A sad story, but nonetheless an anchor baby story

Cecilia Sanchez-Zurita, an illegal immigrant residing in St. Michael, Minnesota, is currently in federal custody awaiting deportation. The St. Paul Pioneer Press today reported that she is fighting her order, based on the fact that she has a 4 year-old child with an apparently terminal illness.

A very sad and tragic story, to be sure. I would never wish harm to come to anyone's child, for any reason. It's hard to generate much sympathy for Ms. Sanchez-Zurita's current living situation, however, based on the following paragraph from the story:

"According to ICE, the mother first was ordered deported in 1994 and was sent to Mexico in 1997. She was caught twice trying to re-enter the United States in late 1997 and early 2000. She made it back in sometime in late 2000 but was picked up at her St. Michael home Oct. 5."

Ms. Sanchez-Zurita has, according to the story, attempted to enter the United States illegally four times, succeeding twice, and being deported, at taxpayer expense, at least once. She cannot reasonably claim that she didn't know that she was here illegally, and that she was subject to immediate deportation once she was apprehended yet again. The fact that she had an "anchor baby" while here in the country, whether the child is healthy or not, shouldn't prevent her from having to leave yet again, as she is such a flagrant violator of our laws.

Doesn't Mexico have a health care system? According to the article, the child is only receiving palliative care to ease any discomfort, and is not getting any special or experimental treatment, or having any care that is not available in Mexico. She can take the child with her, or her husband, who is apparently here legally, can take custody.

I hope I'm not coming across as heartless, but every illegal alien has a "story" of hardship and distress. How do we decide among millions of hard luck stories which is the hardest, and therefore deserving of leniency, especially among the group of illegals that continues to come here after being deported multiple times? If waivers are granted leniently, others will complain and demand waivers themselves, till everyone gets to stay for one reason or another. This will make even more of a mockery of our border system than it already is.

The ICE agent quoted in the story is correct. This family made certain choices with their eyes wide open, and they are now going to have to deal with the consequences. Other criminals are not spared prison because they have sick children, and this particular case should be no different.

UPDATE: KARE11 TV in Minneapolis is reporting that Ms. Sanchez-Zurita has been given an extension of at least one year, subject to additional extensions, of her original 1994 deportation order.

"ICE will carry out the judge's order at a date to be determined"

When it's convenient for them, I guess.

I am truly torn about this. I feel very badly for the child, and don't want her to suffer, but her mother has cost the American taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, in addition to her freely violating our laws just because she felt like it, and she is now rewarded merely for playing the sympathy card in the media. In my view, the facts of her remaining in the country, as well as her daughter receiving compassionate, excellent care, can be exclusive of one another. As I noted above, nothing is stopping her from taking her daughter back to Mexico with her, and caring for her there.

I'm sure my post will be added to the evidence that people who want our borders secured and our laws enforced are nothing more than unfeeling, racist bigots, because that's how supporters of illegal immigration want the issue framed - by emotion, not by facts and logical arguments.