Immigration officials try to deport dead immigrantSeriously, considering the number of people who have tried to dodge creditors by buying their own rubber stamp saying "Deceased: Return to Sender," I don't blame the immigration authorities for wanting to make sure that someone who hasn't shown up for his hearing is actually dead. Note that immigrants are having themselves buried in their native countries these days. See New Immigrants Can't Rest In Peace In America, by Sam Francis, July 7, 2003.Monday, March 16, 2009
(03-16) 08:48 PDT Los Angeles, CA (AP) —
Relatives say immigration officials are trying to deport a dead man.
They contend Nasin Mauricio Rivera died last August, but a deportation hearing against the native Salvadoran is still set for a hearing scheduled this summer.
His former wife, Blanca Ramirez, says Rivera is already in El Salvador – his body was shipped back home for burial.
Rivera's attorney Alberto Lopez says he presented a copy of Rivera's death certificate, but officials told him it was insufficient proof that Rivera was indeed dead.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice says a certified copy of the death certificate is usually enough, but the agency is responsible for ensuring "the integrity of the process."
