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Editorial: Keeping families intact
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Encarnacion Bail Romero was arrested in 2007 at a Missouri poultry processing plant along with 135 other undocumented immigrants. She was charged with federal aggravated identity theft and sentenced to two years in prison for using a stolen Social Security number to find work. She was sent 1,000 miles away to serve her time. Now Missouri state officials are seeking to impose a second, even harsher penalty on Romero. This month, a state court judge concluded that she had "abandoned" her son while she was incarcerated and had thereby terminated her parental rights, clearing the way for a Missouri couple to adopt the boy, who now speaks only English. Romero never agreed to the adoption. Neither federal nor state officials provided her with any help in reuniting with her child. Romero's troubles began when the Department of Homeland Security detained her at the poultry plant. At that time, she wasn't given an opportunity to transfer custody of her son, Carlos, to relatives. Once she was in custody, officials never reached out to help her understand what was happening to her son or that he might be put up for adoption. A study by the Applied Research Center found that 5,000 children in more than 20 states were put in foster care after their parents were detained or deported. Experts say parents who are detained or face immigration-related prosecutions often face obstacles communicating with family courts or accessing foster care systems, making it difficult to keep track of their children or assert their rights. Tearing families apart isn't in anyone's interest. A new proposal in Congress, the Help Separated Families Act of 2012 written by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., would make it far more difficult for state and local agencies to use immigration status to terminate parental rights. The bill would also eliminate rules that prevent undocumented relatives from being awarded temporary custody while a parent's immigration case is being resolved, or jail time served. Roybal-Allard's bill is a sensible start, but ultimately, the real problem is a dysfunctional immigration system and a cowardly Congress that refuses to undertake comprehensive reform. 
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Today is Wednesday, June 19, the 170th day of 2013. There are 195 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The treasurer of Mercer County has been instructed to sell all thespecie now in the treasury for the highest premium in legal tender and to report same atthe next board meeting.
1888 -- 125 years ago: J.S. Freeman has been elected president of the Recreation Club ofthe Rock Island YMCA.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Rock Island voters will decide next Tuesday on the proposal toconsolidate with South Rock Island Township.
1938 -- 75 years ago: The Rev. Frederick J. Rolf will round out his 30th year as pastor ofthe Evangelical Church of Peace at Sunday worship services.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Dennis Kelly, of Moline High School, has been named a winner inTime Magazine's 27th annual current affairs contest.
1988 -- 25 years ago: The Martin Luther King Community Center will participate in theSummer Food Service Program. Free meals will be made available to all children 18years of age and younger.
(More History)