But that is the real issue. The immigration judge's description of the evidence he heard raises troubling questions. Ms. Said's father and mother both testified that they were divorced. But then, at the urging of the I.N.S., he ruled that the question must first go through the administrative process. The Immigration Service has a huge backlog of work.
People wait years for green cards and citizenship.
Ms. Said is not the only person targeted for deportation by the I.N.S. despite strong claims to American citizenship. Another is Joe Van Eeten, who came to the U.S. from Indonesia in 1961. He joined the U.S. Marines, winning medals in Vietnam, and says he became a citizen while in the service. Nor am I the only person who thinks that the humane professions of I.N.S. leaders do not match the reality of actions on the ground. The bureaucracy will resist any meaningful reform sought by the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Immigration.