Flint doctor deported; Friends and family fight to have Dr. Jose Jota return to Grand Blanc Township (The Flint Journal)

Flint doctor deported; Friends and family fight to have Dr. Jose Jota return to Grand Blanc Township

by Bryn Mickle The Flint Journal
Tuesday November 11, 2008, 10:02 AM

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- The American Dream ended abruptly for Dr. Jose Jota and his family.

For 15 years, the Jotas embodied the hopes of immigrants looking to the United States for a better life.

He had a thriving medical practice in Flint, a $350,000 house in the suburbs and four beautiful children born into U.S. citizenship.

But the life disappeared on Halloween.

On a night when the family should have been trick-or-treating, Jose and Celina Jota were deported to the Philippines for skipping a court hearing a decade ago.

Now, their friends and attorney are looking to the federal government to give the Jotas a second chance.

"They made a mistake. They're not criminals," said family friend and Flint physician Dr. Kiet Doan.

David Wenger, a Detoit attorney trying to win them another immigration hearing, said the Jotas were betrayed by bad advice given by a man in California they paid to handle their citizenship issues after they came to the U.S. on tourist visas in 1993.

The couple say the man told them they didn't need to attend any immigration hearings and that he would take care of the issue.

But when the Jotas skipped a hearing, Wenger said an immigration judge in 1997 ordered them deported.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman confirmed the deportation order but declined to address specifics of the case.

By the time Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested the Jotas at their Grand Blanc Township home in June, Wenger said too much time had elapsed to get another court date.

They spent more than a month in the Calhoun County Jail on an immigration order before they were set free with the understanding they would leave the country by Oct. 31.

Wenger doesn't completely absolve the couple of blame.

They could have been more aggressive in making sure their citizenship was in order, but Wenger believes they deserve another chance to plead their case to an immigration judge.

For that to happen now, however, could take some powerful intervention.

Immigration officials have barred the couple from re-entering the United States for 10 years, but Wenger said they could be allowed to return much earlier if Congress grants them a private bill to stay the deportation pending a hearing.

He has appealed to U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Flint, and U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, but so far, no action has been taken.

A spokesman for Kildee said the office does not comment on casework. A message was left with Levin's office on Monday.

Tim Ballard, a neighbor of the Jotas, said the family is an asset to the community.

"Michigan can't stand to lose anyone, let alone people who are working (and paying taxes)," said Ballard.

One of Jota's patients, Earl Coon of Grand Blanc Township, said he understands the need for immigration laws but believes the government should rethink its decision.

"It's not fair. There should be exceptions," said Coon.

With their house facing likely foreclosure and their savings exhausted in the fight to stave off deportation, the Jotas and their four children -- ages 3 to 10 -- are in Manila now, living with Celina's four brothers.

It could be months before any congressional intervention, and by that time the Jotas' house will likely be gone, along with his medical practice.

But Doan said the Jotas would return to the U.S. in a heartbeat.

"They made their lives in this country. This is their home," said Doan.