Craziness

I rarely write about news or politics, but here is something that is crazy and should get more coverage.

The Cuevases thought they were doing what was best for their family when they decided to stay in the United States after their visitors' visas had expired. In 1996, they applied for permanent residence status. Now, after living in America for 19 years, the Cuevas family is facing deportation on Feb. 17 to the Philippines -- a country they barely remember, and one whose culture their adult children know little about.

See here for the article .

I realize people will criticize the issue of overstaying a visa. But it's not so simple when you are talking about a family with children, a struggling developing country (remember the Marcoses?), and the past (see "The Philippine failure" section) and current US-Philippines relations. Plus, after having lived in San Diego, it's hard not to notice that things wouldn't be so rosy for US consumers without illegal and immigrant workers.

What I'm trying to say is that the issue is not simply an overstayed visa since there are many forces at play that bring people to this situation. Besides, the kids in this case are innocent. Can you imagine what this is teaching them?

The reason this strikes a chord in me is that I am a US citizen who more or less grew up in Japan and never quite fit in the 'box' delineated by my passport. I first should say that I am aware of the immense value I receive from having a US citizenship. I am working and living here by choice, after all. I am grateful to have that choice. But I'm not sure that strict national borders (that were artificially created after much blood shedding) and citizenships that define people in very powerful ways is the best system for an increasingly transnational hybrid community.

In Japan, I had to carry around an Alien Registration. It used to be a whole booklet complete with a fingerprint; now it's more like a driver's license, but you must have it on you at all times. (You have to have an address to get one and there has been blatant discrimination against non-white foreigners in trying to rent places thus making it difficult to get it. And without it, you can't get a bank account, buy a phone, get insurance, etc. But that's a whole other story that riles me up.) Growing up in Tokyo, I had to go with my mom every 3 years down to the immigration office to extend my 'stay.' Every time I came back from abroad, I had to explain why I was coming back to my home. (Things are a bit more open now though.) And feeling more Japanese than American, I was horrified to learn in high school that if the US went to war, I would be forced to be on the US side.

My issues are very minor compared to the Cuevases and many other families facing the inflexibility of the law. But it absolutely irritates me that the state isn't seeing the people behind these definitions. As humans, there are always exceptions and misfits.

So sign the petition should you wish. Thanks for letting me rant.