What to Do When You are Deported Danny Quintana - ExpertClick
go to original May 12, 2012

For the approximate 20-plus million undocumented immigrants the threat of deportation is a daily reality. Even if someone is here legally and with a greencard, one can easily be deported if they find themselves on the opposite side of the law. Deportation breaks up families, creates a void in the workforce, and is contrary to America's ideals of being a land of opportunity. This is not to say that America should tolerate riff-raff from other countries.

One of the main points of those in favor of harsher immigration laws bring up is that illegal immigration is a crime, and perpetuates the crime cycle and the influx of drugs from other countries. At the same time, it is America's own drug consumption and demand of goods/services at cheap prices that perpetuate this cycle. If American's ceased to consume illicit drugs, the demand for the drug cartels and smuggling would no longer be there. Given that America's consumption of drugs doesn't seem to be declining anytime soon, in fact it is growing at epidemic proportions, there is no end in sight.

The great majority of those who immigrate to the United States from our South-of-the-border countries are here to pursue economic opportunities. There are individual circumstances that demand individual consideration. The current state of immigration policy is to "round 'em up and ship 'em out." Here are some tips to avoid being deported:

1) Stay under the radar. This means do not wear flashy clothes, lots of jewelry, tattoos or drive a vehicle which attracts a lot of attention. In other words, try to fit in. Attention may or may not attract a hot date, but it will get you deported.

2) Obey the laws. This one is just common sense. One thing that really angers Americans is when people come here and cause all kinds of legal problems. If you decide you want to party with your friends, take a cab home. Don't get a DUI and go to jail. Immigration Criminal Enforcement monitors all of the nation's jails. You will get deported for one mistake. If someone is asking you to do something illegal like sell fake Social Security cards, IDs or drugs you will be caught and deported after you spend time in jail. The US legal system works. Quietly report these criminals to the police and they will take care of them. While I understand some of the criminal organizations will threaten to kill your family if you don't commit crimes for them, our legal system works. Report them. Don't break the law and put yourself in a position to be deported.

If you drive without insurance and get in a wreck you will go to jail and then be deported. Americans get really angry at the immigrants who drive without insurance. It makes costs go up for everyone and is illegal. If you are going to work here, plan on obeying the laws.

This is sometimes a difficult cultural adjustment, because in other countries there are not functioning legal systems. America has a functioning legal system. While the drug and immigration laws are unjust and immoral, these are political problems. Most attorneys and judges I know work very hard to make the legal system function properly. Use the legal system to your benefit by following the laws.

3) Learn English. This is a big problem and a source of anger for Americans. What people who do not speak Spanish mistakenly believe is if you are talking in Spanish around them you are talking bad about them. While it is obviously ridiculous this is what some sensitive Americans sometimes think. In public try to talk in English. Rather than waste money on an immigration attorney buy some CDs and learn the language. This benefits you greatly. Not knowing the language and trying to survive in another country is a very heavy burden you can easily lift with effort and education. There are crooked car dealers, realtors and employers who will steal from you if you can't read a simple contract. Ours is a society where "let the buyer beware". If you get ripped off because you have not taken the time to learn the language and read what you signed you have caused yourself legal and financial problems you could have avoided. Get receipts on purchases. If you don't understand a document, take it to an attorney and pay them to explain it to you prior to entering into any contract. . If you learn the language you will have a much better time here with a strong work ethic and love of family. If my European, Asian and African friends can speak two, three even four languages, it is not that difficult for you to learn French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. The more language skills you have mastered the better your ability to sell your labor in a constantly changing economy.

4) Don't count on ever becoming "legal." Until the United States, Canada and Mexico amend N.A.F.T.A. to allow the free flow of people, not just goods and services count on continued immigration irritation. Last year there were 1.4 million Mexicans waiting to legally immigrate to the United States and only 26,000 visas. I have clients who spent thousands of dollars trying to get "papers." Prior to the Republican political ploy of making immigration an issue to detract people's minds' off the Iraq war disaster the going rate to come across the American-Mexican border was a $200 bribe to the American border guards. Now they are charging $5,000 to $10,000 for entry into the land of opportunity

Along with English, learn the culture. There are differences in cultural attitudes toward eye contact. In the Native American and some Spanish cultures you do not look people directly in the eyes as it is a sign of hostility. You look at the face. In the English American culture not making eye contact is seen as a sign of disrespect to not look someone directly in the eyes. Learn the culture and the habits of Americans.

5) Carry identification and papers at all times. Some people have been deported because of mistaken identity. Even though I am American, I am quite dark and always carry my identification and birth certificate with me at all times. We are turning into a fascist police state and I don't want problems with an ICE agent telling me "let me see your papers". To avoid problems just show them your identification.

6) Stay away from known criminals and gang members. While it may sound simplistic. People who get in trouble with the law will get you in trouble. I had a client who makes tamales. Her neighbor sold fake IDs. He owed her money and asked her to deliver some IDs to a buyer. She had never been in trouble with the law and is now charged with a couple of felonies. Her previous attorney stole $6,000 from her and never processed her immigration papers. Had she not made the delivery for some criminals she would not be in trouble. Now America is going to be short one tamale maker. Her youngest child has never been to Mexico and will now have to adjust to a new life.

If you are going to be deported and you have no legal avenue to stay in the country here are some considerations to get your affairs in order:

1) Get your children passports. Over 40,000 children are living in foster care as a result of deporting 1,000 people per day. Many of your children were either quite young when you came here and have no knowledge of their home country. Others were born here and only know America. Some don't even speak Spanish but might understand a few words here and there. They will have to learn to survive in Mexico or whatever country your family will be living in.

2) Open a checking account with a large bank in the United States. You can use your debit card in other countries at an ATM. If you keep large sums of money in foreign banks the tellers will tell their boyfriends and you will be targeted for kidnapping. The criminals will rob you of any money if you are unfortunate. With a drug war between the Mexican government and the various criminal organizations, kidnappings are a daily problem in Mexico and other countries. You do not want to carry more than bus fare and enough for groceries with you in countries that do not have functioning legal systems. This is not just true of Mexico but many countries. Watch the gas stations. If you cannot pay at the pump, only give the gas station attendant money. If you give them your credit or debit card they will copy the number and some gas stations have copiers in the back rooms just for this purpose. Your family here can deposit money in your account so you can survive until you find work or start your own business in your new home.

3) Arrange for your transportation before you arrive on the country of your birth. Almost everyone has relatives in other parts of the world. What some criminals are doing is they are waiting at the border for the immigrants to be dropped off. Then they are kidnapping them and the relatives in the United States having to wire funds to the criminal organizations. Even then, after the criminals are paid $500 to $5,000 or however much money they can extort from the families of the kidnapped, the victims are routinely murdered. The key is to not get kidnapped in the beginning. If you are about to get kidnapped, run like hell and scream for help. Run into a crowd of people. Do not go to Cuidad Juarez. It is currently the most dangerous city on earth. On voluntary departures see if you can fly into a major city. Since America refuses to deal with its drug addiction by treating it as a medical problem and instead has created a lucrative dangerous black market, people in other parts of the world will continue to be killed by drug dealers.

4) Wear old clothes. If you are being deported by the United States government, you can only pack one suitcase with 40 pounds of items. Do not take new clothes that will attract the attention of the criminals. If you look like you have money you probably will be kidnapped and killed. The criminals are on both sides of the border and in both prison systems. The criminals have no respect for human life. Over 50,000 people have been killed in Mexico's failed attempt to stop the American fueled and funded drug war. Look poor and do not attract attention to yourself. It will save your life.

5) Be optimistic. Yes, it is dangerous in other parts of the world where the rule of law is not well established. Work with your fellow countrymen and women and make life better in your new home. Use N.A.F.T.A. to ship goods and services to America and engage in trade. If you're your country does not have a free trade agreement with the United States encourage a change in the law to get one. If you have committed a crime in the United States and been deported as a result of your criminal behavior, use this deportation to change your behavior. Don't start committing crimes in your new country. Become a law abiding citizen there and make the best of what you have. Educate people in your new home with the skills you learned in the United States. Continue to maintain contact and ties with your relatives and friends in the United States. We make mistakes when we are young. We can learn from these mistakes or continue them and ruin our own and other people's lives. The criminals will only win if you give up and become one of them.

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