The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
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immigration status until next October
(From the January 3, 2007 issue)
A group of Marion County residents are celebrating a victory – at least a temporary one – after helping a local family wade through federal bureaucracy and
Robbie McCorkle, one of the family’s supporters, reports that after writing to President George W. Bush, the family’s situation was referred to the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement then decided to grant Keyla “deferred action” status, at least temporarily delaying any deportation decision until October of 2007.
“In every respect, they (Keyla and her family) are good law abiding citizens and a blessing to our community,” said McCorkle. “Those of us who have joined together to keep Kayla from being deported understand the (original) ruling for the deportation was within the purview of the law; however, we believe that to take a child from her parents is morally wrong. Deporting Keyla will not enhance our national security.”
Background: Keyla’s family was in the United States legally and after not being able to obtain a visa for their daughter to join them, they resorted to paying for her to be brought into the country illegally. She was apprehended in Texas and placed in a refugee center for children, from where she was released into the custody of her mother pending an immigration hearing. The hearing was held last June in Atlanta and the judge ruled that Keyla be voluntarily deported. Voluntary deportation – unlike mandatory deportation – is at no expense to the government and allows for the person to reenter the country legally at some later date. However, the problem remained that the family could not get a visa for Keyla to return legally.
The family’s supporters, who remained prayerful and sought the prayers of other area residents, explored every other option they could think of before writing directly to the president, but seemed to run into roadblocks and seemingly dead ends. They are now very pleased with the deferred action ruling and hope that Keyla can later be granted a more permanent status.
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