CHICAGO (AP) — The day Margarita Del Pilar Fitzpatrick applied for an Illinois driver’s license upended her life. When a clerk offered to register her to vote in 2005, the Peruvian citizen mistakenly accepted, leading to long legal battles and eventually deportation.
“Mistakenly” Ok, why not?
A decade and a half later, she struggles to find work at 52, is nearly homeless and hasn’t seen two of her three American citizen daughters in years because of a secretary of state’s office mishap.
Mishap? What awful accident happened?
“It has derailed our lives,” she said in a phone interview from Lima. “Immigrants should not be put in this situation.”
I am in pins and needled. What evil American thing is torturing this poor woman?
A handful of other immigrants could face a similar fate, or criminal charges, after a mistake in Illinois’ automatic voter registration system allowed of hundreds of people who identified themselves as non-U.S. citizens to register. Sixteen cast ballots.
Wait, what?
Fitzpatrick presented both her Peruvian passport and U.S. green card when applying for a driver’s license in 2005. She was confused by a clerk who said it was “up to you” if she wanted to register so she did. Then she voted, saying she did not learn it was illegal until applying for citizenship years later. The government moved to have her deported, which courts upheld. She was removed in 2017. ( Bold mine)
She didn’t know? I call bullshit. They tell you when you get your green Card that you get many of the privileges of a citizen, but loud and clear you are told you cannot vote, period. And that is you vote, you are breaking the law and will be deported. And even in the Spanish TV Channels, during election time, they keep telling you can’t vote if you are not a citizen or be subject of ICE ejection from the country. And no, I am done buying the poor ignorant immigrant acting role because I know it is just bullshit to appeal as a victim.
The hilarious part is that the “automatic voter registration” being blamed for the troubles and the article mentions how Republicans are trying to get rid of it because of similar problems all over the country. Not much commentary from the Democrats, why? Because “automatic voter registration” is also know and Motor Voter Law or with the official name of National Voter Registration Act of 1993, one of the crown jewels of the Democrats and one William Jefferson Clinton.
Democrats deporting immigrants.
Democrats have made a mess of everything they touch.
I don’t know if you still keep up “design mom” still, but she’s still into her antics.
In her latest one she claims to speak for God.
https://www.designmom.com/lets-talk-about-protecting-our-families/
Oh, if ONLY one of the Blog Owners had, oh, I dunno, some PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with Green cards, and citizenship, and all that stuff! Gosh, maybe somebody like that, who might be considered somewhat of a SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT might weigh in, with their opinion…..
rather than the lying bullshit from AP (did I just repeat myself…?)
Um… I held a green card from 1980 to 1987. Perhaps procedures have changed, but I certainly was not explicitly told that I didn’t have the right to vote. Then again, I understood this without being told.
The part I don’t understand: why aren’t the state officials who offered voter registration to an alien going to jail, for conspiracy to violate election law? It’s arguable whether taking this out on the alien is an overreaction, but it certainly CANNOT be arguable that officials need to be held liable for these illegal acts.
Ironically, Illinois originally refused to hand out voter registration cards along with driver’s licenses (Yes, Illinois!), and the Clinton Administration sued the state to force it to comply.
Miguel, don’t your know everyone south of the Rio Grande is of barely functional intellect and competence. They are like children, poor, oblivious children. That’s why white Liberals need to tell them how to think and live. Asking a woman from Peru to understand and follow immigration and voting laws created by racist white people is like asking a pre schooler to fly a 747. It’s not her fault, her head is filled with folk wisdom and pan flute music. She’s a victim and should be given a pass. What are you, a xenophobic bigot?
The soft bigotry of low expectations.