From the fertile annals of the human disaster that is our country's current immigration policies vs. the world's worker migration realities, there are several immigration-related news items this week that require some attention.
First, in The Houston Chronicle, soldier Armando Soriano dies in Iraq at age 20, after dedicating much of his short life to helping his undocumented parents rise from their poor South Houston life. His mother gets a green card; his father, because of a prior deportation, now faces deportation again. A Texas Congressman is trying to figure something out.
In Rhode Island, The Boston Globe reports that an undocumented Brazilian suffering from epilepsy died in federal custody after being arrested on a deportation warrant. His sister, bearing 34-year-old Edmar Alves Araujo's medication, was repeatedly turned away at a local police station.
In Utah, you might have noticed that media updates on those six trapped miners refer to three of the men as "Mexican nationals" or "Mexican immigrants." CNN reports that a language barrier is frustrating the family of Manuel Sanchez, 41, as they maintain vigil for his survival. The Mexican consulate in Salt Lake City is assisting, says Deseret Morning News. The A.P. follows with a piece highlighting the presence of immigrants in the mining industry, which as the story points out is really the second large wave of miners coming up from down south.
* Links: "Father of fallen soldier now battling deportation," "Sister says police refused medicine for Milford man," "Frustrated family of miner clings to 'one string of hope'," "Mexico assisting relatives of miners," "Accident highlights influx of Latino into state's mining industry." Also, the USC Institute for Justice and Journalism 'Just News' blog.
* Photo by Deseret Morning News.