Little Girl Who Questioned Michelle Obama Wants White House Visit

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A second-grader who sprung a question on first lady Michelle Obama about immigration said Thursday she'd like to visit the White House.

The 7-year-old put a human face on the issue Wednesday when she told the first lady during an elementary school visit that her mother had said President Barack Obama was "taking everybody away that doesn't have papers." Then she said her mother "doesn't have papers."

Mrs. Obama tried to reassure her that the president was working to solve the immigration problem and "everybody's got to work together in Congress to make sure that that happens."

A day later, the girl's mother declined to talk but permitted a brief interview with the girl on the condition that their names not be used because she is concerned about her immigration status.

The girl said she was happy to meet Mrs. Obama and Mexico first lady Margarita Zavala at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School and hoped to return the visit.

"I hope I get to go to the White House," she said.

Asked if she was worried about her mother's situation, the girl smiled and shook her head.

A Department of Homeland Security official said federal immigration authorities are not pursuing the family.

DHS spokesman Matt Chandler said in an e-mailed statement Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations "are based on solid law enforcement work and not classroom Q-and-As."

Chandler added the agency "prioritizes criminal aliens who pose a threat to our communities."

Brian Edwards, chief of staff for the Montgomery County public school system, said the system is protecting the child.

"The girl is in school and we're doing everything we can to keep her safe," Edwards said.

Comments

[tarko]

01:50 AM on 05/26/2010

That someone may have entered the US illegally "to get a job to feed their family", "to obtain medical care for their wife or child", or simply "in pursuit of a better life and educational opportunities for his family", are all worthwhile objectives. Many American citizens can compassionately understand such motivations. However humanistic their reasons may be to illegally enter into the United States, they do nothing to extinguish such illegality.

[LoveMy Ancestors]

02:27 PM on 05/24/2010

I want to know just exactly what pathetic fool it was who commented:

1) Saying all ancestors from the 1600s were killers, who vandalized the New World;

2) Saying if you have ancestors from the 1600s its a BRAG;

Whoever you are, you need to be driven out of the United States and forced to live in another country until you can grow the f*`ck up. I've never read such freeeking ignorance on a Huffington Post comment thread in my life!

It needs to be taken off by the moderators, as should any comment about another persons family or kin.

What a fool.

[I Goldman]

01:39 PM on 05/24/2010

I think most of the posting for this topic has ceased. But I just want to post one more thing:

Watch this, watch this, when I post the fact that I'm interested in genealogy as my hobby, WATCH THIS....

Here comes all the posts about me "bragging". I'm so not kidding.
I don't need to say anything else.
Just that I have ancestors. Like we all do. And some of them got here in the 1600s (some did not) and some stayed in Germany and were killed.

But watch some fool type a post claiming I'm "bragging".

Since none of the rest of you have ancestors, you all hatched out of eggs from
dinasaurs, right?

Just goes to show you the level of ignorance that is able to own a computer and try to type
something.

I can't stop laughing. My ancestors would have thought it crazy. That I'm bragging about having ancestors.....hahahahahahahahahah

[MarcoVGL]

02:16 PM on 05/23/2010

Another question, who here likes working in the fields?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000932944453&v=wall&story_fbid=124617607565811#!/video/video.php?v=397641659630

[Karama]

12:28 AM on 05/23/2010

I vaguely remember reading that Mexicans consider part of the US (I forget which state/s) Mexican territory, and call it Aztlan (Atzlan?), so I guess some of them probably think they're just moving into another area of (the future) Mexico. Or they don't think that at all and are just desperate for a job.

[gamoonbat]

01:52 PM on 05/23/2010

Aztlan is the mythical home of the Nahuatl speakers, and their migration resulted in what we call the Aztec civilization. Nahuatl is closely related to a number of languages spoken by natives of the western United States, and the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas all have a mix of Spanish and native culture and political history similar to the states of modern Mexico. Only with respect to Texas, however, is there a good case to be made for the United States acquiring the territory by an illegitimate use of force. There are some fringe elements in Mexico who claim that Texas should be a state of Mexico rather than the United States. I think that is more an excuse than a motivation for crossing the border illegally, though.

[rhetoricdog]

12:53 AM on 05/24/2010

My question about this is whether or not they (this fringe group) really wants the land or the opportunities that come with the land now that the U.S. has developed it. Because I am sure if they just had the land mass back, they would find themselves in a region similar in socio-economic character as Northern Mexico. What would be the gain??

[GWizard1]

03:21 PM on 05/22/2010

"Don't worry honey, my husband The Messiah, will make sure that you all have the American Dream, right about 2012 " !

[SweetestTaboo]

12:59 PM on 05/22/2010

So if you have a cute little 7 year old then being here illegally is OK? This is so political that it stinks.

[Jayk4444]

12:12 PM on 05/22/2010

Should the Mexican President be embarrased that his citizens want so desparately to leave Mexico, that he denounces the AZ law since it may inhibit their ability to illegally enter the US?

[drumsgirl]

12:29 PM on 05/22/2010

The man has no shame, and neither do the traitors who applauded him.

[denicci1977]

10:58 AM on 05/22/2010

Yeah right they are not pursuing this family. They might not do anything NOW cause we are all watching, but they will eventually.

[drumsgirl]

11:28 AM on 05/22/2010

You would hope, but they live in Maryland, an openly sanctuary state. I live in Maryland.

[thinker08]

09:35 AM on 05/22/2010

This is so like the Obama Administration ... trying to redirect the attention off of the real problem of the illegal invasion. This nation is being overrun by illegals and they have become brazen enough to march in our streets and demand rights of a country where they don't belong. These children were sired simply for the welfare benefits that they get and to be used as an "anchor" in this country. If I were illegally in a country and knew that I could be deported any day, the last thing that I would want to do is have a child that I might have to leave behind. These irresponsible illegals are putting these children in the middle and I have no sympathy for the parents ... they made their own beds and don't deserve these children.

The Obama administration needs to focus on securing our borders and protecting the future of the American citizens who live here instead of trying to use innocent children to push their agenda for Mexico. We can not support every illegal who wants to enter this country and who starts having one child after another. Soon our own country will be in the same shape as Mexico ... overrun with poverty, crime, and over population.

[thundermummy]

09:41 AM on 05/22/2010

He is deporting more illegals than George W. Bush but that isn't good enough for you?

[drumsgirl]

11:31 AM on 05/22/2010

You know - on the surface that's true. However, how long ago were those cases started? He could take a stand by ordering the feds to pursue the lead on this girl's mother rather than ignore it - if he did that people might believe he's actually about the rule of law and deporting illegals. And he could stop criticizing Arizona which had to do something because the feds weren't - just like in this case.

[dantanna]

08:46 AM on 05/22/2010

there should be an illegal immigration tax imposed to those of you who support it; to fund all the public services that these people take advantage of - and see how you like paying it

[Felinelover92]

09:02 AM on 05/22/2010

I totally agree.

[thundermummy]

09:42 AM on 05/22/2010

How about taxing those who employ illegals? That would be more fair and fun to see you complain on that.

[drumsgirl]

11:32 AM on 05/22/2010

Those that employ illegals need to be prosecuted and held accountable, not just taxed.

Now, back to those that are pro-illegals and their tax.......

[hey0there]

04:14 AM on 05/22/2010

'she's from peru .. idiots... racists!! bigots!!'

of course on the threads about the Salahis or Blankfein et al. they become silent when people call them 'white'

[Jayk4444]

12:01 PM on 05/22/2010

Illegal has nothing to do with race.

[drumsgirl]

12:51 PM on 05/22/2010

They know that but they have to keep harping on that - hoping if they say it enough people will believe it. It's a diversion attempt - when you've lost the debate, play the race card. Some folks will and do because they'll believe whatever they are fed - but a great many people in this country are not falling for it anymore.

[SweetestTaboo]

01:01 PM on 05/22/2010

So what. People from Peru need to be here legally just like anybody else. And unless you wear a sign on your back, then how is anybody suppose to notice those subtle differences between say some one from Peru and some one from Mexico.

[SkippyJiffy]

03:58 AM on 05/22/2010

Is this video supposed to tug at our heart strings and make us sympathize with the girl because her mother is in our country illegally? Didn't work.

[Ghost Dance 2010]

05:00 AM on 05/22/2010

Are you supposed to win people over to your position by being a black-hearted dooshbag?

[SkippyJiffy]

05:14 AM on 05/22/2010

Excuse me but I think I'm entitled to my own opinions of this clip. Just because I don't fall for the emotional blackmail doesn't make me a black-hearted dooshbag, as you have said.

[jesse2012]

09:21 AM on 05/22/2010

Mr. Dance you are a racist...black hearted indeed.

[one2unity]

02:13 AM on 05/22/2010

Emotional Black Mail.

[CoronaDischarge]

01:20 AM on 05/22/2010

I think it will be a mistake to make a show of having this girl visit. The President is supposed to be upholding the laws of the US. The optics looks a little off to be seen condoning and maybe even encouraging illegal participation in the US. May be great for getting the illegal vote, but ... they nominally aren't supposed to be able to vote.

[hey0there]

04:10 AM on 05/22/2010

pssst... WAY too late

[drumsgirl]

12:16 PM on 05/22/2010

It was a mistake for him to do nothing to defend the US when the President of Mexico was bashing one of it's states - there's gonna be major backlash for that one. It's kinda like - I can fight with my family all I want, but nobody else better ever considir messing with them. That's not a concept Barry grasps.

[drumsgirl]

12:53 PM on 05/22/2010

typo: consider