isn't it obvious that sometimes there are exceptions to certain rules? parents should never be separated from their children.

so long. maybe you should've immigrated here the LEGAL WAY like thousands of immigrants. you got what deserved. maybe now you can work in your native country under the fake social security number you were using in the US

goodbye criminal

I found out about her arrest & deportation as soon as it happened through myspace bulletins. I've given up on the LA Times. I rarely read it nowadays, it's so fluffy.

"isn't it obvious that sometimes there are exceptions to certain rules? parents should never be separated from their children."

Send the child back with her, that's a good execption to the rule.

As for the issue put forth in this post rather than the issue of Arelleno herself, I have to question the relevance of this story to LA. Sure, she was arrested here and deported from here, but other than that her relationship to the city was weak. She was a tourist. She spent her year in a Chicago church, and that's where most of her supporters are located, which justifies the attention of the Sun-Times. I don't know whether the LA Times has a responsibility to give this visitor any much coverage than would be justified by any national story.

I just love how every immigrant basher condescends to the undocumented by telling them they "should have immigrated the LEGAL way", as if it was just a matter of filling out some forms sending a check and waiting for a green card in the mail. The fact is that there is no "line" for those working class immigrants who need the work the most. You have a good chance of getting legal status if you're a college educated software engineer from India, but if you're a rural laborer from Zacatecas, tough luck. I wonder if all those European immigrants that arrived at Ellis island were highly skilled or had university degrees?

Seriously, if there was a way for these people to emigrate here legally they would do it, instead of spending their life savings and risking their lives crossing a desert where thousands have already died trying. Stop talking down to them and put yourself in another's shoes for one goddamn second.

All I want to know is; where's the father. As far as her child being born in the USA, he's entitled to citizenship just like anybody else that's born here. I don't recall the early settlers having legal documentation to emmigrate to the USA but rather the desire to Better themselves and Escape oppression. So, get off your horse and look around you, WE are ALL Immigrants in this great land that God prepare for us all.

There are legal ways for poor unskilled workers to come here, notably through the H2 guest worker program. But then, companies don't want to pay decent wages or obey the regulations so they prefer to use illegal aliens. And just why is it that we SHOULD offer yet more routes for Third World unskilled immigrants to come here--in addition of course to the 600,000 or so who come here legally each year through family reunification (Mexico gets most of these green cards)? If employers are unwilling to pay decent wages or provide benefits to even citizens, then why on earth should we import more poverty? Come to that, who did pay for the birth of Elvira's child?

"And just why is it that we SHOULD offer yet more routes for Third World unskilled immigrants to come here"

Because the demand for labor exists. I don't see anyone complaining about affordable produce at the supermarket or being able to keep their lawns perfectly manicured. Immigrants provide a very valuable service, and several labor-heavy commodities such as lettuce and strawberries would be too expensive to produce domestically and would probably have to be exported from other countries without them. And despite the propaganda, most immigrants pay taxes through taxpayer i.d. numbers and are less likely than citizens to be on welfare. We need immigration reform that brings those millions of people out of the shadows, allows them all to work and contribute into the system freely.

It's amazing that in these times of paranoia about terrorists infiltrating the "homeland", politicians are willing to keep millions of people underground solely because of the racism and rabid ideology of some of their constituents.

So Mando, I assume you have no problem with people paying cayotes to bring them into the U.S. illegally, often leaving them in the desert to die or increase the growing number of rape trees (bushes with women's underwear on them showing a woman was raped by cayotes/others on her way to entering the U.S. illegally). Nor do you seem to have a problem with the fact that many illegals are never paid for the work they do because crooked employers threaten to turn them in if they complain.

You seem to be still under the misguided impression that all illegals do is cut grass and work on farms. Most of them are NOT employed in those work forces. Do you even have an idea of how many farm workers are illegals or that the United Farm Workers when organized themselves patrolled the borders to send back illegals?

It is not the responsibility of the United States to take in every citizen in the world who comes from a crappy nation because those citizens don't have the cajones to improve their own nations.

So while you are pleading their case, please tell us what the Mexican Consitutition says about immigrants and how our neighbor to the south handles illegals from Central and South America.

We will all be waiting.

Elvira Arellano Deported... a sad and shameful ending. Bitter sweet but seriously what do you do. Here we have a fine young single mother with a little child who comes into America illegally, then continues to break laws which are Felony’s of America by using someone’s else’s S.S. # in which any normal US citizen would be arrested and thrown into prison for such a crime especially after 911 and to add fuel to the fire, these witch hunters who track down the illegal felons who come into America putting strain and burden for the shoulders of countless US citizens to pick up the tab for insurance, medical, education, gangs, jails, drug’s, drunks and 100’s of other things not mentioned that add to the problem. Freedom and Free choice is what all Americans have and is also what most counties want. Interesting concept Freedom it’s a shame that the people of Mexico do not raise to the occasion and take over there very corrupted government with there own blood and mirror what we have here in America, I mean if I recall America has had wars to protect there freedom, men and women and children gave there lives for us. Freedom costs, it costs a lot to be able to stand up and make a change, I mean seriously they are coming here to America for a better opportunity. Lets take free choice for example. I doubt anyone put a gun to poor Elvira Arellano head when she made a choice to come here illegally? And what would her Mexican government do if someone was coming in there country from the north illegally, I think if I recall they DEPORT them or throw them in JAIL. And what about Elvira husband or the man who impregnated her, where is he? She gave free choice to him to have un-material sex and the out come of sex is usually babies. These are the one’s who get hurt the most. The poor innocent children who will pay the biggest price for such selfishness by the adults, it happens all to much in this society today, and if you continue to allow people to come to America with out enforcing the laws that protect Americans not illegal Aliens then you end up with something that looks just like Mexico, then it becomes corrupted. The answer is, if you are here illegally, then you need to either accept the fact that if you get caught you will be deported regardless of your situation or you can go to the BACK of the LINE and do what you are supposed to do and come in LEGUALY.

Just a thought of a American “WHO’S FATHER, TWO UNCLES AND GREAT GRAND FATHER GAVE THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT AMERICANS AND OUR FREEDOM

Dude, please learn the difference between "it's" and "its".

She was deported!! YES!!! That's 1 and 11,999,999 to 19,999,999 to go! If you are here illegally you do not have to wait for your turn, deport yourselves today!! If you do not want to be separated from your family, take them with you. gracias.

Dude, please learn to specify who your calling out when your calling out somebody.

(And yeah, I did that on purpose.)

it speaks volumes when a girl from kansas notices when hateful, racist comments outnumber the voices who recognize these people as contributing human beings in an L.A. blog.

"Americans will not and should not take orders from foreigners who come here."

Mexican immigrants are not making any orders or special demands of Americans, so cut the whole "immigrants have a sense of entitlement" BS. They simply want the same opportunity that was given to those immigrants that came before them, without being labeled as criminals or terrorists or being torn from their families when they go to work . All they want is to be able to work, give their kids an opportunity and have a carne asada while they watch the Dodgers play now and then.

"So Mando, I assume you have no problem with people paying cayotes to bring them into the U.S. illegally"

I never said this and I don't know how you came to this conclusion from my posts. I want there to be a rational, humane and mutually beneficial way for immigrants to come to this country. My parents risked their lives doing this, I wouldn't want anyone to go through that. Learn to read dude.

"So while you are pleading their case, please tell us what the Mexican Consitutition says about immigrants and how our neighbor to the south handles illegals from Central and South America."

Mexico's own immigration policies are irrelevant here. Yes Mexico is a fucked up, corrupt country and their politicians are scumbags, just as ours are. But the U.S. is the land of opportunity, that's why people come here for a better life. My argument is that immigrants that work hard, pay taxes and follow the law should be allowed to stay, so Mexico's immigration policies are moot.

"Interesting concept Freedom it’s a shame that the people of Mexico do not raise to the occasion and take over there very corrupted government with there own blood and mirror what we have here in America"

Hmmm... I hear this one a lot too from immigrant bashers. Tell me why the pilgrims didn't rise up and change their government in England before coming to America and displacing the indigenous peoples who already lived here. If it's so easy to change your government why did so many Europeans seek a better life in America instead of changing their situations at home? Or is it just that immigrant bashers apply a different standard to their own ancestors? In other words, they're hypocrites.

In short, my ancestors have as much a right to the American Dream as yours did. Nativism and xenophobia have always been on the wrong side of history, and always will be.

God Bless Ms. Arellano, I wish her the best no matter what happens.

I have a very good friend from Europe who is living here illegaly for a few years!
Hes very "americanized", speaks perfect english,loves this country very much but is illegal because he doesnt meet the requirements for a working visa!
I think its very unfair the way our immigration system works.
We can very easily find out who the criminals are and deport them. Those who genuinely want to stay and work and contribute to this country should be allowed to do that whether they came here illegaly or not! Why are we acting like this is an exclusive country club for the privileged?
What happened to the compassionate America?