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Undocumented Immigrant Saves Young Boy

Another example of why "one size fits all" justice is no justice at all.

A 9-year-old boy looking for help after his mother crashed her van off a cliff in southern Arizona on Thanksgiving Day was rescued by an illegal immigrant who stayed with him until help arrived the next day.

His mother was pinned inside the car.

Her son, who was unhurt but disoriented, crawled out to get help and was found about two hours later by Jesus Manuel Cordova, 26.... Unable to pull the mother out, Cordova comforted the boy while they waited for help. The woman died a short time later.

"He stayed with him, told him that everything was going to be all right," Estrada said. As temperatures dropped, he gave him a jacket, built a bonfire and stayed with him until about 8 a.m. Friday, when a group of hunters passed by and called authorities, Estrada said. The boy was flown to University Medical Center in Tucson as a precaution but appeared unhurt.

Mr. Cordova's reward?

Cordova, meanwhile, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents who were the first to respond to the call for help. He had been trying to walk into the U.S. when he came across the boy.

As Santa Cruz County, AZ Sheriff Sheriff Tony Estrada says:

Cordova likely saved the boy and his actions should remind people not to quickly characterize all illegal immigrants as criminals.

< Huckabee Demonstrates Some Humanity | Increase in Number of Children Arriving in U.S. Without Parents >
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  • Display: Sort:
    How about (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by Jen M on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 05:00:38 AM EST
    we acknowledge the courage and humanity of a man who knew he would be sent back, yet he helped a boy and his dying mother and waited with him and kept the kid warm until help arrived.

    It not every Thanksgiving you see a parable demonstrated.

    IOW, Jesus Manuel Cordova (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Edger on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 12:28:54 PM EST
    is just like the vast majority of immigrants, or people anywhere.

    As if he ever needed papers to show his worth.

    It is not a matter of his worth. (1.00 / 1) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 06:11:24 PM EST
    All people have the same "worth."

    It is a matter of what country he is a citizen of, and his illegal acts prior to his "good" acts.

    Parent

    Hmmmm (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by glanton on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 06:57:10 PM EST
    I wonder why you put "good" in quotation marks.  

    Actually, no I don't.

    :-0

    Parent

    Are you really that slow? (1.00 / 1) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 07:24:15 PM EST
    "good" was to note that I recognize his acts with the mother and the child.

    His act of entering the country illegally is well, illegal. And yes, I define illegal acts as "bad."

    Now, I hope that doesn't confuse you too much.

    Maybe some more FNC will straighten you out.

    Naaaaaa Never.

    Parent

    That you cannot just state (5.00 / 2) (#19)
    by glanton on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 08:06:47 PM EST
    His actions are good, without the quotation marks, speaks volumes about you.

    As for defining illegals acts as bad, well, for reasonable people it depends on the act.  For lemmings it does not depend on the act.  

    Maybe a little less FNC would make you less of a lemming.

    Naaaaa Never.  

    Parent

    There's your error.... (5.00 / 2) (#20)
    by kdog on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 06:27:50 AM EST
    illegal is not necessarily bad, legal is not necessarily good.  Look at the actions of the border patrol, locking this hero up...that's legal and bad, imo.

    If there ever was a time for border patrol to look the other way...this was it.  

    Parent

    Look the other way? (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Edger on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 07:49:36 AM EST
    Fu*k, they should have offered him a ride to wherever he wanted to go, and all chipped in to give enough money for a months rent.

    Parent
    illegal, schmillegal (5.00 / 2) (#25)
    by bernarda on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 11:05:20 AM EST
    It is interesting to see these racist wingnuts here showing so much xian charity.

    There are things that are illegal, but not immoral, and vice-versa. Wingnuts support laws when they get favored, but don't think much of them if they become the targets.

    At the very least, the Border Patrol should have suddenly "lost" the guy in transit or through sloppy paperwork. How many times does that happen with real criminals?

    Umm... (1.00 / 1) (#1)
    by jarober on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 09:23:58 PM EST
    Good acts don't change the fact that he's in the country illegally.  Here's a thought: why don't you advocate in favor of more liberal legal immigration, which would be more fair for all parties involved?

    I do advocate for immigration reform... (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by kdog on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 06:29:32 AM EST
    that lets most anybody in...but in the meantime, people are getting locked up.  Like our hero here.

    Parent
    Boy who saves America (1.00 / 1) (#5)
    by matthood on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 01:34:07 PM EST
    I am constantly amazed how people want to play the devils advocate after the law as already been written. They had their chance to write the immigration law and they did when they got amnesty during President Reagen administration. But, once the law is written its written. I applaud the young man for doing his christian duty; but this does not give him then right to become an American citizenship's is not for sale! It is not a lottery for people to win. People are destroying the law by playing the devils advocate. That is how Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden. How can these people be good citizens if they abandoned their on nation for greener pastures. Mexico is at least a 100 years older than America and we have already put a man on the moon. We have build great cities with great universities. What have they been doing with their lives. Why is their nation not a great nation built by the work from their own nations youth. Mexico needs another revolution to bring democracy to Mexico because they don't have democracy! Doing good deeds, being a hard worker, paying taxes illegals in America, and claiming to be a good christian does not make you a good citizen of America. To become a citizen one must do the paper work and going through the process like everyone else. Illegals have upset the natural order of America's melting pot. The Mexican race have been allowed to come to America unjustly a 1,000 times more than any other country. That is racism by giving Mexico special treatment over other nation who are not able to just walk over the dirt border. It would be tough to swim the Pacific and the Atlantic ocean. Mexico is a third world nation on the verge of being a failed state who corruption is self destruction to any nation. They have no respect for American law because they claim that American law does not apply to them. Because of them my wages in the petrochemical has dropped by 50%. My health care has been taken a way because of the illegal who work with out benefits One day in 1985 in Freeport TX while my Union was destroyed my wages went from $15 dollars an hour with all the union benefits to  $10 dollars an hour with no benefits no health care thanks to the over saturation of illegals in the Industrial Painting industry by non-union contractor who willing hire them bastards for $7-$8 dollars an hour. These worthless people are not living in the shadows. That is a lie. They are standing at the gates at Dow chemical trying to take a job away from an America. American contractors, Wall Street and the White House run this country like the Nazis who loved cheap labor who put labor leaders in concentration camps in Germany. Wee are heading towards a fascist nation just lie Mexico who slept with Adolf Hitler

    Sounds like your beef.... (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by kdog on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 06:35:57 AM EST
    is with Dow Chemical and others who recruit and hire undocumented people at sub-standard wages...and I think you have a legit beef there.

    Just don't "kick the dog" by blaming the immigrant my friend...I think that's un-christian and un-american.  Blessed are the poor, blessed are the merciful...or something like that.

    Parent

    i have a better suggestion: (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 10:57:12 PM EST
    how about putting pressure on the mexican, and various latin & south american governments, to improve the economy and living conditions in their countries?

    that, all by itself, would resolve the vast majority of illegal immigration issues.

    Not gonna happen.... (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by kdog on Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 06:40:27 AM EST
    You realize that the sh*tty conditions in other countries has a correlation to the great living conditions in ours, right?  Theirs can't improve without ours taking a hit.

    One word stands in the way of a more equitable world...greed.

    Parent

    ah... It hurts me terribly (1.00 / 1) (#7)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 06:09:53 PM EST
    but we are on the same side on this... but I also say the individual needs to be deported..

    Parent
    Update on Jesus Cordova - not really a hero (none / 0) (#26)
    by Ruthiness on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 12:23:50 AM EST
    It seems Cordova was not necessarily the hero everyone thinks he is. I got a copy of the police report and guess what - the boy's mother was ALIVE when he encountered them. He told the police he couldn't reach the van. He told an AP reporter he went into the van to get chocolate and cookies for the kid. Was this before or after Dawn Tomko died from her injuries? Why didn't he try to get help for the boy's mother? There were people within SIX MILES of this accident and Cordova probably knew that SR 39 would lead him to the border of Mexico in about 5-6 miles. Also at the end of SR 39 is State Route 289 which then leads to White Rock Campground - within 6 miles of the accident.

    Instead he set a fire and sat next to it all night while the boy's mother lay dying in the van.

    http://illegalprotest.com/2008/01/18/was-jesus-manuel-cordova-really-a-hero/