A thirteen year old boy punched a schoolmate and stole forty-six cents from him. Proper punishment–some time in youth hall maybe. Counseling–perhaps. But in this case the fourteen year old, his mother and his brother, but not his stepfather who is a US citizen were almost deported when it was discovered that their visa had expired.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom instituted a new policy under which every juvenile alleged to have committed felonious conduct and who was in the country illegally is reported to Homeland Security for deportation. No conviction is necessary. So when the boy was arrested and charged with robbing forty-six cents the Juvenile Probation Department reported it to Homeland Security and the kid, his mother and his five year old brother were ordered to leave the country by March 5. Luckily some strings were pulled in Washington and the deportation order was delayed. Yesterday it was announced that the family had been given green cards and would not be deported.

The ironic part of this is that the boy’s mother, Tracey Washington is married to Charles Washington, a Municipal Bus driver and a United States citizen. Therefore she and her children are eligible for citizenship.

As Charles Washington pointed out after it was announced that his family would be allowed to remain in the country, in a letter to Newsom

“Your policy hurts families and tears children away from their parents for minor, first-time offenses,” Charles Washington, a Muni bus driver, said in a letter to the mayor.

“Our family’s luck in this case was unique, but Mr. Newsom, the pain we felt when our family was facing deportation as a result of your policy is not unique.”

Other consequences are that children who have spent most of their life in this country are deported to countries where they cannot speak the language. Children may be deported, without their parents to countries where they do not have family or know anyone. The Board of Supervisors pass legislation rejecting the mayor”s policy. But Newsom vetoed it. The Board overrode the veto but Newsom has refused to enforce the legislation.