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Let's see here - we have a sob story about a "poor innocent" family locked up by the mean ole Feds. But wait; they are here illegally - on a tourist visa! And it is ALL their rotten immigration lawyer's fault too - certainly THEY never had any part in this situation.
So, let ME understand how a family comes and takes up residence in the USA on a Tourist Visa, starts a business and sets up a life, and expects that everything is just fine? How DO you pay federal taxes without a Social Security or Alien Registration number? How do you set up a business without proof of residence or send your kids to school? The answer is that the laws are not enforced and in most cases blinded to insure that one agency does not "snitch" to the Immigration Service.
Again - after 9/11, what should have been the response by the government? I guess it was a response to those Sweedish highjackers that prompted the "pogram" on illegal (read criminal) aliens from Arab countries that were here on invalid or expired visas. When the government did act - how many citizens were detained inside the USA? (except Padilla?) Or does this whole story collapse because the incarcerated here are all "victims" of the INS regulations.
I have bad news for these people - since I have lived an expatriate lifestyle, I can assure you that the first thing you do is make sure your papers are clean, when you live in a foreign place. Why? Because most places are a lot less sympathetic than the INS. You get booted, if caught.
My question after reading this story is this? - Why were these people not expelled? Ethnic grocery stores are great I know, but explain to me why this is suddenly a critical job skill needed for immigrants, especially when people waiting LEGALLY for a chance to immigrate have much better skills. Sorry too - crash landing a plane in a rainstorm is not my idea of justification for asylum either. I thought that was for people that deserved it.
