How is Deporting My Brother a Solution to Gang Violence?
YO! Youth Outlook Multimedia , Commentary, Oscar Servellon, Posted: Dec 05, 2008
Editor's Note: Commentator Oscar Servellon, 16, was recently at the front lines of the youth-led protest that shut down San Francisco's ICE offices, but his new political activation hit close to home when his brother was deported back to El Salvador for gang-related violence. Oscar Servelleon is a writer for YO! Youth Outlook Multimedia.
OAKLAND – Today, my step-brother Frank, 23, was deported back to El Salvador. The thing I remember most about him is seeing him laugh. He would laugh about everything, then hide his face to drown his loud mischievous laugh. Frank is about eight years older then me, but I have always been a little bit better at video games. We could play for hours, Frank and my brothers Carlos and Irvin and I.
Frank was deported after being arrested and incarcerated for armed robbery. He had shot someone, but luckily did not kill him. I was in disbelief when it happened, all I could say was: "Frank isn't that stupid." Meaning I knew he was sort of dumb, for joining a gang, carrying a gun, taking pills and drinking, but I never thought he would actually hurt someone.
Many people like to say that their relatives are innocent and that they are good people inside, well, I won't bore you with the same story. Instead, I will tell you that my brother is guilty. He was affiliated with gangs and deserves time away from society, but he was paying for his time by being locked up. His incarceration really seemed to change him for the better. But, in sending him back to El Salvador, I worry that he'll have to resort back to gang life to survive because he won't have any family or support system.
My mother and father are both immigrants to this country from El Salvador. They were dating since before they came here. My mom came over first and got a job in a restaurant near Jack London Square in Oakland, washing dishes and serving food. She then saved up enough money to bring my dad over in the 80s. They got married then divorced six years later, when I was about three years old. After that day in court, I did not see my dad for about two years. He had traveled back to El Salvador to forget his problems for a while. Meanwhile, my mom got together with my stepfather. When my father came back, he had a new wife. When my dad took my brothers and I to his house for the weekend, I was surprised to meet his new step-kids: Frank, Sulma and Mercedez. I never really resented them or my parents for the divorce. I consider them all my family, because they are as much a part of my life as I am a part of theirs. Frank was around 12 or 13 years old when he came to the U.S.
When I met my brother Frank, I was a very young, but I remember he ate a lot. One good memory I have of him is when he took my brothers and me to the theater to watch The Amityville Horror. I was so scared during the movie that I started to eat my pound of watermelon-flavored jellybeans in a rush. And I remember him telling us how he always wanted little brothers, since he only had little sisters.
I knew Frank was in a gang. He showed my brother Carlos the gun he was carrying, not to frighten him, but to prove that he was "bad," that he was "down" with gangs. I still remember that smile on his face when Carlos called him an idiot. I suppose Frank just took it as a joke. When I heard about it, I thought: "My brother is going to shoot someone, or get shot, what do I prefer?" I do not remember talking to him about gang life too much, but he did tell us how he would punch and kick rival gang members, wipe the blood off his shoes with a dirty shirt then throw it away.
I always saw gangs as people who lost their way. I was never interested in the whole idea that a gang serves as your "family." I have no need for such a family; I have always had my two older brothers, my little sister and my mother. I was not alone because I had my family, but most of all my brothers. They were people I could look up to and always did, but Frank didn't have anything like that. He had no brothers, no one he could connect to and had a lot of pressure being the oldest of the family and coming here as an immigrant. In my opinion, he did all those things that ended up getting him deported to seem brave, to seem cool for all the people in his gang. He wanted to be noticed maybe, have someone look up to him.
Even though I knew about Frank's activities, I was still shocked when he was arrested and I had a hard time imagining that he could hurt anyone.
I remember when my dad and I went to visit him in prison last summer. He was dressed in an orange uniform with a white undershirt. I remember watching him as he folded the orange shirt over and over making lines in the fabric. It was easy to tell he was scared in there – he had lost a lot of weight and had not seen outside in months. It was the first time I had visited someone in jail, and hoped it would be the last. A feeling of pain and sadness could be felt through the walls of the building. It was very depressing seeing my brother through a piece of glass. I remember being able to talk to him about a bunch of things, and mainly about girls, and we reminisced about the good old days. I heard a voice on a speaker, and I knew it was time to say goodbye until our next visit. Afterwards I talked with my dad about his experiences in jail for drinking and driving. Then he went on and on about his experiences in the military during the war in El Salvador.
I did not know exactly what to think or say when I heard my brother was going to be deported. My step mom, Lydia, was really sad about his crime but she knew he would eventually get out. My brother Irvin wrote letters to him in prison and told me that Frank had gotten very "philosophical", giving him advice about all sorts of things. I care about my brother, but he made a lot of mistakes that have caused him to be where he is today. For that very reason is why I stay away from gangs and drugs, and always will.
I miss my Frank. I miss how he was always able to say something funny to make people laugh. I am realizing how you never notice things about people until they are far away or just gone. I think it is unjust that my brother is far away from his family, without a way to get back. Lydia still has three daughters, whom she must take care of, which means she can't go to El Salvador to see him.
This Oct. 31, I - along with a big group of people - protested in front of the San Francisco ICE office, with the purpose of stopping the raids happening in Sanctuary Cities, such as San Francisco and Oakland. It was one of the first major protests I have attended and I felt proud to be out there making a stand for all immigrants who are being treated unjustly. Again, I know that Frank committed a serious crime but I believe it is unfair that my brother is being deported, because it does not solve anything, there are still gangs in El Salvador. If someone does a crime make them do their time, but do not move them far away from their families, it not only hurts them but their families as well.
The last time I talked to him on the phone, was about four days before he was deported. He sounded like the same Frank I knew. When I asked him if he was going to still be in a gang after all that happened he simply said "no." None of his gang friends visited him during the time he was in jail. One of his friends did write letters to him. All the people in his gang that were his "family" never visited him. On the other hand, his mother, sisters, my dad, my brothers and I visited him every chance we had. Now he is alone in El Salvador, because his only family is here.
Just before the call ended, the dial tone buzzed, and a woman's voice said: "This call has ended." Frank said to me: "Be safe, bro," and I said, "Yeah, you too."
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Deporting the American Dream
We Shut Down ICE For a Day
Don't Open the Door: A First Person Account of ICE Arrests
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User Comments
Dana Garcia on Dec 08, 2008 at 13:16:33 said:
Violent illegal alien criminals need to serve their prison sentences and then be deported to their real homes. It's a matter of public safety.
Richard on Dec 08, 2008 at 13:08:25 said:
Ultimately what happens to El Salvador is up to the El Salvadoreans and if the El Salvadoreans abandon El Salvador it will be an abondoned country and a country of abondonment. If only the rich invest in El Salvador it will be a country in the hands of the rich. There are people who are from El Salvador on both sides of the illegal immigration issue in life here in the US and on this thread. Both should be investing in El Salvador instead of merely sending remittance money.
j mcmahon on Dec 06, 2008 at 04:14:22 said:
It was my friend that your brother shot. He had a job that supported his family and thru our laws supported yours too. His family now has to suffer, thru no fault of there own, I heard nothing about them from you. Why ,cause you didnt care about them then and still dont now,its not that your brother was deported its that he is a bad person or stupid, maybe just lazy,and will be in jail where ever he goes.Im sorry for your loss but then you and yours can go visit, unless your worried about you legal status.His family can not
Son of Ceiba on Dec 05, 2008 at 15:23:27 said:
PS: I wasn't being literal. No human being is illegal.
Ever.
Son of Ceiba on Dec 05, 2008 at 14:53:13 said:
Excellent piece! Loaded with compassion.
As a Salvadoran-born- American, I can see both sides of this ugly, layered fence--- veiled with lies and misconceptions that is the long-standing twisted relationship between the U.S. and El Salvador.
I am an American, and yes---I understand Americans should not be threatened by gangs, or feel unsafe in their own home.
Immigrants, and 'illegals' didn't do it. Frank did it. And the article doesn't specify his status--- therefore we can't deduct that he was undocumented.
Whatever his status, Frank messed up.
I know what it's like to come up in a country that doesn't support or understand you. Frank could've done far more with the chips he was given-- and I think he would agree.
Why was Frank in this country to begin with?
Migration of Central Americans, specifically Salvadorans in the U.S. --- didn't come from nowhere... it's rooted in conflict--- it's the fruit of America's intervention.
You gotta watch the language:
REWIND>>>In the 80's El Salvador was a friend, America's darling in Central America...
Reagan called it "American Mainland" as he 'defended' it by pumping Vietnam era weapons and 2.5 billion dollars a year (for 12 years) of these AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS --everyone keeps mentioning-- into repression of the Salvadoran people and proliferating a war that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Salvadorans (whom that money could've served to feed,educate maybe).
That war spurred the conditions that triggered migration waves of millions of Salvadorans (many to the U.S.)
Last but not least---war exposed an entire generation of young people to violence unheard of in the states and providing ideal, fertile soil for GANGS and familiarizing young people with the use of extreme violence
A generation of kids was exposed to violence they didn't ask for. Period.
Thousands of families left, not in search of prestigious dishwashing or service jobs in the U.S., as many think---- but to save their lives!
So this "crime of being illegal" here. Fine. Granted, let's call it a crime----
Its also a crime to shoot and rob people.
However, since we're naming things:
What shall we call one country arming, training and funding large-scale murder? Meddling into other country's affairs? Making it unsafe for citizens of other countries? What would would we call that? Legal? Ethical? Just?
As an American, I'm committed to making America a better place. As a Salvadoran, I'm committed to making El Salvador a better place---there's no shortage of work.
I work doing creative violence prevention with young people in the US and in El Salvador, and I can tell you––– violence begets violence.
These phenomena aren't exclusive to El Salvador. Its happening in Vietnam, Cambodia, Haiti, Guatemala, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan to name a few.
What kind of future are we ensuring to the children of these wars? What if they all immigrated here? Would we have the nerve to look them in the eye?
Or call them all "illegal" and kick them all out, not think of it---go back to our bud light and Monday night football?---say "its the problem of the country of their origin"
We should consider that these thing come from somewhere--- and watch were our beloved tax dollars go---and do something about it
We could be arming ourselves with facts, compassion and creativity. Checking our governments foreign policy.
Do we have a right to occupy their countries? Snag their resources? Isn't that "Shooting and robbing" them?
Realize that the taxes and social security are sustained by these so-called aliens.
Undocumented Immigrants Paid Almost $50 billion in federal taxes from 1996 to 2003
The money they contribute stays in the system and is paying our current social security benefits. The statement below is from the New York Times and the Internal Revenue Service.
Get involved, confront our own histories so as to move forward.
As Americans we should work---get our hands dirty doing something before we open our big fat, fed mouths and quit calling people names....
... turn that critical lens on ourselves, and face our global and local responsibilities with some dignity. Quit blaming immigrants.
El Salvador is still the only country in Latin America with troops in Iraq. I say that, without a smidge of pride.
Alex Sanchez on Dec 05, 2008 at 14:11:02 said:
I was heavily involved in gangs in the 80s and 90s. I was deported back to El Salvador in 95'and faced the reality of why people come back. See, I did not know El Salvador anymore I was left behind at age 3 five years after my parents sent for my younger brother and I.
I didn’t know about gang violence, only the decapitated bodies I would find on my way to school.
I blamed my mom and alcoholic dad for bringing me into a violent neighborhood where gangs, drugs was the norm and handle ling your problems did not include calling police. I just became part of the statistics of our youth in Pico Union Los Angeles.
I was always told that it was my fault when I joined the gang and to just to get out it. I wished it was that easy and what would I care? I was going to die for my gang anyways. As i grow up being an immigrant did not matter to me. Nor did it matter to the gangs. Bottom line... Gangs are the result of abandoned communities that only when they start creating a bad image for tourism it matters. The “Tough on crime" attitude comes into play.
Don’t blame me, don’t blame my father for drinking everyday after he finished his second job everyday, don’t blame my mother that did not give me attention because she worked 14 hour days shift, don’t blame us for being an immigrant when I’m a native to this continent where borders crossed my land.
Gang violence is not about someone’s nationality or legal status. Gang violence is the result of everyone in the community that didn’t look after that young trouble kid who everyone pushed away in their neighborhood.
Now that kid has something worth dying for "The Barrio" you can’t just tell a kid to "get out of it", or put him away through policies like prop 21, 6, three strikes, gang enhancements, Gang Allegations, Gang Injunctions, federal re-entry charges and more to force him to change. Can’t you see fighting hate with hate has not worked?
You deported me at one point and it didn’t help me, you’ve chased me out from my neighborhood but you didn’t take the Barrio out of my heart. I became worse. You hated me, I hated you more. I became a man trough my rights of passage you call prisons and reformatories.
Why can’t you show me some love, ultimately that was what I was after in the gang, just to have someone show interest in me and care about me, that’s all. Why are people afraid to love and care?
It took me sometime to study myself and realize who I really was. Now I help others take leadership of their lives.
I healed my pain and found love. All I needed was someone who went through what I had gone through, some one I could trust. It’s not the end for your brother. Tell him to look for love, to let go of hate and to forgive those who have betrayed him. And if he comes back as we all do tell him there are still people that can love in this country. I don’t blame you or anyone else. We have to rise up and fight hate with love. That’s how I won political asylum in this country who was at fault for me being here in the first place.
ohboy on Dec 05, 2008 at 13:03:38 said:
Funny how folks that are commenting here say "They are breaking the law..." as if that strips these people of their humanity. As if that line in the desert white folks drew means anything to people striving for a better life.
There is a such thing as a "higher" law. Breaking up families is wrong, white folks stealing native land was wrong -- against the higher law. Now you crackers are here and you think it's your god given right to pass judgement and hide behind the so-called law. F--k that. I fully support these people, America is changing for the better, getting browner -- and that's what all your fear and hate is about.
Stephen on Dec 05, 2008 at 12:20:54 said:
Illegal aliens are NOT immigrants. Immigrants follow and obey our laws in order to start a life in the US. Illegal aliens break US immigration laws and negatively effect our country in many ways. Everyone in the world does not have a right to come to the US simply because it's financially good for THEM.
Dee Cal on Dec 05, 2008 at 09:57:30 said:
The reason for your borthers deportation is simple: he was in our country illegally. We have laws that obviously Frank or your family did not care about. That is the problem with the illegals: they think they are doing nothing wrong and have a right to break into another country with no punishment. They think they are above the law and since \"they are only here to work\" (which is a joke) they do not need to abide by our laws or think they do not apply to them. Be glad this guy is gone...its obvious he is a loser and can only bring you down with his gangs, drugs and illegal activities like shooting people. There are way too many loser illegals running around anyway, no one more gone is no big deal. Now I wish ICE would aggressively go after the rest of the illegals as well.
xenia flores on Dec 05, 2008 at 09:48:56 said:
we salvadorians are trying to stay here because we have a future here and it is not about gang relete its about helping someone who needs alot of help to chosee the right chioce nad im from el salvador who lives in california but keep on going to school nad become someone in the future ok good luck to you and ypour family it better being with the family then alone it sounds like my story but i have problems with my family and i feel bad because to many salvadorians are been send back to their own country but no more. good luck pasai
nativessayno on Dec 05, 2008 at 08:45:44 said:
Frank has a great laugh and you miss him. While sad for suffering a seperation through deportation; he also had time to think about the ramifications of his deeds while wiping blood off his shoes and shooting people. What about the person he shot....any empathy or interest in that victim's plight?
Gangs are groups that hurt and kill people here and in El Salvador. Thankfully, not everyone makes choices to kill, maim and hurt others here or elsewhere. Plenty of people have a great laugh.....
Frank's deportation solved plenty for me. Anybody, at any time, can "hurt their family", but on ones own volition they pick up weapons and use them, misguided? Yes, worthy of a viable protest to prevent deportion? Not really. Gang violence here or anywhere else is its own problem.... citizen's should pay for someone's choices to create mayhem? Why?
Marco from Houston on Dec 05, 2008 at 06:39:49 said:
This isn't about solving the gang problem. It is about not supporting criminals who are not citizens of this country. The gang problem is a farce.
-->I understand where you're coming from, but seeing from the point of view of this country, why should it be our tax paying problem to support him? I'm Salvadoran-American myself, I have family who have been deported and incarcerated as well, I understand the problem. I have close ties to my family in ES thankfully. But the truth of the matter is, he shouldn't be our problem here. I tell my family over there all the time, it isn't worth making the trip, it isn't worth taking the risk to get here.
Unfortunately, it is El Salvador's responsibility to take care of it's citizens, juts like its the U.S.'s. This isn't about solving the gang problem here. Like or not, your brother had the opportunity to succeed here and live his life like so many people would kill for. I don't know his whole story, or his situation, but it seems like there are plenty of excuses as to why he is where he is. Again, I understand your pain and I applaud you for protesting ICE against these raids, I hope to do the same here in Texas. But your brother's situation, it isn't about solving any gang problem. It is about the bad apples that screw it up for the hard working immigrants. I hope you can understand why he was deported.