I have been closely following
this story of Teresa, a single-mother living in Draper who is in the process of being deported. It is a heart-breaking situation, and I have cried many tears over it. And then I see unkind and hurtful comments being made about this dear Relief Society sister. And my heart aches at the lack of compassion and charity I see.
Teresa and her disabled son
I think of when the Pharisees brought to Jesus the woman taken in adultery. She had broken the law. Justice required her to be stoned. And what was Christ's response?
"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
As I hear men and women cry out that this woman deserves to be deported because she broke the law, I can't help but think this:
"Let him who has NEVER broken the law be the first to demand deportation."
Let's just review some laws that "law-abiding" citizens commonly break
- Not reporting ALL online and out-of-state purchases on your state tax return
- Traveling over the speed limit, even 1 mph more is breaking the law
- Not coming to a FULL stop at a stop sign
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Not stopping (in both directions) when a school bus is pulled over and letting out children
- Not keeping all children under 8 properly secured in an approved child safety seat, unless they are at least 57 inches tall.
- Using your phone while driving (this includes dialing a # unless it is an emergency)
- Not having your headlights on at least 30 minutes after sunset or until 30 minutes before sunrise, and whenever conditions make it impossible to clearly see at least 1,000 ft ahead.
- Never knowingly leaving any child under 9 years old unattended inside a vehicle. (Even if you just have to drop off a Redbox movie)
- Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
- Throwing out or opening someone else's mail
- Connecting to an unsecured WiFi network without prior authorization
- Digital piracy
- Failing to update your driver's license when you move
- Jaywalking
Do you get the picture yet? And if you have perfectly obeyed all of these laws your entire life, then there is probably some other obscure law that you have unknowingly broken.
The "Law" is complex. It is messy. There are WAY too many laws to even keep track of, and yet we are still responsible for following them. Anytime we don't, justice requires that we are punished. No matter what the circumstances were, and no matter if we even knew we were breaking the law. That is why there is a degree of mercy and compassion granted within our legal system. That is why we have human beings administering and enforcing the law; because it is not black and white. A judge is able to look at a woman with hungry children and waive a $100 parking ticket, because he has compassion and knows that she cannot afford it. Police officers are able to give you a warning on your first speeding ticket.
Now let's talk about immigration law. It is EXTREMELY messy and complex. But for many of us, we don't have to worry about it because we were born in the USA, and so were our children. Which is why it is SO easy for people to cold-heartedly say "Well, they broke the law so they deserve to be deported and separated from their families." Or, "She can't be a law-abiding person because she broke the 'law'" or "If she wanted to stay with her family she should never have broken the 'law'". Do you even know which law you are talking about? Immigration law is not one single law. It is a whole host of them.
How would you like it if the consequence of breaking ANY traffic law meant that you were banned from driving a vehicle for the next 10 years? The cops pull you over for traveling 1 mph over the speed limit. There is no mercy, no compassion; just immediate revoking of your license. You can reapply again in 10 years. You are granted no time to talk to lawyers and you are not allowed to plead your case before a judge.
This dear woman,
Teresa, has been a law-abiding resident as much as the next person can claim. She has tried her best to be here legally and has willingly checked in with the immigration office. This single mother was given 24 hours notice that her request for extension had been denied. She was told at 9 am Thursday that she must be on the 11 am flight to Colombia the VERY next day.
She was given no reason, and no time.
Her immigration attorney was out of the country and completely unavailable. She is the caretaker of her disabled 18 year old son and 86 year old mother. She had 24 hours to say good bye to her family, arrange care for her son and mother, and pack her belongings. BECAUSE she is a law-abiding individual, she WILLINGLY arrived at the airport around 9 am to board the 11 am flight. Once she leaves this country, she cannot reapply for entry into the USA for 10 years. Once her son turns 21, he can submit a request to bring her back to help care for him.
THREE years of separation is the BEST-CASE scenario.
This is NOT the way to handle immigration. As the LDS church has stated,
"Families are meant to be together. Forced separation of working parents from their children weakens families and damages society."
Teresa right after her son's birth
This type of inhuman deportation only damages our nation. Yes, our country has the responsibility and the right to protect and enforce our borders. But this is NOT the right way.
Please have some compassion.
Please have a heart.
