OFFICIALS HALT MOM'S DEPORTATION

Cleveland Plain Dealer ^ | 2/05/2004 | Donna J. Iacoboni and Robert L. Smith

[JesseHousman]

A day that started emotionally for a Lakewood woman being deported to Venezuela ended emotionally as a panel of immigration judges suddenly reversed themselves and stopped her deportation in its tracks.

Less than eight hours after Amina Silmi reported to immigration authorities to board a plane to South America, the confused and frightened mother called a friend to relay the news that she had a temporary stay. She was in Atlanta, and was being given another chance to plead for permission to stay and raise her children in America.

"This is definitely what we call an 11th-hour reprieve," said Greg Palmore, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the Department of Homeland Security. "It will have to continue to be litigated."

Palmore would not say whether Silmi would be flown back to Cleveland to await the appeal. The stay climaxed a dramatic day.

A Muslim born in Venezuela to Palestinian parents, Silmi had been ordered to report to immigration authorities downtown by 8 a.m. Wednesday with her bags, weighing no more than 40 pounds, packed for South America. She had overstayed a visitor's visa by a dozen years and was ordered out of the country.

Complicating the issue were her three American-born children, all of whom are U.S. citizens. With no home or job prospects in Venezuela, Silmi decided to leave her children behind with a sister in North Olmsted.

"It's hard for me," said the sister, Jamila Jabr, 31. "I have four kids. I have a job to go to."

Outside the Federal Building early Wednesday, in the frigid chill of morning rush hour, Silmi hugged Haiat, who will be 12 on Sunday, Fida, 6, and Belal, 5. Then she walked inside, presumably out of their lives.

She was led away without a suitcase. She had not packed, re fusing to accept what was happening.

"It's very hard when you separate mom from kids," said Raba Khatib of North Olmsted, Silmi's cousin. "There's no father either. And she loved this country."

Silmi came to America on a visitor's visa in 1990 and settled into American life as she gradually learned English. When she was 20, she married a local Arab man who she said beat her. They soon divorced.

Silmi's second husband was deported to Palestine in December, after being convicted of trafficking in food stamps, activity that occurred before he and Silmi met.

Silmi and her children had been living in a tidy rented house in Lakewood. They received food stamps and Social Security benefits for Belal, who is mildly autistic.

But Silmi never took the steps to obtain legal residency, Palm ore said. Either of her two legal- resident Muslim husbands - Haiat was born to the first - would have had to begin that process, but they did not.

If deported, she would be barred from re-entering the country for 10 years, because she violated an order to leave in 2001, Palmore said.

Silmi's supporters argued she was a victim of abusive husbands and a Muslim culture that represses women. Citizenship would have given her independence.

Multiple appeals to defer her deportation until the children were older failed. Wednesday, Silmi's attorney, Svetlana Schreiber, appealed to a federal judge here, seeking to stay the deportation. But the judge did not have to rule, because Federal Bureau of Immigration Appeals judges stepped in, notifying Schreiber by fax at 3:18 p.m.

Schreiber said immigration officials told her they would put the case on a fast track to bring it to resolution. Meanwhile, Silmi's sister, a day-care worker, has power of attorney to care for the children.

[JesseHousman]

"There's no father either.

Wonder what happened to him? Probably with the Taliban.

Just what this country needs. A single muslim mom. Better her but got shipped back to Venezuela with her kids to be with her Venezuelan-Muslim parents.

[boxerblues]

I heard her lawyer on the radio saying her client was not a criminal or a flight risk..of coarse she is a criminal or we wouldn't be having deportation hearings and no she really isn't a flight risk she wants to stay in America. Boot her and her dimwitted lawyer out.

[George W. Bush]

Why wasn't she deported long before now?

She's leaving the kids here as an PR strategy.

Using the four kids as Muslim anchor babies.

We'll see if the rule of law will actually prevail here. Looks like the judges don't want to do their lawful duty to uphold the laws of this country.

[cabbieguy]

Just another example of the soft headed officials refusal to enforce our immigration laws.

[wolfwoman]

It was reported on a Cleveland news station the husband was previously deported for welfare fraud.

[Digger]

What's to be litigated. Throw her sorry ILLEGAL a$$ out.

[humblegunner]

She had overstayed a visitor's visa by a dozen years and was ordered out of the country.

Good.
It would be nice if this might have been caught.. oh, say a dozen years back.

[Blood of Tyrants]

When she was 20, she married a local Arab man who she said beat her. They soon divorced.

Silmi's second husband was deported to Palestine in December, after being convicted of trafficking in food stamps, activity that occurred before he and Silmi met.

It seems that not only American born women are loser magnets.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The big problem is that the US automatically grants citizenship to anyone born here, even if their mother is an illegal alien at the time.

[af_vet_1981]

If she is not linked to terrorism and she wants to stay in the US, put her on probation [with respect to immigration status], let her work, and care for her children.

[Blood of Tyrants]

She's leaving the kids here as an PR strategy.

I think you are wrong here. She did what she thought was best for her kids. I can't see ANYONE taking their children to Venezuela with them when they had no job and no place to go once they got there when there was another alternative. Would you?

[Siamese Princess]

Deport her along with her little future jihadists. She had no business "settling" in this country amongst the infidels to begin with. It's amazing -- those Muslims are swarming everywhere.

[George W. Bush]

She is hoping that, with all the kowtowing this administration has done to Islam, to use this issue to weaken the judges' resolve. I don't think that this 'leaking' of the story into the press is any accident either.

The law is the law. She had plenty of opportunity to make application for legal status.

[B4Ranch]

"Just another example of the soft headed officials refusal to enforce our immigration laws."

The White House says she is eligible for Social Security!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yes, she has. No excuse for not doing it. Except that she knew that there was really no need to go through the hassle and paperwork since for the past 12 years or so the pols have pretty much ignored the immigration laws.

Why do it when the chances are slim that you will be caught and deported? Bringing attention to one's self is risky when you are illegal.

Not trying to justify her decision, just trying to understand why she did wat she did.

[IYAS9YAS]

The big problem is that the US automatically grants citizenship to anyone born here, even if their mother is an illegal alien at the time.

Agreed. I've said this for years. The child's status should reflect the status of the parents. Here legally, citizen; not here legally (visa expired, entered illegally, whatever voids legal status), then illegal and sent packing with the parent(s).

[baltodog]

Single mother. Illegal alien. Food stamps and welfare. Muslim. First husband was an Arab wife-beater. Second husband was a pally criminal.

And yet she gets a chance to plead her case.....

Why do I work and pay taxes? Anyone?....

A nice, shiny quarter to whoever can tell me what good it is to try to be an example to my kids by working and paying taxes.

What do I have to gain by working my ass off while leeches like this have the world given to them?