The 2007 death of 13 year old Schanna Gayden was memorialized last month in Logan Park. The tragedy might have been avoided had felons been required to reveal their immigration status as Rep. Randy Ramey's (R-West Chicago) HB 5756 would require.
Right now, Illinois judges are not encouraged to inquire immigration status and police are restrained from asking. Ramey's bill would protect innocents from dangerous criminals living in Illinois illegally. One of the accused in Schanna Gayden's murder is a 26 year old Kenyan whose student visa had expired. At the time this violent crime was committed, Mwenda Murithi's rap sheet reflected 28 prior arrests and four jail times. Yet no deportation.
These are the creeps Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights' attorneys are fighting to protect in their effort to stop HB 5756. See Illinois Review's post "What's Your Legal Status?" earlier this week. There will be more on this story in the days to come.
ABC 7 does a nice job on this story, but one crucial perspective was avoided -- it wasn't just gang warfare that killed young Schanna. It happened because the perpetrator escaped deportation with a faulty system used to bestow American constitutional rights on persons who are within out borders illegally. Why would anyone expect them to obey laws pertaining to guns or killing if they have no respect for the basic rule of law?
Call your House lawmaker and tell him or her to support HB 5756 by adding his or her name to the co-sponsor list -- it's a start to ending Chicago's out-of-control violence.
