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David Stanley Ford

Families say they worry they will be torn apart
Families say they worry they will be torn apart

By Devona Walker    Comments Comment on this article35
Published: December 7, 2007

About 300 students and parents attended an immigration town hall meeting Thursday night at Santa Fe South Charter School, seeking clarity about new immigration laws.

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DID YOU KNOW?
HB 1804, the nation's toughest immigration enforcement legislation, went into effect Nov. 1. It denies drivers licenses and public services to illegal immigrants, requires all state agencies to verify citizenship of all new hires, and criminalizes transporting, harboring or concealing illegal immigrants.

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"There's a tremendous amount of fear among our students and among our parents,” said Santa Fe South High School Principal Chris Brewster. "Kids are scared, and some are facing very tragic episodes of racism because of the color of their skin or because of their accents.

About 80 percent of the student body at Santa Fe is Hispanic. Brewster says he has already seen a slight drop in the student body population directly due to House Bill 1804. He expects to see even fewer in the classrooms following Christmas break.

He knows of children who are picking up part-time jobs because their parents are not able to work. The staff at Santa Fe has counseled children in crisis due to the immigration status of their parents or extended family members.

"Being an educator, the deck is really stacked against us anyway,” Brewster said. "And now we have to spend so much time comforting and counseling the kids.”

‘Now, we are just scared'
Juan Flores, 15, his parents and three siblings came to Oklahoma illegally from Jalisco about four years ago. He knew his parents wanted their children to have a better life.

In Jalisco, his mother worked in the fields, picking crops. Here, his mother works for one of the largest corporations in the state and his father earns a decent salary in construction.

But since HB 1804, fear has essentially gripped the family.

"We came for a better life, and it was better,” said Flores, who was at the meeting. "But now, we are just scared. Oklahoma is closing all the doors because we are illegal. Work for my parents brings fear. They will not even let me go outside anymore. They are so scared someone is going to come take me.”

Three sisters in the audience were born in Oklahoma. Their parents, too, are here illegally. But shortly after their family established themselves here, some family members from Mexico came to join them.

"We wanted to know more about the new law because it's affecting a lot of Hispanic people. But the Hispanic people didn't come here to hurt anyone; they just come for a better life for their kids,” said 13-year-old Jessica Cornejo.

Dozens of members of the audience asked questions of a group of panelists that included two representatives from Oklahoma City Public Schools, two immigration attorneys who clarified the law and its implications as well as the head of an area nonprofit. The questions ran the gamut.

But the primary concern for many was summed up by the words of one of the panelists.

"Families are fearful their children will be taken away from them while they are being deported,” said Johnny Randall. "Then they will be torn between two countries.”

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David Stanley Ford





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Ariz. Immigration Law Challenge Tossed - By JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press Writer - Saturday, December 8, 2007 - Newsvine - PHOENIX (AP) -- A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit seeking to block a new Arizona law that prohibits people from hiring illegal immigrants and requires businesses to verify whether applicants are eligible for employment. The law takes effect Jan. 1.
J.T.(I), Norman - Dec 8, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Mexico did this to its people. Mexico continues to threaten us all if we don't accept these folks, and threaten to refuse to take those people if we attempt to return them.

And they are taking jobs that would got to Americans and pay living wages if they were not here. We are paying staggering welfare for those folks..the employer is the only one who benefits.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=16390
Joel, Prescott - Dec 8, 2007 at 8:55 am
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" 'But the Hispanic people didn't come here to hurt anyone; they just come for a better life for their kids,' said 13-year-old Jessica Cornejo." So it is OK, as long as the guy that breaks into your home and steals things that don't belong to him, doesn't have a weapon and doesn't intend on hurting anyone. After all, he is only doing his "job" (thief) to make life better for himself and his family. Right?
Larry, Oklahoma City - Dec 8, 2007 at 1:16 am
KURT: please explain why you seem to think the posts here are pathetic. Thanks!
Larry, Oklahoma City - Dec 8, 2007 at 1:10 am
Still pathetic.
Kurt, Midtown OKC - Dec 7, 2007 at 8:30 pm
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why Has Juan Flores and his family not been deported yet. It sounds to me that the school district is protecting these people just so they can keep federal dollors comming in. I have 0 simpathy for Juan or his familey and would be happy to see them deported and if it breaks up there familey oh well. If you ask me they are steeling from the tax payers and are as big of scum as a crook and no better. Comming here for a better life means nothing if you steel it and that is what they have done. To me the parents should be jailed for enrolling there illegal children in tax payed schools. These people and all others like them discust me.
David, murrieta - Dec 7, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Devona Walker, your articles have been increasingly one sided. From you, I have been reading about the problems from the new law. What about the benefits to our society of having only documented workers? I will be waiting for that story.
Blake, The Village - Dec 7, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Lawrence, the pond is to close to our border & in my OPINION (only) we should fill it with the biggest Gators we can find!!! As for the rest that get here by plane or boat, I do not have a quick answer for that other than the Feds need to do their job!!!
Jimmy, Sandy Shores - Dec 7, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Why don't they become legal residents or citizens? Especially when they start having children. Is OHLAP not just another form of welfare? Sneaking across the border, having children, having this country pay for them and their education is totally welfare. If they want a better life, they should come legally. Why is it so hard to come legally? Many immigrants from all over the world come legally.
Lawerence, Oklahoma City - Dec 7, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Jimmy, Sandy Shores - Dec 7, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Jimmy, Sandy Shores - Dec 7, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Rufus, you are a real piece of work. You are truly a member of the house staff.
Harvey, Oklahoma City - Dec 7, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Some of you all need a heart transplant because whatever is pumping the blood to your body isn't working right. I can't believe that anyone would ridicule and sadistically enjoy someone else's pain and misery. These are flesh and blood breathing human beings. I love my family and friends and you can bet that if I was ever in danger of losing any of them, I would move Heaven and Earth were it possible to keep from losing them. Do you all not understand that these people are living with a very real fear of the unknown? Is any of you alls children in Iraq? Have you ever been paralyzed by fear regarding your children? I have heard it said that if you want to strengthen your faith become a parent. That once your child is out the door, God and God alone protects them. I believe that this is the same almighty that will hear the prayers of the oppressed and act. Amen!
Harvey, Oklahoma City - Dec 7, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Michelle there is no way that anyone found out now after 18 years his Visa was fake. You have to renew your Visa every 5 or so years just like a Passport. So what has he been doing all that time? Just another excuse!! Again, IT IS NOT ABOUT HISPANICS, they are just the ones complaining!! I don't care where you come from, if you don't have permission to be here, you need to go back and ask for it!!!
K, Oklahoma City - Dec 7, 2007 at 12:54 pm
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Randy, Moore - Dec 7, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Oh, and 25% of the misery they inflict on American families, GONE!!!
Rufus, spencer - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:58 am
Shadelle, 1 out of 4 of persons in our prisons are illegals. Get rid of illegals, close the border and at least 25% of violent criminals are gone!, 25% of the costs of putting them through our legal system, GONE!! 25% of the costs of housing them in our prisons, GONE!!!.. get it!?!?!?
Rufus, spencer - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:57 am
"Families are fearful their children will be taken away from them while they are"....breaking the law. (Just had to correct the quote in the last paragraph.)
K.L., warr acres - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:56 am
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DOu you Think the Latinos is the only Problem for USA, the most PowerFull, Rich and Bigger country in the world. Look why there is a Shouting on Mall Omaha, that was made for an inmigrant? why the korean gay from Virgina Tech shoot at the school? Why somebody kill the Football player on Miami, I beleive that this is just other big problem for USA, but the problem by itsel is on the eyes of everyone, but nobody want to see it, all this shooting and killing was because of Drugs, this great country has a lot of money and unfortunatly a lot of big problems too. The comments for the shoting at the school was we need more security cameras, we need more metal detectors, etc. but nobody said nothing about the Guns, Here in USA is more easy to get a Guns, Drugs the a prescription for medicine at the pharmacy, a that wasn't caused by inmigrant. The inmigrant people pay taxes every time they receive his checks, when they buy gasoline, grocerys, food, drinks, dresses, house, car, etc. These people really work, they don't smoke, they don't talk by phone and they don't even take a break while working, they just want to work to get the money for his family. But here nobody see the big problem and everybody try to cover with a blanket, but the problem is there, and it will be until it has a solution from root, from the begining and not just tylenol to forget the problem for some minutes, Take a look and see Who work on costruction with very hot and cold weather? ask the contruction companies how are they handeling with this situation, ask the hotels, ask the restaurant, and not just talk because you have a mouth, check it and you going to find good and bad things about inmigrants, but at the end I beleive they have more good things than bad ones.
Shadelle, Oklahoma city - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:49 am
Shadelle, Most of the drugs in our country are smuggled through the border Via Mexico!!!!
Jimmy, Sandy Shores - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:30 am
DOu you Think the Latinos is the only Problem for USA, the most PowerFull, Rich and Bigger country in the world. Look why there is a Shouting on Mall Omaha, that was made for an inmigrant? why the korean gay from Virgina Tech shoot at the school? Why somebody kill the Football player on Miami, I beleive that this is just other big problem for USA, but the problem by itsel is on the eyes of everyone, but nobody want to see it, all this shooting and killing was because of Drugs, this great country has a lot of money and unfortunatly a lot of big problems too. The comments for the shoting at the school was we need more security cameras, we need more metal detectors, etc. but nobody said nothing about the Guns, Here in USA is more easy to get a Guns, Drugs the a prescription for medicine at the pharmacy, a that wasn't caused by inmigrant. The inmigrant people pay taxes every time they receive his checks, when they buy gasoline, grocerys, food, drinks, dresses, house, car, etc. These people really work, they don't smoke, they don't talk by phone and they don't even take a break while working, they just want to work to get the money for his family. But here nobody see the big problem and everybody try to cover with a blanket, but the problem is there, and it will be until it has a solution from root, from the begining and not just tylenol to forget the problem for some minutes, Take a look and see Who work on costruction with very hot and cold weather? ask the contruction companies how are they handeling with this situation, ask the hotels, ask the restaurant, and not just talk because you have a mouth, check it and you going to find good and bad things about inmigrants, but at the end I beleive they have more good things than bad ones.
Shadelle, Oklahoma city - Dec 7, 2007 at 11:24 am
I encourage you to read the story of corporate greed and the destruction of a town's way of life in Guymon. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989675,00.html
Rufus, spencer - Dec 7, 2007 at 10:59 am
Michelle, you take the children in so that they can finish school to qualify for OHLAP?? I think that would put you into the category of breaking up a family, these children need to be sent back with their parents & someone in Washington needs to get the 14th ammendment fixed. Why do you suppose this is the fastest growing school? Anyone with a brain can figure this one out.
Jimmy, Sandy Shores - Dec 7, 2007 at 10:50 am
Sorry illegals, go back where you came from and try it again the legal way. We cant come to your country without passports and proper id. etc, so you should have to do the same. We are not bein racist, it called OBEYING THE LAWS!!!!! Bye-Bye now illegals....
Denise, Oklahoma - Dec 7, 2007 at 10:38 am
Ok first of all nowhere does Mr Brewster say he is supporting illegals staying here .
2nd of all this is a charter school , which is where we have to send our children because of the failure of the OKCPS system . The schools he founded are the fasting growing in the state , and way ahead of the public schools in every way !
I was at the meeting last night , no im not an illegal , and the parents did not send their children to ask questions for them , there was an full house and it was mostly parents .
The meeting was to help everyone understand the laws and answer questions , not promote illegal immigration.
This law isnt just affecting illegals , i myself have taken in legal children of illegal parents who need to finish school here to qualify for the OHLAP program
.
Some of the "illegals" have been here 15-20 years , and in one case the father only found out his visa was fake this last summer after 18 years here , his wife is a teacher in these same OKCPS, they own a house , their son just graduated high school (valedectorian) and is entering OU next fall . Are these not the type of people Oklahoma NEEDS ?
Not all illegals are here for welfare , and if you look at the statistics , those that do qualify are only subsidized while working low paying jobs , where us americans are happy to sit on our ever growing rears and collect it all for years while doing nothing ,and dont get me started on SSI where you can collect a monthly payment for being overweight , not being able to read anything but the drive thru menu , using drugs , and a variety of other debilitating "illnesses" .
Michelle, Oklahoma City - Dec 7, 2007 at 10:34 am

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