Update on Green River Family Orrin Hatch Allowed to be Deported

Clear back last summer, there was a big thing about this family who had lived in Green River legally for 12 years, running two successful businesses. They missed one small deadline set by ICE, and they were deported. Orrin Hatch sat idley by and let it happen. Meanwhile, he got involved in getting a producer friend out of prison for drug possesion in Dubai.

Anyway, the Tribune has an update in it's online edition this evening (probably in tomorrow's paper). It turns out their son, who has stayed in the US, will be competing in the National Spelling Bee in May.

Although Sen. Orrin Hatch's office helped the Sahs navigate the complexities of immigration regulations, the senator stopped short of sponsoring legislation that would circumvent those legalities.
"They have a compelling case," says Heather Barney, the senator's spokeswoman. "But special legislation is for rare and unusual cases."

That is similar to Heather Barney's comments last summer, saying that such legislation is reserved for "life and death situation."

Pete Ashdown found some "life and death" then before the US Senate:

S. 3047: A bill to reduce temporarily the duty on unit asy-battery hi volt.
S. 3048: A bill to reduce temporarily the duty on certain transaxles.
S. 3049: A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on shield asy-steering gear.
S. 3045: A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on converter asy.
S. 3050: A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on booster and master cyl asy-brake.
S. 3044: A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on hydraulic control units.
S. 3046: A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on module and bracket asy-power steering.

It's too bad that these parents won't get to see their son compete live this year.

If only they had donated to Senator Hatch's reelection campaign....

-Bob