KSU grad wins another year’s reprieve from deportation
The Kennesaw State University student whose case ignited a bitter legislative debate about whether illegal immigrants should attend Georgia public colleges won a temporary reprieve from deportation.
Jessica Colotl can stay in the country one more year. Under current immigration laws, she doesn’t have many options to earn a legal right to remain in the United States, although she’s lived here since she was a young child.
The federal Dream Act, which would create a path to citizenship for students like Colotl who were brought to America as children, remains in political limbo.
Federal officials first granted Colotl a one-year deferment from deportation in 2010 so she could finish her degree in political science. She received a second deferment last May and it was just renewed again. She will apply for another reprieve next year, said Charles Kuck, her immigration attorney.
Colotl graduated last May and is currently working as a paralegal assistant for Kuck. She has a standing deportation order and cannot apply for legal permanent residency under current federal immigration law, Kuck has said. Her options include re-applying for the deferment or returning to Mexico for 10 years and then applying for a visa, he said.
Colotl’s parents brought her from Mexico to the U.S. when she was a child. A KSU police officer pulled her over for a traffic violation in March 2010 and she was arrested when she failed to produce a valid driver’s license. The publicity surrounding her arrest renewed heated arguments over whether illegal immigrants take seats in college away from those lawfully in the country.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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59 comments Add your comment
catlady
May 7th, 2012
1:29 pm
Everyone is an “exception.” Either change the law or enforce it! I feel for the girl; some folks might say that about many of our students today. Everyone has some sort of disadvantage.
We are missing out on stome very strong students by not having the Dream Act, however we have to decide what we think is most important.
You can’t be “a little bit pregnant”, you know?
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
1:47 pm
The debate is about more than disadvantages of this student.
MANY people try to go through the immigration process legally. People who apply legally and people who enter the country illegally all want the same thing, to live in the US. It is emphatically unfair to people in other countries who are obeying the rules to give legal immigration status to people who broke the rules. Allowing illegal immigrants to adjust to legal status would probably reduce the immigration lottery allowances for the people who are FOLLOWING the rules.
When I was in high school we went on a school trip that was next to a shopping mall. The entire group was supposed to go to the shopping mall to eat lunch and browse. A small number of people left the group and went to the shopping mall early. When the teachers found out, the punishment was that the group was not allowed to go to the mall. The people who broke the rules received no punishment and all of the benefits. The people who did not break the rules received all of the punishment and none of the benefits. Allowing people who are in the country illegally to gain legal status and delaying the possibility of people in their home country following immigration procedures to gain legal status is equivalent.
Peadawg
May 7th, 2012
1:53 pm
So she gave a false address to police, drove w/out a license, and lied to KSU to get in-state tuition….and nothing happens. Wow.
Aquagirl
May 7th, 2012
2:02 pm
Lurker, your entire example ignores the fact that Jessica Colotl was brought here by her parents. She broke no laws by coming here because it wasn’t her doing. Holding her entirely responsible for the actions of her parents is legally correct but morally bankrupt and nonsensical.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:09 pm
Aquagirl,
I believe what is morally bankrupt is taking a potential spot from a child whose parents are following the rules and giving it to a child whose parents break the rules.
Howard Finkelstein
May 7th, 2012
2:09 pm
She should be deported, PERIOD.
carlosgvv
May 7th, 2012
2:11 pm
Without making a judgement on the merits of her particular case, why do I see so many Hispanic day laborers still standing on street corners? Does anyone check on their legal status? If not, why not?
MortalWombat
May 7th, 2012
2:13 pm
She may not have had any say so to come here, but she sure as heck knew to go home when she came of age. Flouting various other laws while being a bloodsucker on the backs of decent people only compounds her lack of regard. Send her back now, with a catapult if need be.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:15 pm
Based on Lurker and HF rationale, if you are white male or female you should be paying restitution to the descendents of slaves and pay for your parent’s sins. She was not in control of the situation her parents put her in and she succeeded against very high odds, which is a great American example if you ask me.
Van Jones
May 7th, 2012
2:24 pm
She gets a reprieve and I got a ticket for rolling a stop sign with no other cars around… Is she still driving with no license? Are her parents still here (if so, are they legal yet)? I wish I had a list of the laws that are not going to be enforced so I could pick and choose.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:24 pm
We need the dream act now! There are many hard working Hispanic kids who did not have a choice to come to the USA but they have made the best of it and are contributing to our success. One of the very first Soldiers to die for our Freedom in the Iraqi war was brought here illegally by his parents at a very young age and was posthumously given his citizenship. Is that the way we do things?
Aquagirl
May 7th, 2012
2:25 pm
Who says she’s taking anyone’s spot? She graduated from KSU and has a job. If she worked harder to get into school and stay there than some lazy entitled native born American, good for her.
If you want to hold Ms. Colotl responsible for her immigration status when she turns 18, we should hold our native born 18 year olds responsible too. Giving them a “spot” because they’re entitled screams of a double standard.
Pompano
May 7th, 2012
2:32 pm
After years of receiving free education (and other public benefits) as well as the privilege of attending secondary college here in the US, wouldn’t the noble course of action on her part be to return to her native country and work to make things better?
Seems like an influx of educated, “responsible” citizens is what Mexico could use right now. Are we really doing our Southern neighbors a favor by providing a haven for their citizens to flee instead of forcing them to remain home and work/fight for change? Many in the Illegal camp like to compare their plight to that of African-Americans here in the US. However, MLK and other leaders did not advocate flight to Canada as a solution to the issue.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:37 pm
The majority of LEGAL immigration is set up on a lottery system. A quota is set for the number of immigrants allowed to enter from other countries. Any “exceptions” to illegal immigration can affect the quota numbers and take spots away from people who have been waiting for many years. Some people have legally been waiting for more years than this student has been illegally in the US.
All people born native in the US are automatically citizens and automatically have legal status in the US. Taking citizenship away is EXTREMELY limited in the Constitution. She broke the rules and the law by being here. A CITIZEN is not breaking the law by being here.
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
2:40 pm
Lurker: so you’re saying a legal resident was denied by admitting Colotl to KSU? Prove that, please. I didn’t know the school was that popular. I should think you’d be happy to have a working, tax-paying college graduate here. She’s better than the born here welfare queens, right? She’s surely better than the homeless who clog our ER’s and never hold a steady job, right? She’s better than the drug addicts stealing from family and friends to support a meth habit right? It’s laughable to debate deporting her when there are so many more born and raised here who don’t deserve the opportunity they’re currently wasting.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:40 pm
Lurker,
Can a 6 or 7 year old make the decision to leave their family? She did not break the immigration law, her parents did. If we claim to be a Christian nation, we should allow this young lady and other young people, who were put in this situation by their parents, an opportunity to become US Citizen.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:43 pm
Aquagirl,
Whether she has the merits to enter college or not, she should not be in the US. Until she was granted a reprieve, she was breaking the law by remaining in the US.
I was not talking about “spots” in college. I was talking about “spots” to legally immigrate to the US. There are many people who have spent a lot of money and time to legally immigrate. As I stated before, there are people in Mexico who have been waiting to immigrate legally for more years than this student has been alive. It is extremely unfair to give the “spot” of the person waiting in Mexico to this girl simply because her parents broke the law.
Jefferson
May 7th, 2012
2:43 pm
Get that woman a SSN and a hardy welcome.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:45 pm
I second the motion of Jefferson! Put her on the tax roles.
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
2:45 pm
Here’s a thought: Instead of jumping on an educated, tax paying, evidently self-sufficient young lady who actually contributes to the economy, how about we line up the citizens who cheat to get welfare or SSI, who refuse to work, the drug addicts, and the tax evaders with their offshore accounts and eject them from the country? I guarantee you we’d be a lot happier and more stable than we will ever be going after this yound woman.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:46 pm
Ron F,
I have not said anything about admission to any college. My entire complaint is about immigration.
Rob Lopez,
She did break immigration law by remaining in the country without status. I will agree that her parents did bring her in without her consent. However, she did remain in the country illegally after she was above the age that her parents control her.
johnny too good
May 7th, 2012
2:47 pm
I agree with Lurker and Catlady 100%….. although it isnt her fault that her parents brought her here. So… the government wants to send her back to Mexico after all these years? Blame her parents…. they put her in this situation
Accountability is becoming extinct
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
2:48 pm
“As I stated before, there are people in Mexico who have been waiting to immigrate legally for more years than this student has been alive”
Numbers and a source, please. I’d really like to know how they get here legally and why so many can’t seem to wait.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:49 pm
Lurker,
Do you think she identifies more as a US citizen or Mexican Citizen. She was raised here and I think she would have a hard time in a country she doesnt’ know, that is why we need the Dream Act to allow these kids the opportunity to live in the country they were raised in.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:50 pm
Ron F,
How about we enforce the laws as written against: defrauders, sloughs, drug addicts, tax evaders, and illegal immigrants.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:50 pm
Johnny too good,
If your parents did something illegal, should you be held responsible?
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
2:52 pm
“I have not said anything about admission to any college. My entire complaint is about immigration.”
I stand corrected. Yet I have to ask the question again- she’s here, she’s educated, she’s working and paying taxes. That’s better than some relatives I have who were born and raised here and are working the system as much as they can. Which would you rather have as a neighbor? Trust me, pick Colotl. The relatives I speak of are trash and ought to be deported just for wasting so much of taxpayers’ money on welfare to support their drug habits and public schools to babysit their kids. She didn’t have a choice about being here. Why beat her up about it when she’s contributing far more than the millions born here who can’t hold a job or kick a bad habit.
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
2:55 pm
“How about we enforce the laws as written against: defrauders, sloughs, drug addicts, tax evaders, and illegal immigrants.”
Well, we seem a bit more concerned with the last on your list nowadays, and that is truly unfortunate. We’re passing tougher immigration laws, but not much else.
Rob Lopez
May 7th, 2012
2:56 pm
Great comments but I leave and I ask everyone to pray and look at a person’s character and talk to them before judging them.
V/r
Rob Lopez
catlady
May 7th, 2012
2:57 pm
For every citizen of Mexico we take in, thy should have to take in a citizen of our country. We choose who. I have several good for nothings that I’d like to sponsor!
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
2:58 pm
Rob,
http://www.murthy.com/lottery.html
This site has an explanation. A lottery is set up for countries who have available spots. Mexico has not had a lottery for a while. People can apply, but with not available spots will not be selected for the lottery. Any legal immigration counts against the number of spots for a lottery. If an illegal is granted legal status, that would take one spot from the lottery.
Aquagirl
May 7th, 2012
3:00 pm
Blame her parents…. they put her in this situation
Who cares who is to blame? Resolving a problem is not about fulfilling your desire to get even with somebody—-anybody—because you’re angry. That’s about revenge and all sorts of junk going on in your head.
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
3:03 pm
“Well, we seem a bit more concerned with the last on your list nowadays, and that is truly unfortunate. We’re passing tougher immigration laws, but not much else.”
That is only because we are responding to a blog post about illegal immigration. If there were a blog post about drugs, or tax evasion, we probably would not be discussion immigration.
We have not passed tough immigration laws for many years. At least not since before the amnesty in the 80s. We are just not enforcing any laws that we have.
College Mom
May 7th, 2012
3:05 pm
If she has already graduated and is working… how does she keep getting extensions for her education? My Nephew-in-law paid all his dues and passed his test and finally became an American citizen last month. This is how is should be!
Lurker
May 7th, 2012
3:06 pm
“Who cares who is to blame? Resolving a problem is not about fulfilling your desire to get even with somebody—-anybody—because you’re angry. That’s about revenge and all sorts of junk going on in your head.”
The problem as I see it is that she is in the country illegally. The correct resolution to someone being in a location that they do not belong is to remove them from that location. I do not feel any anger. I do not want revenge.
Dekalb taxpayer
May 7th, 2012
3:16 pm
Children often suffer for the bad choices their parents make. That’s life. It’s not up to US taxpayers to protect this woman or any others from the foolish choices of their parents.
catlady
May 7th, 2012
3:37 pm
Perhaps if we coupled a 3 year tour of duty with the college education?
Jefferson
May 7th, 2012
3:47 pm
If she was Cuban, it would be just fine.
Aquagirl
May 7th, 2012
3:51 pm
The problem as I see it is that she is in the country illegally. The correct resolution to someone being in a location that they do not belong
Half of the people living in North Georgia are living on land obtained illegally. Is the correct resolution to remove them?
WAR
May 7th, 2012
4:01 pm
parents purposely lie on food waivers so children can eat. i see nothing wrong with that.
parents purposely lie on financial aid packets so kids can attend school. nothing wrong with that either.
WAR
May 7th, 2012
4:02 pm
politicians purposely lie on successes and failures [of others] so people can vote for them. something is wrong with that.
Vox Populi
May 7th, 2012
4:09 pm
Can’t any of our gutless leaders actually ENFORCE equal protection under the law, or has this concept gone out the window?
DEPORT this unrepentant scofflaw and her criminal family.
Reality Check
May 7th, 2012
4:15 pm
Children of illegal immigrants receive a free, public education in the United States. This is more than enough compensation for the sins of their parents. We owe them nothing! I guess the gift of free public education somehow creates the entitlement mentality that we owe them collge and citizenship. Maybe we should rethink free public education; maybe that would take away some of the incentive to the illegal parents. Definitely we should stop the free citizenship to any child born here to an illegal.
Ron Burgundy
May 7th, 2012
5:11 pm
How many people are killed by illegals? Send her back…tragic but the positives of a safer America and an America that is not paying for other countries citizens outweighs sending a college educated girl to mexico
Digger
May 7th, 2012
5:20 pm
You’re sending the wrong bunch back, Georgia.
Ron F.
May 7th, 2012
6:28 pm
@Digger: you’re right, and they won’t realize it until they wipe the spit off their glasses from yelling about it so much.
Reality: The illegals, whose presence I’m not supporting, do in fact pay sales taxes, gas tax, rent (so the owner can pay property taxes), etc. In a case like this where the kid becomes a productive member of society ought to afford her some sort of amnesty. She’s not a drug dealer or gang member. We have enough of those born here that we can’t seem to stop. It’s not about entitlement, it’s about investing in someone who will likely pay that investment back over a lifetime of paying taxes and adding to the economy. Just a different perspective for you to consider.
Ron B: How many are killed by natural born citizens? I suspect that number is probably much higher, and the cost of incarcerating them for life is borne by all taxpayers. You’re stereotyping and it isn’t correct. As to paying for other countries’ citizens, think about how much foreign aid we send all over the world. How much have we spent fighting for “democracy” in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, to name a few? The criminal among them need to go back. But think about what those who have a chance at life and become productive, tax paying members of society can contribute; it’s a lot more than the lazy and criminal among us born here who are draining just as many, if not more in resources.
RCB
May 7th, 2012
8:46 pm
Why are her parents allowed to stay and not be deported?
FedUp
May 7th, 2012
9:32 pm
She is a leech and a parasite. The USA is covered with them. As they suck more and more blood out of this nation……we will die. then they will go home.
IF SHE WENT HOME NOW..SHE HAS BEEN EDUCATED FOR FREE WITH OUR MONEY. SHE COULD GET A FINE JOB IN ANY OF THE THOUSANDS OF OUTSOURCED PLANTS AND FACTORIES DOWN THERE.BUT SHE HAS THE SILVER SPOON OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STUCK UP HER PRECIOUS FANNY. SHE WILL BE RUNNING OUR GOVT……SOONER THAN YOU THINK. WHO DO YOU THINK IS IN THE DOJ? AFFIRAMTIVE ACTION IMMIGRANTS.
Jan
May 7th, 2012
9:59 pm
Isn’t it a conflict of interest that she is working for her immigration lawyer?
Besides, she is breaking the law by being here. So are her parents. Deport their sorry butts. The law is the law. We don’t have to like it, but we do have to obey it. She has NO legal standing here. She has already shown that she has no respect for our laws. She is here illegally, she drove illegally, she broke a traffic law and lied to the police. Yep, this is an upstanding member of our society.
Mexico puts their illegal aliens in jail. So should we.
Two Cents
May 8th, 2012
5:45 am
Granted she did not knowingly enter the country illegally, her parents brought her but what is she and her family doing to get legal status and pay taxes and be legal here? Have her parents been deported? If not, why not? And she needs to take whatever steps are necessary to become a legal resident of this country. Seniors who worked for many years in this country are being shoved down; our kids are being neglected and shoved aside for the illegals; and that is wrong. These illegals continue to get a free ride.