Jesus Manuel Cordova, 26, of Magdalena de Kino in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, came into our country illegally, but when a woman lost control of her van on Thanksgiving, with her child in the van and vaulted into a canyon, injuring and killing the mother, Mr. Cordova found the child, stayed with him, took care of him and comforted him until authorities arrived... he did this knowing he, himself would be taken into custody for entering the U.S. illegally.
No one should be rewarded for entering our country illegally, but this act of selfless caring and putting the childs well being before his own, Mr. Cordova deserves to have someone help him figure out how to go about the legal process if he wants to obtain legal status.
I know back in September, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an interim final rule that would grant "temporary immigration benefits" to crime victims who assist government officials in investigating or prosecuting the criminal activity.
Which means that in some cases our Government can make special allowances and I think that in Mr. Cordova's case, perhaps they should help him go about obtaining a special visa and offer him assistance for what he has done.
Her son, unhurt but disoriented, crawled out to get help and was found about two hours later by Jesus Manuel Cordova, 26, of Magdalena de Kino in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Unable to pull the mother out, he 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 hunters passed by and called authorities, Estrada said. The boy was flown to University Medical Center in Tucson as a precaution but appeared unhurt.
"We suspect that they communicated somehow, but we don't know if he knows Spanish or if the gentleman knew English," Estrada said of the boy.
"For a 9-year-old it has to be completely traumatic, being out there alone with his mother dead," Estrada said. "Fortunately for the kid, (Cordova) was there. That was his angel."
Cordova 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.
The boy and his mother were in the area camping, Estrada said. The woman's husband, the boy's father, had died only two months ago. The names of the woman and her son were not being released until relatives were notified.
The man did a good thing, he put his own interests aside and helped a child in need and that, in and of itself, is just cause for reward.
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