Ravenwood - 06/04/03 01:30 PM
The New York Post reports that 69 year old Jose Acosta, who faces New York City weapons charges for defending himself against three armed thugs last month, may be deported if he is convicted. While New York City routinely punishes citizens for defending themselves against predators, the threat of deportation by the INS raises the stakes.
"How about if we deport the three kids who broke into the store," said the Rev. Brian Jordan, an immigrant advocate at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan.What a wonderful message this sends to New York City thugs and their victims.Manhattan DA staffers declined to discuss the issue, perhaps because they face the same dilemma encountered by their counterparts in Brooklyn and Queens who were legally bound to prosecute two vigilantes who used illegal guns to kill attackers.
The Acosta case, however, raises the stakes because a man considered a hero by local merchants who were being terrorized by a gang of thugs could be thrown out of the country.
CLARIFICATION: Acosta is not an illegal immigrant. He has lived here legally for 25 years, and may face deportation by the INS if he is convicted of a firearms charge.
Category: Defending Your Life
Comments (6) top link me
Tough city. First, get robbed, then we'll deport your ass. But hey, if he was here illegally, ship him out I say.
Posted by: SageOne at June 4, 2003 1:58 PMHe's not here illegally. He's been a legal U.S. resident for 25 years. Since he's an immigrant, a firearm conviction could trigger a deportation.
Posted by: Ravenwood at June 4, 2003 2:31 PMSorry, I guess I misunderstood. Thank's for the clarification. Either way, it sucks for him. I guess it would have been better to get robbed and try to get through it without getting shot or shanked.
Posted by: SageOne at June 4, 2003 2:35 PMQuestion - if he's been here 25 years, why didn't he become a citizen? Especially in a place like NYC with its nutso gun laws, being a citizen would have given him some protection against deportation, anyway. I wonder how many foreign countries would let me stay without becoming a citizen for 25 years?
Posted by: Robert Speirs at June 4, 2003 2:51 PMWe should deport all NYC lawmakers to Guantanamo Bay.
Posted by: Brent at June 4, 2003 11:35 PMThis is outrageous. Citizen or no all he's guilty of is having an unregistered gun. That was stupid, but that's hardly a crime worthy of deportation. This nation was and is built by immigrants. Yet we treat them shabbily, both as a society and legally. Why should he be punished more severely than a citizen? No he doesn't have all a citizens' rights. He can't vote, etc. But he has the same duty to obey the law. Fine. He shouldn't be additionaly punished. typical of much of our society. The latest group of immigrants to be despised are arabs yet as someone has said, do we despise citizens of Tim McVey's home town? These are loyal citizens and law abiding resident aliens. Yet so many of us are only 2nd or 3rd generation americans many from once despised groups like poles, irish, italians etc once were. But can't have the "furriners"
Posted by: Terry Reeves at June 9, 2003 12:57 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
