Grandmother deported from the United States for illegal participation in elections

After 10 years of legal proceedings, Margaret Fitzpatrick was deported from Peru from the United States.

The reason for this decision was the illegal participation of women in elections, writes NBC.

Fitzpatrick left Peru in 2001 year and legally came to the United States in search of a better life with her three daughters.

She decided to study English, received a certificate of medical translator and got a job in a medical institution. Later, the woman married and received a green card. Her three daughters, born in Peru, became naturalized US citizens.

In 2005, she applied for a state of Illinois driving license, presenting her Peruvian passport and green card. In one of the forms, she indicated that she did not need registration to vote. But, according to her, the form-checking clerk asked her if she wanted to register to vote. When asked if she should register, the clerk replied: "It depends on you."

In another form, she noted “yes” next to the question: “Are you a US citizen?”.

Fitzpatrick said she thought that was the closest thing to her status as a “permanent resident of the United States.”

She then voted in two elections. She claims that she voted only for the candidate for superintendent of the local school district, because her daughters were in school at the time.

Only in the 2007 year, when she applied for naturalization, did the woman learn that these voices were illegal. She honestly told the immigration officer about her misconduct, and soon the government began the process of his deportation.

“I was misled. “I want the public to know that I truly regret this mistake,” the woman said.

Her lawyer, Richard Hanus, brought the appeal to the Supreme Court. The court refused to stop the deportation process, but a review of the decisions of lower courts is still possible.

The law on voter registration of 1993 states that clerks engaged in issuing driver’s licenses cannot "give the applicant any advice or take any action whose purpose or effect is to prevent the applicant from registering for a vote."

Fitzpatrick and daughters believe that this is a legislative trap, and that the clerk should not even ask non-citizens US registration questions to vote.

Before the deportation, the woman said farewell to her grandson, who was only two weeks old, and arranged a family dinner at her daughter’s house.

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