GARCIA: Humanitarian failure

I am spiritually saddened by the recent deportation of Jorge Garcia, a 39-year-old landscaper from Detroit who was illegally brought into the U.S. from Mexico when he was 10 years old. Forced to return to Mexico, Mr. Garcia leaves behind his wife, 15-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son. They are U.S. citizens and must now fend for themselves without him and his income.

Mr. Garcia lived for 30 years in America, has no criminal record, paid his taxes and made several honest attempts to become legalized. Unfortunately, due to a technicality, he does not qualify for DACA status. Even though he was well under the maximum age of 16 when he was brought into the country, Mr. Garcia was born before Jan. 15, 1981, the arbitrary earliest birth date permitted for DACA status. Are you kidding me? I just can’t make sense of that.

I am all for deporting the bad guys and favor border security to prevent their return. I also agree with more careful vetting and merit requirements for future immigrants. Nevertheless, I sincerely believe in providing a path to legality for undocumented immigrants who have lived good moral, constructive, law-abiding lives here, especially those who were brought here as children. Very few 10-year-olds enter the U.S. with criminal intent.

Yeah, yeah, I know the law is the law and this is not some liberal attack on conservatives. In truth, I have given up on politics in favor of theology.

We are all human here, and the term, humane, should be included in that designation. Before we embrace pharisaic legalism in the realm of immigration, an honest heart to heart with Jesus might prove edifying.

LARRY FREI

Coeur d’Alene