Tuesday, July 29, 2008



When Nok Kells' American military husband died in a traffic accident three years ago, the government began deportation proceedings against her. It's called the widow penalty. Nok is one of 160 widows and widowers facing deportation because their U.S. citizen spouses died less than two years after their marriages. Nok Kells and her lawyer explain how they are fighting to legally get Nok and her two children clearance to stay in the country.
The Mark Krikorian mindset, which wants to clamp down on legal immigrants or turns a blind eye to their punishment, I have never understood. We don't need legal immigrants? The US is facing a shortage of 800,000 nurses in a little over 10 years. That will affect the healthcare system of this country. Sure so lets cut back on the total of visas given out to trained nurses. Makes sense? Nooooooooo!
Nor does the Widow Penalty. Widows like Mrs. Kells are legal immigrants, not terrorists. They haven't committed any crime, and therefore if the marriage was valid, there should be no reason for them not to be able to remain in this country. Death doesn't totally end the obligations of marriage. A widow is still responsible for debts and other obligations they and their spouse signed onto before one of them died.

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