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Kohl intervenes for UW grad student’s release
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A University of Wisconsin pharmacy student who was arrested
last week and faces deportation was released Tuesday afternoon and is at her
parents’ house in Milwaukee.
Tope Awe, 22, and her brother Gbenga Awe were arrested
Thursday when the Awe family was summoned to the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Office in Milwaukee.
Sam Awe, Tope’s father, said Tope and Gbenga arrived in
their home around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. He added the family was enjoying alone
time to pray in gratitude for his son and daughter’s release and would not
provide further comment.
According to UW School of Pharmacy Dean Jeanette Roberts,
the release was made possible through the office of Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.,
though the “overall resolution remains temporary in nature, pending additional
legal steps.”
“This is just what we were hoping to accomplish in the short
run to allow Tope to return to school for this semester and, hopefully,
beyond,” Roberts said in a statement. “Thanks to all for your wisdom, legal
guidance, and plain old positive energy and hard work. It all made a
difference.”
According to ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro, the family
has had multiple opportunities to have their case heard in immigration court,
but their appeals have been repeatedly denied.
Tope Awe and her family have lived in the country since 1989
and were granted a stay of deportation in 2003 due to Tope’s father’s kidney
problems.
“They were also granted relief so the family could address
the father’s health issues,” Montenegro said in a statement. “However, the
family has refused to comply with U.S. immigration laws and with the
arrangements they had repeatedly agreed to.”
The family was notified they were required to make arrangements
to depart from the U.S. but failed to make contact with ICE after July 2004 and
remained in the country illegally, Montenegro said.
Tope and Gbenga Awe were arrested March 27 as immigration
fugitives. They are required to wear monitoring bracelets on their ankles and
to report to ICE periodically while they await travel documents for their
return to Nigeria, Montenegro added.
UW senior Selam Zewdie, who was involved in organizing a
protest and gathering signatures in support of Tope Awe, said though she’s been
released, the case is not over.
“The fight still has to go on for her to finish her
education here,” Zewdie added. “But for the students who have worked on her
behalf, we are extremely delighted and very thankful for everybody who came out
and supported her to be allowed to be released to come back home and continue
her education while she continues to fight in her legal procedure.”
Sam Awe said Tope is doing well and will be back in Madison
today and should attend classes regularly.
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IP hash: c3d083d9
so with this information that her family refuses to comply with the law, does this mean organizations like the college democrats support breaking laws?
IP hash: 5bc4031d
The average American breaks the “law” several times every day, so your question doesn’t mean anything. Besides, if you look at what Border Patrol and ICE have been doing in Arizona and elsewhere, lying to immigrants and stealing their belongings, I have very little faith and confidence in anything ICE spokespeople might say.
IP hash: dba14a9e
would you support the enforcement of the fugitive slave act?
IP hash: 91e03a7b
No, this does not mean that college organizations “like the college democrats” support breaking the law. First of all, this article does not mention anything about any college organizations supporting her, so why are you implying this? Second of all, there is nothing wrong with supporting a fellow classmate. You can be supportive of someone without directly approving their actions, especially if the actions were not their fault. You do not know the whole story, you only know what this reporter has told you and I can 100% guarantee you that they do not have all the facts. The bottom line here is that no matter what the situation is, this whole process has been very difficult for this family. Let’s show a little compassion. Thank you.
IP hash: 83527407
Soooooo…. they have been in the country illegaly since July 2004. They have to go, or our laws have no meaning at all.
Liberals, Anarchists, and apparently Herb Kohl believe that we can individually decide which laws must be complied with and which ones we can violate with impunity. If we ALL embrace that philosophy, anarchy prevails. Is that what you want young democrats? Is that what you want ALF? Is that what you want ELF? Is that what you want Mr. Kohl? It surely is what Al Queda, the Taliban, and similar terrorist groups want. You are in rare company…. rare company indeed!
IP hash: d59c084e
Is she paying non-resident tuition?
IP hash: 2d83715f
The college democrats support Tope. They have never stated a position on her whole family. The issue is her being free to finish her education and continue to contribute as much as she has been to campus. It’s only right that she is allowed to do as much
IP hash: 5197756e
I don’t think the CDs are supporting law breaking. They are, however, showing that issues like these are far from black and white. I personally don’t believe that all the information from this case has been revealed from either side. I just don’t think legal restrictions would allow a full disclosure. A major argument is usually that immigrants are drains on the economy. It seems as though, in this case, the entire Awe family have proven themselves to be productive members of society. In so far as laws are made to serve the nation better, it doesn’t seem as though deporting the family would serve a great purpose to the country. Even the ICE officer, according to quotes, is not saying that the Awe family has overstayed their welcome. They’ve failed to comply, yes, but again, the issue appears to be more involved than just a matter of law.
IP hash: 8728e372
10:41am,
By your logic, every time you sped on the highway you should have gotten a ticket. After many tickets, I bet your license would have been taken away. Therefore, none of us should be able to drive because we all speed.
If you were deported would you just go back to the country you haven’t lived in for 15 years? Doubtful. Show some compassion. Her dad messed this up, it’s not her fault.
IP hash: c68a12d3
She broke the law, then she got caught. As for every American breaking several laws everyday (ie. speeding), those that get caught get fined. So, ultimately, she got caught and had she not been caught this article wouldn’t have been written. I’m sure there are plenty of others out there who haven’t been caught. There isn’t proof of them, but logically, they must exist. So, everyone is complaining about her being singled out when they shouldn’t be because she has violated the law and has been caught doing so.
IP hash: 213641d5
“would you support the enforcement of the fugitive slave act”
GOSH NO, but I didn’t know that she was a fugitive slave.
What a pathetic comparison. Illegal aliens are not slaves - they are here illegally by their own efforts and choice - not captured and dragged here against their will.
IP hash: 926900cb
I believe this situation is very very unique. This scenario just shows what America’s ideals truly are; care, compassion and love for our brothers. I am a very conservative person too but I feel strong in my spirit to support this girl.
IP hash: 1460353d
What intelligent human being honestly believes justice is dictated by something as arbitrary as location of birth? She’s been here since she was 3, paid taxes, and been a model ‘citizen.’ As far as our standards of citizenship are concerned, she’s a better American than most. I’m disturb by the elitist attitude being displayed in these comments. Sending a girl to a country she doesn’t know, turning her sister-in-law into a single mother, and ripping a family apart goes against every moral bone in my body and anyone who believes otherwise should seriously consider what they would do if lost in the maze of red tape that this family has endured for the last few years.
IP hash: 8bc3b82d
First of all, I am very disappointed that some of the previous comments have made this sound like a partisan political issue. The College Democrats were mentioned out of nowhere which cleary shows that some individuals have their own agenda with these inaccurate comments.
Secondly, regardless of what our laws might be, the student is 22 years old and she has lived in the US since 1989. This means she was three years old when she arrived LEGALLY. Does she really have another country that can be considered “home” in which to return if she is deported? Does is appear that she, as an individual, is to blame for her current predicament?
Thanks to whoever mentioned “compassion” in their comments above. I guess I would only add that the idea of loyalty also comes to mind. How many UW fans were loyal to the men’s basketball team last week as they faced Davidson? How many of the individual players do you think these fans actually knew personally?
IP hash: d7b849f9
Lol to 10:41. Leave it to someone commenting on a politically sensitive Herald story to link civil infraction to anarchy to Al-Qaeda in two easy steps - and putting the cherry on top by spelling Al-Qaeda wrong.
IP hash: c3d083d9
Paul,
So, when you break someone’s leg, do you say to the police, WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE FUGATIVE SLAVE ACT? BREAKING THE LAW THERE WAS GOOD!
IP hash: 1a329c92
Thruth ….
Tope deserves to stay in the USA, becuase she stands for everything that ir right in the world. Any parent can understand that her father tried to do the best thing for he’s childen. He brought them he to better themselves and gain a better life than himself. The Awe family lost their Asylum case, and Dr. Awe appealed. The were told to leave in 2004. What was he surpose to do?? First he is fighting for his life at 68years old, so he stays and breaks the law, or he leaves and dies. What would you do? Then you have children who want higher education, so you stay so your children can learn, or leave and let the fend for themselves in a third-world country. What would you do? At 68 years of age with a kidney illness, your years are number, so stay and try to enjoy the remainder of time with family and friends, or leave the country and try to start over and struggle to rebuild. What would you do?….
INS is working on their stats, thats all, find them, tag them, and deport them. It;s politics and thats all. Nearly all of INS director are from immigrant families, thats the sad and ironic part. ICE are handing out deports like speeding tickets, it’s hunting season.
The GOV’t has changes to make before this thing starts like a fire in California.
IP hash: 1d531c60
Anyone who can’t show compassion for this family or any other family in the same situation is just a pathetic human being. These people are not being singled out, this happens to families all over the united states and it is wrong. Tope’s brother Gbenga is married to a US Citezin and has a 16 month old baby boy. How can they just tear a family apart, and why on earth would they try to send an american citezin and her baby to Nigeria to face horrible circumstances just so that she can stay by her husband’s side. This is just sickening. I realize that there should be immigration laws, but each situation should be looked at seperatley. This is a life and death type of situation to these people, Tope’s father is 70 and has a bad kidney, why on earth would you want to send him back to Nigeria, so he could die because they don’t have that kind of health care over there?? These people came here legally for good reasons, they are not criminals and they better our society, and yes they overstayed, but they have legitimate reasons obviously. ICE is not a trustworthy organization and they have quotas to meet, they lie to get those quotas and will do whatever it takes to meet them. This is inhumane!!