Harvard illegals

An undocumented Harvard University student is no longer facing deportation to Mexico after being detained nearly two weeks ago by immigration authorities at a Texas airport, officials said.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said late Friday that they would not pursue the deportation of Eric Balderas. The 19-year-old was detained in June after he tried to use a university ID card to board a plane from San Antonio to Boston.

. . . Balderas, who previously had used a Mexican passport to board planes but recently lost it, told The Associated Press that he became despondent and thought he was being deported to Mexico immediately after he was detained June 7. But he was released the next day.

According to a Facebook page set up to highlight his case, Balderas was brought to the U.S. from Mexico by his family at age 4. He said he doesn't remember living in Mexico.

He's studying molecular and cellular biology at Harvard and hopes to become a cancer researcher. He said he qualified for Harvard's privately funded scholarship package.

Harvard officials threw support behind Balderas after his detainment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100619/ap_on_re_us/us_harvard_student_detained

In principal, I agree with the proposed DREAM act — a federal bill that would allow illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship through college enrollment or military service. It's a good way to grant legal status while guarantying the immigrant will be a net contributor to the nation.

But, it annoys me when there's one rule for the Ivy League and another rule for the rest of us slobs.