>>>
>>> IMMIGRATION IS AN ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY, WE ALL KNOW THAT.
AND EVERY POLITICIAN FROM EVERY
PARTY HAS THEIR OWN IDEA ABOUT
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
AND IN THE DEBATE OFTEN TIMES
WHAT GETS LOST IS THE
INDIVIDUAL STORY.
INDIVIDUAL STORY. TONIGHT WE BEGIN WITH THE
INDIVIDUAL STORY ABOUT A FAMILY
IN ST. PAUL.
>>
>>
>> >>
>> >> Translator: MY NAME IS --
AND I HAVE THREE CHILDREN I AM
FROM EL SALVADOR.
>> Reporter: SHE CAME TO THE
COUNTRY ALONE IN 2006.
WHEN I ASKED HER WHY --
>> Translator: THERE ARE TIMES
YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT DAILY
SURVIVAL.
SURVIVAL.
SURVIVAL. >> Reporter: SHE CAME INTO THIS
COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. >> Translator: IT IS REALLY
HARD TO FIND WORK.
>> Reporter: WERE YOU HAPPY TO
COME TO AMERICA?
>> Translator: I WAS HAPPY TO
COME HERE.
COME HERE. I KNEW ABOUT HERE, I'D HAVE A
BETTER LIFE.
BETTER LIFE. >> Reporter: SHE FOUND MARK ON
SEVERAL YEARS LATER, LOVE,
MIRRORING ARMANDO, HE ALSO CAME
WITHOUT PAPERS FROM HONDURAS
FOR THE SAME REASON.
WORK AND A BETTER LIFE.
THEY STARTED A FAMILY IN 2013
WITH A SON AND A DAUGHTER IN
2016.
2016.
2016. >>
2016. >> Translator: THE BIG GOAL FOR
THE FAMILY IS FOR THE YOUNGER
CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO STUDY.
>> Reporter: THE CHILDREN, BOTH
BORN IN ST. PAUL, ARE U.S.
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR OLDEST WAS
BORN THEY LEARNED HE WAS VERY
SICK.
SICK.
SICK. HE
SICK. HE HAS A GENETIC DISORDER THAT
SERIOUSLY AFFECTS HIS IMMUNE
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. HIS ONLY HOPE FOR A CURE
ACCORDING TO HIS CARE TEAM AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA IS
A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT IN THE
VERY IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SON.
>> Translator: SHE IS SAYING I
DON'T WANT TO SEE MY SON LIKE
THAT, REALLY I DON'T.
>> Reporter: WITH HIS NEXT
MEDICAL APPOINTMENT THE
TRANSPLANT SET FOR MARCH, THE
FAMILY FACED SOMETHING IT
DIDN'T SEE COMING LAST MONTH.
WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND?
>> Translator: MY HUSBAND WAS
DETAINED, COUNTING THIS WEEK,
IT HAS BEEN FOUR WEEKS NOW.
>> Reporter: SEVEN YEARS BEFORE
HER SON WAS BORN AND YEARS
BEFORE MEETING HER, ARMANDO WAS
DEPORTED AND CAME BACK.
LAST MONTH IMMIGRATION CAME AND
GOT HIM.
GOT HIM.
GOT HIM. HE WAS SET TO BE TRANSPORTED TO
HONDURAS ON FRIDAY.
THE NIGHT BEFORE HE WAS TO
LEAVE, DANIELLE ROBINSON, AN
IMMIGRATION LAWYER, FILED A
STAY FOR ARMANDO, AND EXPLAINED
FOR THE GOVERNMENT THAT IF HE
WAS DEPORTED THE FAMILY WOULD
FACE GREAT HARDSHIPS, MOST
IMPORTANTLY THEY CITED THEIR
SON'S ILLNESS.
SON'S ILLNESS. IN THE PAGES THEY EXPLAINED
ARMANDO WORKS FULL-TIME TO PAY
FOR HIS CARE AND SUPPORT THE
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. HE PAYS HIS TAXES AND HE HAS NO
CRIMINAL HISTORY.
CRIMINAL HISTORY. HE HAS NEVER BEEN ARRESTED.
AND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR IS
A FAVOR FOR HIM AND THE FAMILY
FOR THE GOVERNMENT?
TRANSLATOR YEAH.
TRANSLATOR YEAH. THEIR SON'S MEDICAL CONDITION
IS A COMPELLING FACTOR AND
BECAUSE HE IS A MINOR AND U.S.
CITIZEN THAT ALL COMBINED IS
INFLUENTIAL IN THEIR DECISION.
>> Reporter: AND ICE OFFICIAL
WITH BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF
THE CASE TELLS ME THE DOCUMENTS
WILL HAVE TO BE REVIEWED, BUT
LATE LAST WEEK HIS DEPORTATION
WAS TEMPORARILY STOPPED.
DURING MY CONVERSATION WITH
MYRNA I ASKED IF SHE WOULD
CONSIDER RETURNING TO CENTRAL
AMERICA, BECAUSE ARMANDO UNDER
CURRENT U.S. LAW, WILL NEVER BE
ABLE TO BECOME A PERMANENT U.S.
CITIZEN.
CITIZEN.
CITIZEN. >> Translator: RIGHT NOW IS NOT
POSSIBLE FOR US TO RETURN
THERE, THERE IS NOT A SAFE
COMMUNITY FOR THE CHILDREN.
>> THE KIND OF HEALTHCARE HE