July 4th - a couple days after . . .
July 4th was hot. There were parades. Kids had fun. There were barbeques. And, of course, fireworks.
But this year, celebrating July 4th or at least enjoying it was tough. I had a lot on my mind. Specifically, I was thinking of a good friend of mine sitting in a federal detention center in another state for a crime he never committed or attempted to commit in any manner. He was simply pulled over for a traffic stop and asked for his identification . . .You see, my friend is an illegal immigrant. Not by choice. He was brought here by his family when he was 13. He went to school here just like everyone else. He and his siblings have applied all of the appropriate paperwork to become citizens as they became adults. His parents have also filed the appropriate paperwork. Kind of rare to hear about the people that take the time to do things the legitimate way. It could have been the typical story - brought to the US and he could have just ignored everything and taken his chances.But, he didn't do that. But, he is being treated as if he did. And, the govertment has informed him that they are seeking to deport him.To say this is a tragic implementation of our justice system wouldn't be sufficient. It's just sad. My friend is a productive member of society working tireless hours as he runs a independent retail store that is quite successful. He is known in the community as a caring, thoughtful person who would do anything to help another person.And, back to his intentions. Paperwork. Ah yes, the citizenship paperwork I referred to. He has been involved in the filing of paperwork to gain his citizenship for years. It is a long, drawn out process with no visible end in sight. And, there is no apparent urgency regardless of how you attempt to adhere to the rules. But, he has always maintained that he is going to get it done the right way.So, here I sit this morning drinking a cup of coffee and wondering how he is doing. He has been in the detention center for 6 days now and he is being told it will be up to a month before he may get a trial. There's no consideration being given to the fact that he was brought to the US when he was under 18, that he has filed all of the necessary paperwork and/or that he has never sought to blatantly hide the fact that he is on the path to citizenship. He has legal counsel and they are working to expedite the process as much as possible.We hear stories every day about people crossing the border, committing crimes, etc. We know the stories because this is what we are all subjected to. But, when small stories that involve people like my friend happen, there's never a whisper. Even in writing this post, he wouldn't be pleased as he doesn't want the attention. In fact, he has insisted that nobody make a fuss and keep this very private. It is very difficult to abide by these wishes, but I will do so.July 4th was hot. There were parades. Kids had fun. There were barbeques. And, of course, fireworks.But, for some, July 4th isn't all about celebrating indepdence day. It is about hoping for freedom. From a jail cell. For a crime you didn't commit.