Jessica Colotl: Routine campus traffic stop at KSU triggered a major controversy on illegal immigrants.
Staff/File
Staff/File
Jessica Colotl, now 22, was arrested on charges of driving without a license following a traffic stop last spring. She was turned over to immigration authorities and nearly deported. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a year ago deferred action on her case for a year to allow her to finish her studies at Kennesaw State University. That delay was to expire Thursday, but ICE has once again deferred action on her case.
"ICE uses discretion on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate, and has the authority to grant a deferral of removal action based on the merits of an
individual's case and a review of specific facts," an agency spokeswoman said in an email.
Colotl's lawyer, Charles Kuck, recently filed for an extension of her deferred status and said he was pleasantly surprised that ICE acted so quickly.
"We so much appreciate ICE's professionalism and compassion in this matter," Kuck said. "They have been exemplary to deal with."
Colotl is set to graduate next week from KSU and hopes to work for a year before applying to law school. She is majoring in political science, with a minor in French.
Colotl's troubles began March 29, 2010, when she was stopped by KSU police officer Sgt. Kevin Kinsey for allegedly impeding the flow of traffic. She told him she had a Mexican driver's license, but couldn't find it. When she failed to produce it by the next day, she was arrested and booked into the Cobb County Jail on charges of driving without a license and blocking traffic. The jail participates in the federal 287(g) program, aimed at fighting illegal immigration. Colotl was turned over to immigration authorities, who moved her to the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden, Ala., on April 1.
With the help of KSU attorneys, Colotl was granted a deferment. She was released by federal immigration authorities on May 5, 2010.
In November, she was convicted in Cobb State Court of driving without a license and sentenced to three days in jail and fined $1,000. She has appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals, which could hear oral arguments this month and render a decision by the end of the year.
Prompted in part by outcry over Colotl's case, the Georgia university system last fall adopted a policy that bars its schools from accepting illegal immigrants if they've rejected academically qualified applicants in the prior two years.
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/haters gonna hate
None of my ancestors emigrated to the United States of America and I am not native American.
Also, how could you possibly argue that the Native Americans weren't on this land first? Do you think it's just a conspiracy?
Not ONCE did she even TRY to apologize for driving without a license (or insurance).
Why don't these gutless people TRY to fix there OWN country. As I recall, most of the population of Mexico City LIVES IN A HUGE GARBAGE DUMP!
Any BTW, so called "Native Americans" were anything but. The first settlers of the USA were Europeans.
We were aliens in Egypt.
I am sick and tired of our resources being handed out to all those who are here illegally, when American citizens can't get a stinking red cent when we need help. Nothing is left for us because our government has given away everything to those who have done nothing to support our country. Case in point...my mom, born in the USA, worked and paid taxes since she was a teenager. She became ill and could no longer work, so she applied for assistance. Do you think she got anything? HECK NO, but the illegals sitting next to her got their FREE handout. Not only was she refused assistance, she had to hire an attorney to get her Social Security benenfits, which she had paid into her entire working career. WE HAVE GOT TO PUT A STOP TO THIS!!!! If people want to come here, do it LEGALLY and be a contributor to our country.
I'm 62 years old and have paid taxes and social security since I was 13 years old.
It's time for our country to get rid of Jessica and all her illegal immigrant friends who don't belong in this country.
They are are a burden on productive Americans who pay taxes and social security.
The babies that the illegals have here are signed for medicaid. They take them to the ER for everything. The children that are illegal, they just make up names as they go and never pay the bill. One time my child was in the hospital for 3 days, they never bothered to visit their baby for the entire 3 days in the room next to us. Everything is passed off to us. That is why I will get a $1200 to 1600 bill for my 2-3 hour visit to the ER, I have to pay for 6 illegals and their babies. It is not right I only had the two kids that I could support myself.