high marks. She has been involved with a group of law students that helps immigrants, they do pro bono work for immigrants legal or not. So she started dating this guy who wants to bring over his 12-yr old daughter. This girl is being raised by her grandmother who is sick & can't take care of her anymore. She wants to live w/ her dad and attend school in the US. So he is pressuring my sister to drive to Mexico, pick up the kid, & drive her across the border with false papers. I think he is using her (since she has a passport, valid drivers license) rather than paying a coyote. So I want to know what are the reprecussions for transporting an illegal child across the border? Can she go to jail? I am certain she won't be able to practice law. I would like to scare her into NOT doing this, she thinks she is living in a bubble world and can't be touched..this guy has convinced her it's the "just" thing to do!!

he tells her all the time he would go get her but he can't because he's illegal too. he is even offering her $$$ to go get her (but far less than he'd pay the coyote I'm sure)

she is a law student at American University Washington College of Law the group is called Caircoalition

margret - i would not want to endanger the child's life of course. it is not her fault her dad is in the US. some coyotes are ok others are ruthless, like if a kid falls behind they will just leave them in the desert. i feel bad for the girl but my sister should not be involved in this, period!

Answer 1

She can get arrested. She can go to jail. If she was an actual law student she would know that.

Answer 2

You are in favor of him paying a coyote? Seems like you are. This is child endangerment, to say the least. HE should go to Mexico and try to do this, and then let him get caught, and go to jail. If he was really concerned about his child, he would find a way to get the child here legally, unless he is illegal, so deport him right away. Let him take care of his kid in Mexico. Your sister is a fool, and you are aiding and abetting as well.

Hard to believe she is a law student if she doesn't know the law. Anyway, it sure sounds like he is illegally here, if he can't bring his child over legally. Scare her into getting rid of this guy. If she is really involved with this group, then why doesn't she help him to become legal?

Answer 3

She is an idiot.

I've heard of two separate cases where citizens 'helped' parents here by saying the child they were bringing across was their own and ended up with 5 year jail terms, just in the last few months. I'm sure there were more.

Forget that for a moment.

Do you think she will ever practice law in any state after being convicted of human smuggling?

"Since 2003, when the new policy was instituted, federal attorneys in Arizona have prosecuted more than 140 child-smuggling cases and sought mandatory prison sentences. They also have pushed to strip smugglers with green cards of their legal status and deport them. Prosecutors hope the crackdown will send a message.

"Most of the women who do this are very sympathetic, but the crime is very serious," Tsethlikai said.


Illegal passage


Here's how the plan works: A relative of the children or a member of a smuggling organization will pay a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident anywhere from $100 to $800 to bring a child into the country, usually by falsely claiming to be the child's parent at a port of entry.

The person bringing the child across typically is a Hispanic woman.

"Usually you want to look the part," Tsethlikai said.

To bring the children across, the woman will use the birth certificates or other documents of her own children, or bogus documents, then attempt to walk or drive through a port of entry.

But the smugglers don't always try to bring the children across the border in plain sight, using such documentation. Children also have been found hidden inside piñatas and concealed behind car panels.

Once across, the children often are handed over to strangers at parks, stores, gas stations and shopping malls.

The children span all ages.

"We've seen babies as little as 1 or 2 years old," Tsethlikai said. "Often, (the children) have been drugged so they are sleepy. We can't wake them up. Later, the (smugglers) will admit they gave them Benadryl," an over-the-counter antihistamine and sedative.

At first, most of the women hired to bring children across came from border towns. But lately, officials have seen more women from Phoenix driving to Mexico to bring children across. That suggests organized smuggling rings have become involved, although prosecutors have not been able to link any of the women caught bringing children into the country illegally with larger networks, Tsethlikai said.


Increased risk


Aguirre knew she was breaking the law when she agreed to bring the two Mexican children, ages 3 and 5, into the U.S. illegally, her Tucson lawyer, Rubin Salter Jr., said. But she didn't know how severe the punishment could be.

"She did not know it was mandatory prison time," Salter said.

He said Aguirre's main motivation was not money.

"She wanted to help them. She could not imagine these children walking through the desert for several hours," he said."

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0326childsmuggling0321.html

Answer 4

I am familiar with the CAIR people and your sister has her head in the clouds. Yes there is something to be said for ideals but the real world intrudes. This boyfriend would have her under the barrel foreve

Now you could explain this endlessly to her. But there comes a time when you have to make the call for those you care for and family. It will be painfull and she will hate you but in the end all will be well.

She could appease you and say that she will not do it but then may do so anyway. Now you could threaten her but by then the deed could be done. So you have to go right to it so even though she will be mad... she will be safe.

Call and tell her that you will call Homeland/ICE in a heartbeat and that's that. If she manages to carry it through you will do so as well. She will have much to say but step away. Once she relays that to the boyfriend he will obviously scoot.

Personally if it was my sister or daughter I would make the call to get the guy turned in and be done w. it. Better to do that than deal w. the later.

Answer 5

She should not risk her future because of what an illegal wants. She should call ICE and turn him in. What will he be teaching the child by showing her his illegal ways. There are so many children who are legal citizens in the country that could use the help of organizations. Your sister should point out that helping criminals is not the way to go. She should get her fellow "law" students to aim their support to legal citizens and law abiding citizens. If this guy is any father at all he will return to his country to take care of his daughter and his grandmother and if he truly wants to be a citizen he will go thru the proper legalization process. Your sister should encourage him to do this.

Your sister sounds like an intelligent person. You need to help to convince her that her "boyfriend" is not a good choice. It says a lot about a man who would leave a child in another country to be raised by a sick grandmother. Someone who truly loves you would not want you to risk your own future for their own wants and gains. She can find a much better "boyfriend" one who truly cares about her. You need to help her understand this.

Answer 6

Sounds like your sister is gah-gah in love with this illegal and thinks that she's going to be Rosa Parks, or Joan of Arc, or some other feminine heroine and bring the little bebe to her papa. Well, it's just as likely that she'll be feeling like a martyr in jail when the police catch her. Or she'll feel like a rape victim when she discovers that Illegal Man takes his daughter, and sashays away to "do" another gullible American woman for as much as he can get out of her.

The child has no other relative in all of Mexico? The man can't go back and help the grandmother? Where is the mother? The other three grandparents? The uncles, aunts, cousins, the whole extended family? No, the only solution he sees is for your dumb sister to risk her entire future.

That doesn't sound like love to me. It doesn't even sound like respect.

Answer 7

Isn't it a bit scary to think that a third year law student with high marks could be this unaware of the law? As so many others have pointed out, she could get into serious trouble - jail, not to mention the trouble she'd face should she decide to travel outside the U. S. again. That record would haunt her in so many ways. The child is his. Let him take care of her and deal with whatever consequences come his way. That may sound heartless, but not nearly as heartless as he is in expecting her to risk losing her career and possibly facing jail for something that is his responsibility to deal with.

Answer 8

Though your sister means well..and I honestly DO feel bad saying this...but she SHOULDN'T do anything in regards to bringing that child into the U.S. Border patrols have really tightened their rules, and the "false papers" will probably get your sister thrown in Federal Prison. She should also think about WHY the man she's dating is..well...DATING HER. It may just be because he knows that she's "soft" for their cause..and he can schmooze his way into getting her to help him out. I doubt he'd even care if your sister got arrested..just as long as he had his daughter. Seriously, she should stay away from this guy. It sucks for the kid..but its just not worth your sister going to prison.

ALSO! As a law student..she should already realize the implications here. Afterall..thats what she's spent several years of her life studying. Its just not worth risking her future career and freedoms.

Answer 9

That's a really bad idea. Any "law student" should know better. Clearly, if she's even considering this, she has no business becoming an officer of the court. She would be well advised to ditch this illegal jackass and re-asses her priorties. I personally would turn her in so fast it'd make your head spin.

Answer 10

She could go to jail.. Hopefully you can convince her not to do it. I can't imagine what kind of boyfriend would expect someone to do this for them. He should just go back to Mexico... I know that sounds cold hearted but, I know theres not many jobs there and its tough to make a living. However it's better than risking your child's safety or the future of someone you love.

Answer 11

My heart bleeds.
/sarcasm

remind your sister that Aiding and Abetting is a CRIME, she CAN in fact, go to jail for this. She might become ineligible to take the Bar exam, thus stopping her from becoming a full-fledged lawyer.

Remind her that Law comes before Justice.