Judge Throws Out Case of Four Who Were
Brought Into Country Illegally as Toddlers
By Jacques Billeaud Associated Press Writer
Published: Jul 21, 2005
PHOENIX (AP) - A judge on Thursday threw out the deportation case against four young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally when they were toddlers and had their immigration status discovered during a trip to a high school science competition along the Canadian border.
U.S. Immigration Judge John Richardson granted a request from the four to exclude key evidence in the case, ruling that border agents questioned the students based on their Hispanic appearance.
The government is expected to appeal the case.
Jaime Damian, 20, Yuliana Huicochea, 20, Oscar Corona, 20, and Luis Nava, 21, were on a school trip in June 2002 to compete in a solar-powered boat competition near Buffalo, N.Y., when they drew the attention of immigration officials.
The students wanted to make a side trip to Niagara Falls in Canada. Federal agents looked into their immigration status after a teacher asked whether the students would be allowed to return to the United States with only their student IDs.
All have finished high school, and three of them are either enrolled or have completed college.
An estimated 65,000 illegal immigrants who have lived in the country for at least five years graduate from high school each year, according to the Urban Institute, an economic and social policy research group.
Advocates for immigrants say it is rare for students who aren't legal citizens to undergo deportation proceedings after spending most of their lives here. They say Congress should approve a proposal to give children of illegal immigrants the chance to become U.S. citizens.
Poster Comment:
- Throw out the judge!