News 27

Last night, I sat in awe as Madison News 27 tried to put a face, although blurry, to the illegal immigrant of Wisconsin.

Jose Luis -No Last Name- and his wife milk cows and risked their lives coming here- illegally, by the way.

So here we have found illegal immigrants. Rather than report them to authorities, or better yet- round them up and ship them out- we report their story as if it is valuable news for our community and try to create a pity-attitude. I do not pity the illegal immigrants.

They have stolen their way into our country. They want opportunity? So did everyone else who came through Ellis Island, and came through the system as it is today.

Get. In. Line.

Jose Luis now works on a Rock County dairy farm doing maintenance. Maria milks cows. Neither has a social security card or work visa, but they have jobs.

Jose Luis explains how it works: "It's the same way everybody does it. You go to a person. You ask do you have a job? Do you need someone to work?"

Jose Luis says he went door to door until he found a farmer who didn't ask about his immigration status and hired him illegally.

Now, Jose Luis and his family live in a nice house provided by their employer. They drive a car.

Jose Luis even has a valid Wisconsin driver's license. He got it seven years ago when he didn't need a social security card to get a drivers license. Today, Real ID laws mandate he first prove his citizenship.

The only U.S. citizen in the family is 2-year-old Deyamilet, who was born in Wisconsin.

Big sister Deyanira is not a citizen, but she is a first grader. By law, every child has a right to public education in the U.S. regardless of immigration status.

Jose Luis is thankful his daughters will go to American schools.

From the outside, they live a normal, American life, but Jose Luis and his family are not Americans. They illegally live the American dream, hiding in plain sight and in constant fear of deportation.

"You can travel around the country to Vegas, Disney World, but it's better to stay in the shadow. Take it easy. Stay where you are," Jose confides.

Jose Luis says he faces racism daily, but he won't complain. He's too terrified someone will complain about him.

Of all things in this segment, News 27 wants me to feel sorry for Jose Luis. This family has a car and a roof. They have food, enough to have a second child, who will be educated with her big sister in American schools, no questions asked.

They should live in constant fear of deportation. They should be DEPORTED!

And please don't get me started on racism. I'm not going to bat for the illegal immigrant, no matter the country.

News 27, I'm disappointed. Do better.