I was reading this mornings paper and came across this article and could not believe what I read, what is wrong with this picture? Is anyone in disbelief at the judge?

Judge lets man leave Oregon freely

A federal immigration judge on Friday allowed a prominent Portland-area union organizer and illegal immigrant to return to Mexico voluntarily instead of deporting him, calling his repeated use of a false identity "unfortunate" and a "tragedy."

The decision was what Jose Alfredo Cobian of Molalla had been hoping for and allows him to leave the country with one less black mark on his immigration record. It also preserves a greater possibility that he can gain permission to return to the United States legally some day.

Assistant Chief Counsel Margaret Rosenast of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had asked for a removal order, commonly called deportation. Removal orders prohibit people from legally returning to the United States for a period of a few years to a lifetime, said Dorothy Stefan, chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Seattle office, which includes Oregon.

Cobian, 37, built a typical American life for himself and his family based on a false name. Now his deception is uprooting the entire family, including his U.S.-born son and daughter. The grade-school-age children are U.S. citizens and speak little Spanish, said David Shomloo, Cobian's attorney.

Cobian's wife and children left on a flight for Mexico on Thursday to set up their new home and arrive in time for the start of the Mexican school year, Shomloo said. U.S. Immigration Judge Michael Bennett gave Cobian a week to join them.

Cobian said he was surprised at the judge's decision not to formally deport him but declined to comment further.

Cobian entered the United States illegally in 1989. He later purchased the birth certificate of Jose Luis Mendoza, a California boy who had died as a child, and assumed the little boy's name. In 1996, he used the name to apply for a Social Security card and later used the false identity to obtain a U.S. passport as well as legal residency status for his wife, also a Mexican immigrant. His wife was unaware that her status was based on fraudulent documents. When the couple's children were born, they also took on the last name of Mendoza.

The family bought a house and settled in Molalla. Cobian worked as a carpenter and became a well-liked union organizer for the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, pushing for better pay and working conditions for workers.

He was arrested in 2006 after a routine computer check of information that Cobian submitted for his 2005 passport application matched the dead boy's records.

Cobian cooperated with authorities and admitted his wrongdoing. After he was barred from working in the U.S., he continued to receive support from union members, who raised voluntary donations for the family's living expenses. Union members also helped fix up Cobian's house to prepare it for sale.

Before his family returned to Mexico this week, Cobian's wife surrendered her legal residency status, and the family changed their legal names to Cobian. Because the children are American, it's possible for them to petition for their parents to return to the United States after they become adults.

The judge made it clear that Cobian's crimes -- especially his use of a false identity to obtain legal residency status for his wife -- were serious. He said deportation would have been the expected outcome.

But he said that he had the legal ability to exercise his discretion in the case and had decided to do so, describing the decision as a "close call." The judge said he wanted to bring finality to the case.

"I do wish you the best, sir," Bennett told Cobian.

I would really like to know what people thnk.

Hello everyone out there. 
    On my way to work today I was listening to a talk show host on a local radio network here and heard his beliefs on the immigration situation. Now while the left leaning (about to fall over) pollution( sorry politians), bureacads (opps I mean bureaucrats), and hollywood media may frown on this. I am interested in your take on it. If after reading this you would like to know more about Mr. Doyle please feel free to visit his website at, www.jerrydoyle.com. Thankyou and enjoy the read.

Jerry Doyle's 10 commandments for legal immigration...

THE LEGAL IMMIGRATION 10 COMMANDMENTS :
1. IF YOU ENTER THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ILLEGALLY OR OVERSTAY YOUR VISA, YOU WILL NEVER BE ELIGIBLE TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE US. NO EXCEPTIONS.

2. IF YOU HIRE SOMEONE WHO IS ILLEGAL, YOU AND / OR YOUR BUSINESS WILL BE FINED $50,000.00 PER EMPLOYEE. "STRICT LIABILITY" WILL BE THE LEGAL STANDARD.

3. THE POLICY OF "ANCHOR BABIES" IS NO LONGER THE LAW. YOU ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES IF YOU ARE BORN "OF" A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

4. "SANCTUARY CITIES AND / OR STATES" WILL RECEIVE NO FEDERAL TAX DOLLAR REVENUE SHARING OR MATCHING. FEDERAL HIGHWAY SPEED LIMIT STANDARDS WILL BE THE TEMPLATE.

5. "SANCTUARY HOUSES OF WORSHIP", IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF US LAW, WILL LOSE THEIR TAX EXEMPT STATUS.

6. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, DOING BUSINESS IN THE UNITED STATES, WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM OFFERING AND PROVIDING ANY INCENTIVE PROGRAM(S), ANY DISCOUNT LOAN(S), SUBSIDIZED CHECKING AND / OR SAVINGS ACCOUNT(S) OR ANY "SPECIAL" OFFER(S) TO ANYONE IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.

7. PUBLIC EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES, HOUSING, SOCIAL SERVICES, FOOD STAMPS, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, SSDI AND ANY OTHER US GOVERNMENT PROGRAM WILL BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES ONLY.

8. ANY PERSON(S), CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION(S), OR BUSINESS ENTITY THAT HARBORS ANY ILLEGAL ALIEN(S) WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY BE CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL OFFENSE AND LOSE THEIR CITIZENSHIP.

9. GUEST WORKER VISAS WILL BE ISSUED ON A 5 YEAR TRAILING AVERAGE OF THE AGGREAGATE NUMBER OF VISAS ISSUED WITH ADJUSTMENTS FOR PROJECTED GDP GROWTH AND / OR CONTRACTION.

10. ENGLISH WILL BE THE ONLY LANGUAGE USED IN THE PUBLIC WORKPLACE, PUBLIC EDUCATION, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND FACILITIES, HOSPITALS AND RELATED MEDICAL FACILITIES AND THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM. ALL VOTING FOR FEDERAL OFFICES WILL BE DONE IN ENGLISH ONLY.

Okay it is official, the dis-associated press is truly nuts. I was walking by a copy of this mornings USAToday and the headline caught my attention. "Terror suspects claim; To traumatised to stand trial."
Okay so I guess the Bard was correct all those centuries ago when he declared "kill all the lawyers"
I mean come on when did the "BAD GUYS" have all the rights. Maybe we should just have him go stand in the corner, oh wait I forgot that could be classed as abuse as well. Well maybe give him a time out by himself? No that to is classed as abusive because everyone needs human contact. cough cough BS cough cough!!!!! 
So the poor boy had to lived in isolation, in a cell with only a steel slab for a bed. At times chained to the floor, he was deprived of light, sleep, a clock and heat. For 3 years and 8 months. It is not like it was on Devils island or the rock it was a Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolinia for heavens sake.
I believe the POWs in vietnam had it worse. 
The guy is an american citizen are you telling me he could not figure out they were playing mind games with him to try to extract information. I think this guy needs to go back to school, BADLY!!!  Oh no they threatened him with execution. OH MY!!!! Any body with half a brain would realise that they would not be able to just liquidate him, there would be way to many questions. All they did, if the allegations are true mind you, is threaten to do to him what he had planned to do to hundreds prehaps thousands of innocent civilians. You know what I just can not get worked up over him not having a clock in his cell. BOO HOO!!!! 
He was fed through a slot in the cell door, gee that sounds like every person I have heard of in solitary confinement in any jail in the world.
Was his food substandard? probably not.
Did he have blankets on his "steel slab"? Most likely.
Was he treated for illnesses? I would not doubt it.
Was he given three meals a day? You know he was.
Was he deprived of all light? Somehow I doubt it. What are they going to do question him in the dark wearing nightvision goggles. Get real.
As for lack of a clock, what he had an appointment to go to? He could have used his mind to keep track of time. The military does things in a very precise order. They probably delivered his meals at set times. Questioning the same way. If any judge allows this defence it is the end for any faith in the justice system.

Is it my imagination or did the "news" anchors sound extremely chipper last night calling dem wins and rep loses? I mean Katie Couric was almost gushing with praise for the dems in their wins. Which if I am correct were not landslide wins to begin with.
Then in this mornings USAToday (what a crock) you have the reporting saying that the two independents would vote for the dems.

"The Senate will have two independents, thanks to Lieberman's victory. Both Sanders and Lieberman are expected to vote for Democrats when the Senate's leaders are elected."

I mean is that not a little premature especially when you consider that Lieberman was more or less ousted by his own party to start this dance?

They seem to still be calling this a "referendum" on President Bush and the Republicans, but they one on local issues not national issues from my understanding. The Democrats claiming that the staunch supporters of Bush were proven unwanted by their constituents might hold water if not for Lieberman and I don't know let me think.... Schwarzenegger. But it is just amazing how things like that do not seem to make the news, least not the front page or if you watch on tv first 10 minutes of the news shows.