Family Hopes DREAMer Suicide Will Push Passage Of Act

While most families are gearing up for the holidays, a family in Texas is planning a funeral, after an 18-year-old committed suicide the day after Thanksgiving. Joaquin Luna took his life, his family claims, because his aspiration to study engineering was dashed after Congress' failure to pass the DREAM Act.

Luna was brought to the United States when he was six months old. He was undocumented, and the lack of legal status weighed heavily on him, his oldest brother, Dire Mendoza, told Fox News Latino.

Read the whole story

Comments

[AKJM]

03:25 PM on 12/08/2011

It’s a horrible situation. The parents are responsible.

[Fred Bronson]

08:37 PM on 12/06/2011

since this has been on the news way hasn't ICE picked these people up? they admit they are here illegally, working, they should be deported
frederick bronson nc

[Fred Bronson]

06:42 PM on 12/06/2011

we can not cave to hispanics here illegally. it is to bad that boys parents kill him but we can not grant a free pass to criminals. would you give child molesters a free pass? would you let drug dealers go and keep selling? what about rapest?? illegals need to go back and apply legally. hopefully no other parents will kill their children.
frederick bronson nc

[Jacqueline Sanchez]

11:23 AM on 12/02/2011

wow the comments below show how people are so easily dehumanized in this country and laws are given the higher status. Probably makes your racisim more palatable to yourselves. I know people come to this country to find work to feed their families, but this country is morally bankrupt and not worth their souls. I pray for his family. I pray for these sad racist Americans who make such disgusting comments.

[Viper1st]

10:18 AM on 12/01/2011

In committing his act of suicide ~ Joaquin Luna ~ fingered his parents & siblings for at least 3 federal felonies and 2 civil misdemeanors. ALL "deportable" offenses, if convicted

Civil Misdemeanor ~ U.S.C. 8 § 1325 : US Code - Section 1325: Improper entry by alien ~
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/8/12/II/VIII/1325

Civil Misdemeanor ~ U.S.C. 8 § 1304 : US Code - Section 1304: Forms for registration and fingerprinting ~ http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/8/12/II/VII/1304

Federal Felony ~ U.S.C. 8 § 1324 : US Code - Section 1324: Bringing in and harboring certain aliens ~ http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/8/12/II/VIII/1324

Federal Felony ~ U.S.C. 18 § 911 : US Code - Section 911: Citizen of the United States ~
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/43/911

Federal Felony ~ U.S.C. 18 § 922 : US Code - Section 922: Unlawful acts ~ http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/us-code/18/I/44/922

So Much For ~ "law-abiding" illegals

[sunlightb4signing]

11:23 PM on 11/30/2011

Shame on the family, and the media for politically exploiting his death.

[ToddO in Texas]

11:10 PM on 11/30/2011

This story is simply full of shame. Shame on his illegal alien parents for coming, his siblings for staying and this poor kid for his choice to not deal with this. Shame on the state of Texas and the US government for offering the perverse incentives that lure illegals across our border. And shame on the US government for failing to deport them sooner. And finally shame on Ted Kennedy for the 1986 amnesty that set the bad precedent and false expectation, as well as Ronald Reagan for believing Kennedy's nonsense.

[dtairtime]

10:46 PM on 11/30/2011

I wonder if his parents will be charged in his death?

Certainly they are guilty of placing him in the situation he was in.

[Karissa36]

04:16 PM on 11/30/2011

In a mere 48 hours of news coverage, the family has gone from claiming he committed suicide in part because he was depressed the DREAM act didn't pass, to now claiming he deliberately decided to kill himself in order to be a martyr for the cause. Stay alert for visions of the Madonna, and words spoken from burning bushes, commanding the passage of the DREAM act, coming up soon.

[Armando Cedillo]

11:20 AM on 11/30/2011

Joaquin Luna's aspirations were not "dashed" by the Senate's refusal to pass The Dream Act. They were squashed by the thoughtless agents (his parents?) who illegally smuggled him across our southern border, bypassing inspections and law-abiding immigrants with equal disdain. The United States of America does not owe the citizens of Mexico or any other nation access to our job markets, education systems and healthcare clinics. That is the duty of the Mexican government.

[Viper1st]

05:04 PM on 11/29/2011

When did it become legal for an illegal to own and/or possess a fire arm within the borders of the USA?

A Federal Felony violation of ~ U.S.C. 18 § 922 : US Code - Section 922: Unlawful acts

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/44/922

[ChicanoEd]

05:18 PM on 11/29/2011

LOL...I like your post...Good one.

[spytheweb]

09:27 PM on 11/29/2011

They should search the house for more weapons.

[Alva Vargas]

05:01 PM on 11/29/2011

This poor kid's "parents" subjected him to this unlawful lifestyle! Not the US! I would NEVER put my kids through all the humiliation and segregation that he has had to live with and shame of being an illegal. Who does that to thier kids?!!? Parents are suppose to sacrifice for their kids, not use them as shields for personal gain! But they "conveniently" put it on the US, give me a break! All parents who sneak their kids into the US illegally should "also" be charged with child abuse! I am so sick of their victim act when they know exactly what they are doing for personal gain. My heart goes out to that young man and shame on his parents for doing this to him!

[Viper1st]

05:51 PM on 11/29/2011

Plus ~ illegal parent(s) bringing into the USA their illegal children is a Federal Felony ~

U.S.C. 8 § 1324 : US Code - Section 1324: Bringing in and harboring certain aliens

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/8/12/II/VIII/1324

[Cynthia Nunez]

07:21 PM on 11/30/2011

Dont you think his parent's had his future in mind? Wouldn't you want the best for your child? Even if it might break the law? Parents are supposed to put their all into making their children's lives better than they ever had it. These illegal immigrants (parents) would risk going to jail for their families. I do not think that is humiliating. Also who will segregate against an illegal immigrant? Only those who are closed minded. His parents should not be blamed for this tragedy, the people who should be blamed for his suicide are those who stopped him from pursuing his dream. Not the parents that tried to give him a better lifestyle.

[dtairtime]

10:49 PM on 11/30/2011

Well obviously they dropped the ball because they are guilty in his death. Who else could possibly hold any blame?

I guess we could say to the world "bring your kids here and we will automatically give you citizenship, free school, free food stamps, free everything". But of course that offer would only last a year or two before this country was so overcrowded with the 4 billion people on this planet who are living in abject poverty that it would be worse then anything most of them are fleeing.

[Alva Vargas]

02:04 PM on 12/01/2011

Obviously, his parent's did not have his future in mind if their breaking the law, are you for real?!!? What irresponsible parent subjects their kids to a life of shame and having no place in society among their peers, are you serious?!!? A parent is suppose to sacrifice and protect their kids and teach them and show them a life of integrity to follow to help secure their path. Instead these degenerates gave him insecurity, shame, and alienation and low self-esteem, having to live under the radar as a fugitive! What parent deliberately does this to their child and their future and what's the odds he'll succeed?!!? He wanted to excel but didn't have the foundation that supported him being illegal that "his parents" put him in. You talk as if they didn't have a choice and are victims themselves?!!? They could not of been more ignorant, greedy and selfish! I was poor growing up and didn't even know it because of the security I felt at home and among my peers that my parents provided for me through sacrifice and working hard and honest and respect for the law. They gave me that valuable gift to follow that gave me the confidence and pride to excel. They took that and his future away from him when they involved him in their voyage of greed and criminal activities for their own personal gain that had nothing to do with him!

[Tich Tran]

04:14 PM on 11/29/2011

I do feel sorry for him. But no more amnesty. If he wanted to study engineering why don't join the military. They would then reward them w/ legal residency/citizenship(souce: liberal LA Times). But no more amnesty.

[spytheweb]

09:28 PM on 11/29/2011

Illegal aliens can not join the US military.

[Tich Tran]

10:53 PM on 11/29/2011

Not true. While generally they won't do it but since they are desperate for men (ie "guienea pigs") in the war in iraq(we are still there), afghastan, etc they are willing to do so on a CASE BY CASE BASIS. Just read the LA Times.