Millions of Americans are shocked by the story of Jakadrien Turner, a 14-year old runaway who was mistakenly deported to Colombia. Some have wondered how the immigration system could have made such a terrible mistake. But Ted Frank at the Point of Law blog says that the situation may not be as simple as it appears to be. Frank argues that since there are over a million unenforced deportation orders and that a person can use the legal process to delay their deportation for years, it is quite plausible that Jakadrien actually went along with the process and chose to pursue a Colombia adventure, rather than deal with the consequences of being placed in the juvenile detention system.
“I don’t think we have enough facts yet to be outraged at the deportation. It seems very improbable that authorities would knowingly deport an American citizen; as it is, illegal aliens can use the legal process to delay deportation for years and there are 1.1 million unenforced deportation orders. I am willing to wager money that when all the facts come out, Turner never told state or federal authorities her true identity or contested her deportation to Colombia. Teens—especially the sort who view themselves mature enough to run away from home—often have fake ID. Turner could well have decided, once she learned she was subject to deportation, that it was better to compound the lie and have the adventure of going to Colombia than facing the wrath of her family, the risk of juvenile delinquency prosecution, or even whatever was waiting for her if she was released from jail to the Houston streets. The fact that Turner waited several months after arriving in Colombia to express concern to her family (all the while participating on Facebook posing as a 21-year-old) suggests an element of preference to being in Colombia rather than having her family get her home: Colombia isn’t a North Korean gulag.”
