(CBS/AP) While the U.S. military searches for a soldier missing in Iraq, kidnapped by insurgents possibly allied with al Qaeda, his wife back home in Massachusetts may be deported by the U.S. government.
Army Spec. Alex Jimenez, who has been missing since his unit was attacked by insurgents in Iraq on May 12, had petitioned for a green card for his wife, Yaderlin Hiraldo, whom he married in 2004.
Their attorney, Matthew Kolken, said 23-year-old Hiraldo illegally entered the United States in 2001 to reunite with her husband, whom she had met in her native Dominican Republic and later married at his New York State Army base in 2004.
Her husband's request for a green card and legal residence status for his wife alerted authorities to her status, Kolken said.
She now faces deportation, reports CBS station WBZ correspondent Beth Germano, and would be barred from applying for a green card for 10 years.
Her attorney is seeking a hardship waiver, which so far the government won't grant.
"I can't imagine a bigger injustice than that, to be deporting [the wife of] someone who is fighting and possibly dying for our country," Kolken told WBZ.
All this comes as the military continues to search for Jimenez and another soldier, Pvt. Brian Fouty, missing in Iraq since May 12, the only trace an ID card found during a raid on an al Qaeda safe house.
"She may never be able to return to the United States, to visit her husband's grave if necessary," Kolken said.
Their third wedding anniversary was last week.
An immigration judge has been sympathetic, putting the case on hold since Alex Jimenez was reported missing. But her case is in limbo, and her future in this country uncertain.
She is currently with family members in Pennsylvania.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., has asked federal immigration officials not to deport Hiraldo.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Kerry said the grief and stress being felt by Hiraldo should not be compounded by worries about her immigration status.
"Under no condition should our country ever deport the spouse of a soldier who is currently serving in uniform abroad," Kerry said. "I feel even more strongly in this case, given the terrible uncertainty surrounding Army Specialist Alex Jimenez."
In his letter, Kerry urged that no action be taken against Hiraldo while her husband remains missing.
"I believe this is a very real test of our government's compassion for a military family which has already made enormous sacrifices for the United States," he wrote.
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:54 am Posts: 7189 Location: CA
LittleWing wrote:
Wow.
I would be willing to bet that this guy was illegal, joined the service to become legal, and to try and get his wife here legal.
How shitty...
The article didn't discuss his immigration status, so I also assumed he wasn't a citizen. I don't have an issue with people joining the service and becoming citizens, but perhaps it should happen at the end of their service. And they should be given some acreage of the conquered land as their pension. Or maybe I've been playing too much Rome: Total War.
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:09 pm Posts: 10839 Location: metro west, mass Gender: Male
LittleWing wrote:
Wow.
I would be willing to bet that this guy was illegal, joined the service to become legal, and to try and get his wife here legal.
How shitty...
Yep. Also, your intentions could be anything if you're a non-US citizen trying to join the military. Talk about risky. To play it safe, have only Americans fighting in the American military. Too many loopholes are found in our non-US citizenship policy.
_________________ "There are two ways to enslave and conquer a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt." -John Adams
I'm all about immigrants joining the military. If they want to serve our country, that's awesome. There aren't many people out there that would serve in our military in this day and age if they didn't truly believe in this country and what it's founded upon just to become legal.
In Djibouti there is a class set up for people seeking citizenship. They learn history, are tested, and can be granted citizenship.
I think it's great. It forwards everything that should be forwarded in the immigration process.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
simple schoolboy wrote:
The article didn't discuss his immigration status, so I also assumed he wasn't a citizen.
That's funny, because I read the same article, noted that his immigration status wasn't mentioned, and assumed he WAS a citizen. Maybe it's because I don't automatically assume that a person with an Hispanic last name is an immigrant (legal or not).
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Jimenez, now 25, was born in the Dominican Republic but spent much of his childhood in Lawrence, a city in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a large immigrant population. (In fact, it was settled by immigrants, but that's another story.)
Jimenez always wanted to join the military and follow in the footsteps of his immigrant paternal grandfather, immigrant great-grantfather and several immigrant uncles.
Smashing the stereotype that immigrants do not assimilate, Jimenez not only mastered English but learned speak Arabic during his two tours in Iraq with the storied 10th Mountain Division. He received a Purple Heart during his first tour after suffering a leg wound from a grenade fragment.
Jimenez, now 25, was born in the Dominican Republic but spent much of his childhood in Lawrence, a city in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a large immigrant population. (In fact, it was settled by immigrants, but that's another story.)
Jimenez always wanted to join the military and follow in the footsteps of his immigrant paternal grandfather, immigrant great-grantfather and several immigrant uncles.
Smashing the stereotype that immigrants do not assimilate, Jimenez not only mastered English but learned speak Arabic during his two tours in Iraq with the storied 10th Mountain Division. He received a Purple Heart during his first tour after suffering a leg wound from a grenade fragment.
It will be a damn shame the American government deports this mans wife...
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:54 am Posts: 7189 Location: CA
punkdavid wrote:
simple schoolboy wrote:
The article didn't discuss his immigration status, so I also assumed he wasn't a citizen.
That's funny, because I read the same article, noted that his immigration status wasn't mentioned, and assumed he WAS a citizen. Maybe it's because I don't automatically assume that a person with an Hispanic last name is an immigrant (legal or not).
I assumed that his wife would be granted a green card without too much of a fuss if he were a citizen. I understand that marrying a citizen doesn't grant citizenship automatically, but I thought greencards for family members wasn't too difficult, although a bit time intensive.
Jimenez, now 25, was born in the Dominican Republic but spent much of his childhood in Lawrence, a city in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a large immigrant population. (In fact, it was settled by immigrants, but that's another story.)
Jimenez always wanted to join the military and follow in the footsteps of his immigrant paternal grandfather, immigrant great-grantfather and several immigrant uncles.
Smashing the stereotype that immigrants do not assimilate, Jimenez not only mastered English but learned speak Arabic during his two tours in Iraq with the storied 10th Mountain Division. He received a Purple Heart during his first tour after suffering a leg wound from a grenade fragment.
It will be a damn shame the American government deports this mans wife...
I'm having difficulty telling if you're being sarcastic in this thread or not.
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Jimenez, now 25, was born in the Dominican Republic but spent much of his childhood in Lawrence, a city in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a large immigrant population. (In fact, it was settled by immigrants, but that's another story.)
Jimenez always wanted to join the military and follow in the footsteps of his immigrant paternal grandfather, immigrant great-grantfather and several immigrant uncles.
Smashing the stereotype that immigrants do not assimilate, Jimenez not only mastered English but learned speak Arabic during his two tours in Iraq with the storied 10th Mountain Division. He received a Purple Heart during his first tour after suffering a leg wound from a grenade fragment.
It will be a damn shame the American government deports this mans wife...
I'm having difficulty telling if you're being sarcastic in this thread or not.
Well ... he's generally so compassionate, why would you suddenly question that?
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Jimenez, now 25, was born in the Dominican Republic but spent much of his childhood in Lawrence, a city in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a large immigrant population. (In fact, it was settled by immigrants, but that's another story.)
Jimenez always wanted to join the military and follow in the footsteps of his immigrant paternal grandfather, immigrant great-grantfather and several immigrant uncles.
Smashing the stereotype that immigrants do not assimilate, Jimenez not only mastered English but learned speak Arabic during his two tours in Iraq with the storied 10th Mountain Division. He received a Purple Heart during his first tour after suffering a leg wound from a grenade fragment.
It will be a damn shame the American government deports this mans wife...
I'm having difficulty telling if you're being sarcastic in this thread or not.
But we're certainly not having difficulty telling if he's being shallow
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:48 pm Posts: 4552 Location: Ohio Gender: Male
I saw something on CNN this morning about a lady who came here from Iraq with her children to escape the clusterfuck of destruction and they want to send her and her kids back. However, her lawyers and her know they'll die if they go back but the US government doesn't care.
Fucking idiotic system...
_________________ Back from the dead.Fuckin' zombies maaan.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 4:01 am Posts: 19477 Location: Brooklyn NY
Jammer91 wrote:
I saw something on CNN this morning about a lady who came here from Iraq with her children to escape the clusterfuck of destruction and they want to send her and her kids back. However, her lawyers and her know they'll die if they go back but the US government doesn't care.
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