Ever wondered just what you'd have to do to get yourself deported? It's apparently much easier than you think. People are deported or threatened with deportation for some of the craziest reasons imaginable! Think you've heard it all? You haven't. Read on to learn more about some of the absolute wackiest, craziest reasons people have been deported (or almost deported).
These sometimes legal immigrants have come under the scrutiny of law enforcement officers who are out to assert their stance that immigration is not wanted in their states (cough*Arizona*cough), raising the ire of many Americans who believe targeting minorities and immigrants is unjust.
These crazy deportation stories highlight some of the radical stances on immigration held in the US and abroad. As a bonus to these immigration horror stories, it's recommended you have a look at the 10 "prestigious" jobs illegal immigrants are stealing and, for an even heartier chuckle, the top immigration reform proponents caught using illegal labor.
http://m.ranker.com/list/13-craziest-reasons-people-get-deported/lauriem,
Same Sex Marriage Deportation Debate
A same sex couple in New Jersey facing deportation may or may not get kicked out of the country. Henry Velandia and Joshua Vandiver were married legally in Connecticut in August of 2010 - but Henry is facing deportation to Venezuela because he isn't a U.S. citizen. Because their union isn't recognized by the federal government (see: DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act), it doesn't matter that they got hitched. Henry was about to be sent packing, when a judge in May 2011 postponed the deportation until at least December. Time for a review! Whether Henry will ultimately be allowed to remain with his partner in the U.S. remains to be seen - but for now, this case involving bi-national same sex couples is certainly one worth watching.
UT Brownsville Student Body Prez Faces Deportation
21-year-old Arturo Guerra knows he'll be able to graduate from college in the U.S. - but beyond that, everything is murky. Very murky. When Guerra was 15 years old, he entered the U.S. illegally. Guerra went on to attend the University of Texas at Brownsville, becoming a stand out student - and president of the school's Student Government Association. Now, he faces the very real threat of being deported after he graduates in December 2011. Immigration officials got wind of his status when Guerra applied for legal residency (his mom married a U.S. citizen). Guerra is an international business and management major who hopes to continue his education by getting a master's degree in business administration - whether he'll be able to do that on U.S. soil is totally up in the air. When he illegally entered the U.S. at 15 (because really, we all know exactly what we're doing when we're 15, right or not, right?!), he could have blown his chances for ever becoming a U.S. citizen, despite the fact that he's proven he'll be an upstanding, hardworking member of society. Hogwash.
Traffic Violations Result in Utah Mans Deportation
25-year-old Miguel Soto was deported from Ogden, Utah, in May of 2009. Immigration officials made the decision to deport the legal U.S. resident because Soto had previous misdemeanors. Soto's family says they didn't have enough money to hire a lawyer for Soto to try and keep him in the U.S. with them and also added that Soto "suffered brain damage in an accident years ago" and couldn't rightly defend himself.
What set off the chain of events that led to Miguel Soto's deportation? Apparently Soto was arrested in April 2009 for driving without a license/insurance. He paid his fines and the case was closed. Unfortunately, Soto's arrest got the attention of Immigration officials, who reviewed his case and found that he had priors - one conviction for criminal mischief and two convictions for shoplifting (all misdemeanors, mind you). That was enough: Permanent legal status, revoked! But wait: These weren't felonies, so why give Soto the boot? The so-called "moral turpitude" guidelines, which are broad-sweeping (to say the least), allow the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to deport for almost any reason at all, including, in this case, years-old misdemeanor crimes.
Traffic Stop Could Result in College Students Deporation
Jessica Colotl came to the U.S. illegally with her parents from Mexico when she was seven years old. Today, at 22, Colotl is a student at Kennesaw State University just outside Atlanta, Georgia. Jessica learned of her illegal status while in high school. What did she do? She applied for the necessary documents to become a citizen. She still hasn't received anything. So Jessica went on to college, enjoying her classes, joining a sorority and generally being a good college student. That all changed when a KSU police officer pulled her over for a minor traffic violation. When she couldn't provide a U.S. driver's license, Jessica was taken to the Cobb County Jail, released to Immigration officials in Atlanta and detained in an Alabama facility for five weeks. Now, she faces deportation. Friends say all she wants to do is get a 4.0 GPA, get her degree and then head back to her home country. Oh, and for the record: Colotl pays for every dime of her education - and she pays out of state tuition.
Russell Brand: Deported from Japan
Comedian and actor Russell Brand made headlines in late-May of 2011, after being deported from Japan, where he was set to watch wifey Katy Perry perform a concert. Apparently, the Japanese government wasn't too happy with Brand's list of prior convictions. Perry Tweeted that Brand got the boot "or priors from over 10 years ago!" No word on specifics on those priors, but Japan wanted him out. Brand took the whole thing in stride, Tweeting that he was "Planning escape from Japanese custody. It's bloody hard to dig a tunnel with a chopstick." Japan won't confirm or deny Brand's deportation, by the way, citing "privacy concerns."
Pay a Traffic Ticket, Get Deported
Andrea Huerfano was a recent grad of Florida State University when she appeared in court in December 2009 to pay a traffic ticket for running a red light. She was immediately detained by U.S. Immigration authorities and faced deportation. Andrea is a native of Columbia who came to the U.S. in 2001 with her parents, when she was 14 years old. Although her father did seek political asylum, he died in 2005 - while the application was still under review. Andrea's mom remarried a U.S. citizen. This granted Andrea's mother and younger brother citizenship - but not Andrea, because she was over 18. Andrea's immigration status wasn't clear and as a result, she did face deportation.
Grope an Airline Passenger, Get Deported
In 2007, Thirumurthy Nakka Boomaiah was deported to India after pleading guilty to "interfering with a flight crew." The Indian computer engineer was convicted of groping several female passengers on board a flight from London to Philly. Yes, groping can get you jail time - and deportation, in Boomaiah's case. He also flipped out during a court appearance in the City of Brotherly Love, approaching a female clerk and shouting repeatedly, "I am a man!" (he had to be detained by marshals in the courtroom). Yes, Mr. Boomaiah, you are a man. A man who just got a fast pass back to India. See ya.
Man Deported from to Syria, Tortured for a Year: Canada Apologizes
Maher Arar's case captured headlines in 2007 when the Canadian government officially apologized for his deportation to Syria - even though he was a Canadian citizen. What happened? Extraordinary rendition, that's what. Arar was detained in the U.S. in 2002, while returning home to Canada from a family vacation in Tunisia. The U.S. detained him for several weeks and eventually deported Arar to Syria - not to Canada. After nearly a year in Syria, where he was tortured, Arar was released to Canada. The Canadian government eventually issued a formal apology to Arar and awarded him nearly $9 million. The U.S. government still has not removed Arar from its suspected terrorist list - despite a report that found authorities probably got bad info from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that Arar was an Islamic extremist.
Pregnant Mom Deported
Betty Lopez was several months pregnant when Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents took the mom-to-be out of her Dallas, Texas, home. She was later deported to Mexico. Reports say ICE agents gave Lopez the boot because they consider her pregnancy "high risk" - huh? Apparently this practice is not unusual. A spokesperson for the agency told a Dallas TV station that they "regularly deport pregnant women who are here illegally, unless it's medically inappropriate to do so." So there you go: If you don't want to get deported, don't get pregnant.
Deported at Four Years Old
Emily Ruiz is four years old. In March, Emily Ruiz was sent to Guatemala by U.S. Immigration officials - even though she's a U.S. citizen. You read that right. When Emily and her grandfather traveled to Guatemala earlier this year, the grandfather was detained while trying to reenter the U.S. Immigration officials sent Emily's grandfather packing and gave the child's dad a choice: She could stay at a children's detention facility in Virginia or she could go back to Guatemala with her grandfather. What would you choose? She's four! After several weeks, Emily was eventually allowed back into the U.S. Because, you know, she's legal. LEGAL. And four. And to top it all off: Emily had a valid U.S. passport. Be careful, little ones, you're on the list!