NationStates Jolt Archive

The article is in Spanish, from a local Puerto Rican newspaper. But the story of this girl made me thoughtful.

Basically, this girl has been living in a foster home in the town of Canóvanas, PR, since she was four. For some reasons that are still under investigation, the Department for Family Well Beaing and Immigration, informed the school authorities that the girl was to be removed, relocated and then deported to her native China.

At least the school didn't give up and they fought so the girl could remain in Puerto Rico.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/finalfelizparalajovenchina-560935.html

Un acuerdo de último minuto frenó ayer la deportación de la adolescente de 14 años
Una adolescente china que vivía felizmente en un hogar sustituto en el municipio de Canóvanas, vivió tres días de angustia cuando estuvo a punto de ser deportada por las autoridades de inmigración hacia un futuro incierto en su país de origen.

Pero un acuerdo de último minuto ayer entre el Departamento de la Familia (DF) y el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) produjo un final feliz para la menor.

La chica fue removida de la escuela por una trabajadora social del DF el miércoles y llevada a la sede de ICE en Guaynabo. El ICE la mantuvo bajo su custodia en un hotel del área metropolitana en cumplimiento del protocolo que manda esperar 72 horas por si un familiar reclama su custodia.

Hoy hubiese sido llevada a un centro de la Oficina de Reubicación de Refugiados (ORR) de ICE en Estados Unidos, según explicó el portavoz de ICE, Iván Ortiz. Una vez allí, ICE se proponía terminar de investigar el caso y posiblemente la joven hubiese sido deportada porque se entendía que su estatus migratorio era ilegal. Además, un familiar supuestamente la reclamaba en China, según Ortiz y la secretaria de la Familia Yanitzia Irizarry.
En vez de Departamento de la Familia deberia llamarse Departamento Destrucción Familiar. Por eso es que muchos niños estan como estan, terminan con malas influencias.

Pero la comunidad escolar no se resignó. Con el reclamo de los maestros de la escuela José Santos Quiñones a los medios de comunicación se inició una ola que culminó en un entendido entre las agencias y un cambio de postura de ICE que permitirá a la menor permanecer en Puerto Rico legalmente y obtener la residencia permanente.

“Las dos agencias se comunicaron y se determinó que se podía cancelar la orden de comparecencia (emitida por ICE). El DF va asumir nuevamente la custodia”, declaró Ortiz en la tarde. “Nos dimos cuenta de que el estatus migratorio de la niña podía ser revertido al que tenía antes de la denegación de un ajuste de status”, dijo el portavoz. “Eso le permite estar en el país indefinidamente, luego convertirse en residente permanente y solicitar la ciudadanía de Estados Unidos al cumplir la mayoría de edad”, dijo Ortiz.

It is speculated that the girl was to be removed and sent to China to be prostituted there.

My question for NSG is as follows: has any of you heard of this problem in China? Are young girls like Mei Ling (fake name) sent to other countries, girls that seem to lack a family, and then deported back to China to serve as prostitutes?

If anything, I'd heard the opposite - that refugees from China were being enslaved overseas by unscrupulous "Snakehead" smugglers.

China is, like many authoritarian states, really down on "vice crimes". Doesn't mean they don't exist of course - can't stop 'em - but they're kept well underground.

If anything, I'd heard the opposite - that refugees from China were being enslaved overseas by unscrupulous "Snakehead" smugglers.

China is, like many authoritarian states, really down on "vice crimes". Doesn't mean they don't exist of course - can't stop 'em - but they're kept well underground.

What's really puzzling is that this girl wasn't being claimed by a father or mother or immediate family member back in China. She's an orphan. She had been living with this family in PR since she was 4. She's an honor student and well liked. It was really puzzling why, all of a sudden, IRC wanted to remove, relocate and deport her.

I wonder if the request documents were forged or real and if real, what part the official that issued them plays in this.

Yes, quite odd. Have there been any major scandals or outrages in PR recently? Anything the politicos might have wanted to divert attention from?

Yes, quite odd. Have there been any major scandals or outrages in PR recently? Anything the politicos might have wanted to divert attention from?

The country is on the verge of civil unrest. Almost 100,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs from May up to November of this year. This was a decision made by the government in mid-March.

The country is on the verge of civil unrest. Almost 100,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs from May up to November of this year. This was a decision made by the government in mid-March.

Bingo. The government makes this "decision", makes sure the newspapers hear about it, allows the "decision" to be "reversed" by public opinion. Everybody feels good for five minutes and the government gets a little less heat over the economy.

I have heard tales when I was in Asia. They try to have girls raised in the US, Europe, or sometimes Latin America, so they learn another language. Then the would be pimp drops information to the local government about her being an illegal immigrant when she is about 13 or 14. Her English/Spanish/German speaking ability allows her to converse with foreigners more and she can make more money. Also with the woman shortage in China they are not being picky on checking virginity status of girls so later she can be sold to an urbanite that thinks her abilty to speak two languages means she is educated or at least useful.

I have heard tales when I was in Asia. They try to have girls raised in the US, Europe, or sometimes Latin America, so they learn another language. Then the would be pimp drops information to the local government about her being an illegal immigrant when she is about 13 or 14. Her English/Spanish/German speaking ability allows her to converse with foreigners more and she can make more money. Also with the woman shortage in China they are not being picky on checking virginity status of girls so later she can be sold to an urbanite that thinks her abilty to speak two languages means she is educated or at least useful.

That's awful, if it's true.

That's awful, if it's true.

If that's the case for this girl she would have been kept for visiting Spanish Businessmen. Not, just China but Korea and Japan might have similar arrangements. Korea One of my friends got beat up by the mob trying to get a prostitute he was smitten with to the US embassy because of similar story. Weather that was just a sob tale the hooker made up or if intact it was true I can't say.

I'm not saying that that doesn't happen, but I have a hard time believing it's some kind of systemic occurrence. I'm sure it has happened a few times, but you're looking at a fairly long-term investment for a business that generally trends toward short-term gains, even when it's operated by a criminal organization like the mob or the triads.

As you said, these are tales and strike me as some maybe partially true hearsay that has grown into an urban legend.

I'm not saying that that doesn't happen, but I have a hard time believing it's some kind of systemic occurrence. I'm sure it has happened a few times, but you're looking at a fairly long-term investment for a business that generally trends toward short-term gains, even when it's operated by a criminal organization like the mob or the triads.

As you said, these are tales and strike me as some maybe partially true hearsay that has grown into an urban legend.

The only thing I am happy of it's the fact that, at least the Family Department in PR has decided to take charge of the girl instead of letting Immigration deport her. And she'll be able to stay with her foster family. She seems to be happy with them and they seem to love her.

I'm not saying that that doesn't happen, but I have a hard time believing it's some kind of systemic occurrence. I'm sure it has happened a few times, but you're looking at a fairly long-term investment for a business that generally trends toward short-term gains, even when it's operated by a criminal organization like the mob or the triads.

As you said, these are tales and strike me as some maybe partially true hearsay that has grown into an urban legend.

not really much investment send a few girls overseas and let the social services system put them in school. Then fax her birth certificate and current address to immigration.

But still not exactly what i would call reliable information. Though these would but pretty few and far between for the high class places cratering to rich businessmen.

Poor foreigners get the broken English of Thai hookers.

Doesn't Taiwan have child trafficking?

Strange.

here is agood map that represents only the tip of the ice berg
http://www.c-a-s-e.net/Child%20Trafficking%20Map.htm

I hear the Chinese are masters of happy endings.

I hear the Chinese are masters of happy endings.

Native Americans do it better.