Mother of American forced to hide in church to escape abductors

It's a terrible situation--a 7 year-old American may soon be left parentless as armed assailants plan to abduct his mother and take her away, out of the country...

Why doesn't his government step in to help? Well, you see, they are the abductors. Elvira Arellano has raised her son well to age seven and become politically active to help improve his (and her) American community.

But tonight Elvira and Saul are hiding in a church in Humboldt Park, as they fight for the future of their family.

Immigration officials say that it's about "fairness" as they must follow the laws of the land, and there are many in the same situation as the Arellenos.

That is certainly the case, but this is where I believe a "family values" mindset must take precedence over petty issues of the law. Do you consider yourself a "good" American? What did you sacrifice to secure your citizenship? Personally, I just popped out of the birth canal on American soil. My grandfather and Ms. Arellano didn't have such a hollow tie to this land. They came out of choice and that choice was to risk arrest and internment simply for wanting to contribute to this country. My grandfather spent ten days in a concentration cell in Seattle, simply because he was too yellow to immigrate freely to the U.S.

I have paid my taxes regularly and for those taxes, I have receive Social Security credits, eligibility for financial aid, and other benefits. Ms. Arellano faked a SSN# so that she could work and had money deducted from her check while receiving nothing resembling comparable benefits.

Ms. Arellano is a pretty dope American, and deserves an opportunity to continue to contribute to the country that she has courageously fought to be a part of. If it is a country too full, why not deport Michelle Malkin or someone else who really isn't doing much to contribute?

Moreover, Saul is a young American who deserves the best shot at achieving his potential. It sure won't hurt that potential to have his mother in his life. Some may say, "Well, he wouldn't be an American at all if his mother hadn't broken the law!"

I take that as a direct personal insult. I don't think we should be judged on meaningless social conventions and grandfather clauses. We should be judged on what we contribute to our society. Are we a nation of enforcement or meritocracy? I believe we must choose the latter. To do otherwise amounts to treason against the true America--the America of equal opportunity and limitless potential...