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Is It News or Recent Historical Fiction?

Facts on Five Immigration Cases in the News

By Lourdes Josephina VitasPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Recent Immigration Stories with Saga in the Headlines. Yet, under scrutiny, the cases may not be so dramatic. What the details of the case say versus how the media positions the plight of those who are fighting to stay in America.

Is it news or recent historical fiction?

Immigration is center stage. From DACA, sanctuary cities, executive orders, and of course, ICE and the border. Nothing gets both sides of the debate as fired up as ICE.

As California heads for a a showdown with the Trump Administration as a sanctuary state, other immigration controversies are making waves throughout the country. In the last two months, certain immigration stories have received national coverage. Headlines retweeted across social media, op-eds, commenting left, right, and center, nearly everyone is reacting with passionate statements about all things ICE.

Attention grabbing headlines certainly boost page views online or print sales. Readers expect the legacy media, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, New York Times, etc. to be telling the whole story. Or do they?

Beneath the surface, some of the news stories that captured public sentiment, aren't quite so epic. At first glance, a story that seemed to be a true saga isn't one. What seemed like a chronicle of an immigrant caught in the Trump Administration border wall project is more a legal hijinx of their own creation. The law is about consequences. People make choices and end up with legal outcomes they don't want.

The fact is, law and order rests on what can be proven. It's not a perfect system, yet it's a system codified and written out. The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) is a public document. Knowledge is power. Not knowing is never a defense.

Facts tell the whole story. All it takes is googling the digital commons of the nearest top-tier law school library near you.

In the immigration debate there have been a few well covered stories on the plight of immigrants facing deportation. Separating fact from fiction is not that difficult, even if the mainstream news doesn’t include key details that change the story in an instant.

MYTH: Immigrant activist Rajiv Ragbir in New York is being targeted for speaking out against Trump’s immigration policies.

FACT: Ragbir has been fighting deportation since 2006. His Green Card was jeopardized after serving five years in federal prison for financial fraud.

MYTH: ICE is deporting a veteran after serving two tours of duty. It’s inhumane.

FACT: Veteran slated for deportation came to the US at age eight. Why didn't he naturalize at age 13? His Green Card was jeopardized after selling drugs in the military and then to an undercover officer.

MYTH: ICE sent an immigrant back to his native country after almost 40 years. They want to break up families.

FACT: Businessman deported after 40 years had a first wife who made allegations of immigration marriage fraud. She has recanted but it was too late. Complicated.

MYTH: ICE arrested a Kansas educator as he was taking his daughter to school.

FACT: Kansas chemistry teacher at risk for deportation after 30 years because he came to the U.S. on a student visa and overstayed. Violating one visa makes obtaining another one next to impossible.

MYTH: CBP is racially profiling Americans and violating 4th Amendment Rights against random stops and searches.

FACT: CBP is looking for illegal aliens, NOT US citizens. The 4th Amendment doesn't apply to non US citizens.

And Besides...

Customs and Border Patrol Officers have always had the right to do this within 100 miles of the US Shoreline. It's not overstepping authority.

fact or fiction
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About the Creator

Lourdes Josephina Vitas

California Conservative who prefers a Governor Reagan type in Sacramento. Reads good books, travel bug, learning Spanish, pet parent. History is a hobby. Mysteries and Detective films top choice, polyglot with Masters in Industrial Psych.

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