Some readers who are familiar with the raid on a Missouri chicken processing plant in May 2007 in which 136 alleged undocumented immigrants were picked up, may be interested in one outcome of that action. A Guatemalan woman, Encarnacion Romero, was jailed, her infant son given to her sister, and then left in the care of a church, which subsequently adopted him to Seth and Melinda Moser. Ms. Romero, backed by the Guatemalan consulate and the ACLU, is now fighting to get back her son. The case is being heard by the Missouri Supreme Court. The few first paragraphs are pasted below. Read the full article here, and be sure to read the comments, which shed light on readers’ opinions about adoption and immigration. 

“Lawyers for a Guatemalan woman facing deportation urged Missouri’s Supreme Court today to undo an adoption that has kept her from her 4-year-old child since she was jailed on identity theft charges in 2007.”

“The woman, Encarnacion Romero, was one of 136 alleged undocumented immigrants picked up at a raid of a Barry County chicken processing plant in May 2007 and later charged with various offenses related to the illegal use of false or stolen social security numbers.”

“While Romero was in jail, her child, an infant at the time, was passed around among family members before eventually being adopted by a Carthage couple, Seth and Melinda Moser. All three parents were in court for arguments today.”

“In court documents and arguments in court today, Romero’s attorneys argue that she was denied due process rights because the adoption took place while she was in jail, she lacked proper legal representation and didn’t understand what was going on because she doesn’t speak English. A state appeals court has previously ruled in her favor.” …

“It’s a clash of two seemingly unrelated interests – those concerned about the aftermath of immigration raids that often lead to split families still seeking resolution years later, and those who are fighting for the rights of adoptive parents.”

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_989ea858-ec04-11df-b93f-00127992bc8b.html

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Tags: Encarnacion Romero, Missouri chicken processing plant raid

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