The Houson Chronicle reported that siblings Emilio and Analia Maya, are facing deportation after working as confidential informants (CI’s) for the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (USICE).
The siblings came from Argentina in the late 1990′s and settled in Saugerties, NY. A small town in upstate New York by the Catskill Mountains. Over the years, the pair worked blue collar jobs and became well known in their community.
Like countless immigrants, the pair overstayed their visitor visas and feared that one day they would be arrested and deported by the government.
The sister who had helped out as a translator in about 100 cases with local law enforcement for a few years, asked the officer she worked with whether he can help her and her brother obtain legal status in the U.S.
In March of 2005, the local law enforcement officer introduced the siblings to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) agents who asked them what kind of information they could provide.
The siblings made an agreement with the USICE. In exchange for working as informants, the USICE would help them obtain “S” visas, which are commonly known as snitch or stool pigeon visas. Those visas are rarely issued, only 100 are available each fiscal year and after 3 years, S visa holders are eligible to obtain a green card under that basis so long as their services as informants are needed.
Although they weren’t given the S visas, they were granted temporary work authorization cards in a category that allows foreign nationals who are informants working with the federal government in an ongoing investigation.
The siblings provided valuable information to the USICE, participated in undercover work and as a result, helped them make numerous arrests. They have been doing this for close to 3 years and in November 2007, the same USICE agents they worked for, revoked their work authorization cards, placed them in deportation proceedings, and are scheduled to have their cases heard before an immigration judge next month.
Critics have said that informants such as these siblings risk their lives and their families and have the tables turned on them when they are no longer needed.
Related posts:
Confidential Informants Who Help the U.S. Can Face Deportation