This morning while I was exercising CNN was running a sob story about Adam Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from Honduras who eluded capture for 26 years and is now being deported back to his home country. CNN was clearly sympathetic to Mr. Hernandez because during his 26 years as a fugitive he got married and raised a family; during the report CNN revealed that Mr. Hernandez was denied citizenship because of crimes he committed in his youth, but the network decided not to report what those crimes were. However, a quick Google search reveals that Adam Hernandez is a car thief and was a member of a drug gang.
[KMBC's Lara] Moritz reported that despite Hernandez's Social Security card and work permit, his past has come to haunt him. As a teenager, he said he stole cars and was associated with people who were involved in drugs.Now, the Immigration and Naturalization Service notified Hernandez that his citizenship will be denied and he will be deported to Honduras.
"I pay taxes just like a U.S. citizen. I (have) done everything (right) since I got in trouble," Hernandez said.
Stealing cars isn't a minor crime, it's a felony, and it's unlikely that Mr. Hernandez did no worse than that while he "associated" with drug gangs. It isn't up to us to prove he did anything wrong; Mr. Hernandez is asking for a special favor, to be made an American citizen, and the burden of proof is on him to demonstrate his worthiness.
Furthermore, the argument made above by Mr. Hernandez is simplistic and insulting. If he had done "everything right" he wouldn't have come to America illegally in the first place, and if he had done "everything right since [he] got in trouble" he would have returned to Honduras a long time ago. Even though Mr. Hernandez hasn't stolen any more cars and has paid taxes, we can't have a general rule that gives illegal immigrant car-stealing gang members 26 years of freedom to change their ways.
"I would give my life for this country -- this is my family," Hernandez said."What are we going to do? Just sell the house, pack up everything and move to a third-world country? I can't do that to these kids," Kim Hernandez said.
Adam Hernandez said he will honor the law and return to Honduras and someday, hopefully, can be reunited with his family.
To tell the truth, it is a sad situation, but it is sad because Mr. Hernandez made bad choices and now he and his family are suffering for them. I hope there is a way for him to be reunited with his family in the future, and I hope that his story will serve as an example to others of why the law should generally be obeyed.
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