07 11 05

Mitch at Shot in the Dark links to this story in the Strib, one of those maddening cases where immigration policy shows its face. Its tired, bored, pinched and constipated face. The story concerns a couple that came to the US under a visa to get medical treatment for their child. The parents are both employed; they have a house in the ‘burbs, and they’ve had a kid since they got here.

Unfortunately for them, their kid’s illness is in remission, so back to the Czech Republic they go.

This from an agency that mailed visa approval notices to Mo Atta months after he drove a plane into the WTC. Priorities? They’re soaking in them.

From an online petition on the case:

Almost 17 years ago (July 1988), Andrew and Blanka Danecek escaped with their two sons, Andy (age 11) and Christopher (age 9), from their native Czechoslovakia, just hours before Andrew, a lawyer, was to be arrested by the secret police for distributing banned literature. Andrew was tried by the Communist Government in absentia and sentenced to prison, making him a political refugee.

I’d say that’s sufficient to get him asylum – and as for the humanitarian waiver, well, it does not credit to a bureaucracy to kick a kid out because he’s not dying at the expected pace.

What caught my eye was one of the comments: “What an outrage. Thanks for bringing attention to this story.”

Can’t argue with that. The local radio station is discussing the case as I write this, and it’s good they’ve brought attention to the story as well. Something might actually come of it, now that people are beginning to hear about it. Finally. Somehow. For some reason. Can’t quite put my finger on it.

Oh, and cancel your newspaper.