Cupid's arrows bounce off immigration laws

By John Florez
Published: Monday, Feb. 11, 2008 12:18 a.m. MST
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I think Cupid ought to get a bow-hunting license, or at least new glasses, because when his arrows start flying, you never know where they are going to land, especially in this day and age. Cupid thinks love trumps everything — cultures, color, looks, customs and borders — but sometimes his mischief leads to heartache for families.

Today, we see the fourth generation catch the same "virus" their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents did — "the love bug." When and where it bites knows no boundaries. Look around. Kids today come in different colors, hues and cultures. For them, race is not the issue it was for many of us growing up. Cupid doesn't worry about what happens after humans are struck with the "love bug." Love knows no borders. And that's the way it is.

Many times after wars, soldiers have brought home foreign-born spouses. There was a time when an American marrying a person from another country practically assured the spouse American citizenship.

But in the aftermath of 9/11, many view noncitizens with suspicion. Still, many Americans continue to fall in love with and marry noncitizens. They have children, who are then American citizens. Yet, there are some who keep calling for the undocumented, otherwise law-abiding individual to go back to his/her native country — all this at the expense of tearing apart the family. Simply the rule of law — go back to where you came from. But what if it was one of your family members?

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For those who do not want to remain in the shadows, many will register with the government, which will eventually tell them to go back and get the proper paperwork, and then they can return. What they don't say is that it may take 10 years for them to be able to return.

Most of us have no idea what many of them have gone through to get here. These are families who live silently in fear, in the shadows of our neighborhood, workplaces, clubs and schools and may worship in the pew next to us; the result of the fear that has blanketed our nation over the social change brought about by globalization. These are heart-wrenching decisions people must make. The splitting up of families with children, because a citizen marries an undocumented person, is a most inhumane practice. How does returning one parent to a home country make life better for the family or for the American fiber? Meantime, what happens to the spouse and children of the family torn apart because one parent, whose only concern is to raise a responsible family, is ordered out of the country?

When our legislators violate the laws — be it ethics, gift-taking rules, campaign financing, business deals — we don't immediately call for them to be removed from office or thrown in jail. But, aren't we a nation of laws? Legislators need to apply that same standard as they keep debating immigration policies. Or, are they above the law? That's the part of "illegal" many of us don't understand.

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Recent comments

To "Sweet William" you remind me of an old Texas joke....

The Old Submariner | Feb. 13, 2008 at 12:25 a.m.

Mr Florez, this may come as a shock to you, but not everyone that...

Sweet William | Feb. 11, 2008 at 3:39 p.m.

Great to see a community coming together on so many different things...

united community | Feb. 11, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.