I don't know what to think about this story other than poor man. HE work so hard with his money and yes he was wrong for not declaring he had more than $10,000 with the customs but still he earned his money. I agree that this man came to the US illegally but I don't agree with what the govermnent did with this poor man. I think its too harsh. I'll say this give the money back to the poor man minus the taxes and leave him alone.





MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- For 11 years, Pedro Zapeta, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, lived his version of the American dream in Stuart, Florida: washing dishes and living frugally to bring money back to his home country.

Two years ago, Zapeta was ready to return to Guatemala, so he carried a duffel bag filled with $59,000 -- all the cash he had scrimped and saved over the years -- to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

But when Zapeta tried to go through airport security, an officer spotted the money in the bag and called U.S. customs officials.

"They asked me how much money I had," Zapeta recalled, speaking to CNN in Spanish.

He told the customs officials $59,000. At that point, U.S. customs seized his money, setting off a two-year struggle for Zapeta to get it back. Zapeta describes how he lost his money »

Zapeta, who speaks no English, said he didn't know he was running afoul of U.S. law by failing to declare he was carrying more than $10,000 with him. Anyone entering or leaving the country with more than $10,000 has to fill out a one-page form declaring the money to U.S. customs.

Officials initially accused Zapeta of being a courier for the drug trade, but they dropped the allegation once he produced pay stubs from restaurants where he had worked. Zapeta earned $5.50 an hour at most of the places where he washed dishes. When he learned to do more, he got a 25-cent raise.

After customs officials seized the money, they turned Zapeta over to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The INS released him but began deportation proceedings. For two years, Zapeta has had two attorneys working pro bono: one on his immigration case, the other trying to get his money back.

"They are treating me like a criminal when all I am is a working man," he said.

Zapeta's story became public last year on CNN and in The Palm Beach Post newspaper, prompting well-wishers to give him nearly $10,000 -- money that now sits in a trust.

Robert Gershman, one of Zapeta's attorneys, said federal prosecutors later offered his client a deal: He could take $10,000 of the original cash seized, plus $9,000 in donations as long as he didn't talk publicly and left the country immediately.

Zapeta said, "No." He wanted all his money. He'd earned it, he said.

Now, according to Gershman, the Internal Revenue Service wants access to the donated cash to cover taxes on the donations and on the money Zapeta made as a dishwasher. Zapeta admits he never paid taxes.

CNN contacted the U.S. Attorneys office in Miami, U.S. Customs and the IRS about Zapeta's case. They all declined to comment.

Marisol Zequeira, an immigration lawyer, said illegal immigrants such as Zapeta have few options when dealing with the U.S. government.

"When you are poor, uneducated and illegal, your avenues are cut," he said.

On Wednesday, Zapeta went to immigration court and got more bad news. The judge gave the dishwasher until the end of January to leave the country on his own. He's unlikely to see a penny of his money.

"I am desperate," Zapeta said. "I no longer feel good about this country."

Zapeta said his goal in coming to the United States was to make enough money to buy land in his mountain village and build a home for his mother and sisters. He sent no money back to Guatemala over the years, he said, and planned to bring it all home at once.

At Wednesday's hearing, Zapeta was given official status in the United States -- voluntary departure -- and a signed order from a judge. For the first time, he can work legally in the U.S.

By the end of January, Zapeta may be able to earn enough money to pay for a one-way ticket home so the U.S. government, which seized his $59,000, doesn't have to do so.

I would say deport him, make him pay taxes on
all earned incomes and let him keep what's
left of his earnings.

n my soapbox:
This country thrives on the labor that
these illegal immigrants provide. Nobody
likes to say it, but it is true.

We recently had a new office built and the
contractors used illegal laborers. (please
don't respond by saying they should be
reported, I don't want to get into that.)

Anyhow, I watched this government
building going up and these men
worked SOOOO HARD. The days
were so hot and humid!!!! But they
kept going. I never once saw them
goofing off. However, I did see the
American workers goofing off plenty.

It changed my opinion about illegal immigrants.

I'm not promoting it at all, but when they
come over, they usually do the jobs that
you and I don't want to do, and certainly
not for minimum wage. Until you or I
are willing to do these jobs, we don't
need to judge these people.

Sorry if this seems like a rant. LOL. I
just wanted to get it out!

__________________

I have to agree. I do understand they are here illegally but I am so tired of hearing that they are taking jobs from you and I. People get on their high horse and condone them until they need some work around done. Not only is it cheaper it is usually done better and without short cuts. I am in Maine and I am not exposed to illegal immigrants all over but when my husband was in the Corps, we were in San Diego. My MIL is in Arizona and had complained until a company came to build her a stone wall. The wall was completed in no time during 110 degree days. Even she said how hard they worked and that they never stopped. People think they are above fast food service do you really believe they would work for below minimum wage doing back breaking jobs. Come on your kidding yourself. My issue is the business owners that are corrupt enough to work both the government and these people. They are the ones taking the jobs away from others. They would rather fill their own pockets then government taxes or payroll. Sorry about the rant, I swear this site brings out a side of me that I am not use to. I am usually keeping my strong opinions to myself.

I have a hard time feeling bad for this guy. He knew he was here illegally. He may be a hard worker, but that only makes him a hard working criminal in my mind. I say take the taxes he owes, make him pay his own way back and deport his ass for good...and I think that's being nice.

I, too, am in Maine and am not exposed to illegal immigrants as much as other parts of the country is, but, hard workers or not, I still feel the same way. Let them come here LEGALLY and work hard...then I wouldn't have a problem. The fact that they, A) Don't pay taxes and B) FEED off of our government assistance are my two biggest pet peeves. I don't care what jobs they assume while they're here. My family works hard, too, yet we don't get assistance from the government and state and we struggle each and every month. JMO...

"They are treating me like a criminal when all I am is a working man," he said.

Oh but he is a criminal, he broke the law when he entered this country illegally.
He is caught up in a process that cannot be rewritten every time someone has an issue with it.

Zapeta, who speaks no English, said he didn't know he was running afoul of U.S. law by failing to declare he was carrying more than $10,000 with him. Anyone entering or leaving the country with more than $10,000 has to fill out a one-page form declaring the money to U.S. customs.

Sorry not a good enough excuse. I am a legal citizen and do not know all the laws, I assure you if I break one inadvertently I will suffer the consequences.

I am tired of illegals coming into this country and getting taxpayer benefits intended for legal citizens of this country.

i personally think that he should have tht axes owed deducted off his 59,000 then send him home. he was going there anyways, he did work for that money, as long as he pays the taxes owed on it, he should be allowed to keep the rest. illegal or not.

__________________
Kimberley

"there is nothing to worry about, just plenty to think about" from an episode of Extreme Makeover House edition

check out my blog:
http://mommysavers.com/boards/journa...owjournal&j=21

Honestly, does our country really need his money (beyond the obvious taxes)? What did the customs officials do to earn it? I've worked as a dishwasher- I lasted 3 days & they were horrible. Coming home you'd feel like you needed to burn the gunk off your skin. He does need to go home, it was illegal. However, this does not mean he was sitting around collecting benefits from our government. He didn't take anything that we weren't going to give away anyways (a crap job that very few families in the us could survive on). The business owners should be taken to court for their part in exploiting people who are at the poverty level. If his family was starving I can't blame him for doing what is in his power to try to take care of them. He was acting illegally by WORKING A DECENT JOB. He didn't just come over and join a gang or anything. So, for everyone who thinks they're so much better than him: If yur children had no future and very little food what would you do? People are born into their situations and that doesn't mean life is going to suddenly become fair just for them. I was homeless and pregnant last year. I worked my butt off to get out of that situation. I am just lucky I live here. Had I been somewhere else my baby would probably be dead or underdeveloped right now. I believe what he did was against the law but his intent was good. Don't be so quick to condemn others for working to survive.

I have my doubts that his family was starving. If they were, he would have been sending or transporting smaller amounts at a time to them. It says right in the article that he saved up every last penny he made and was trying to bring it all over at one time. IMO, he can "work to survive" in his own country or come to our country LEGALLY and "work to survive"--either is fine with me. Breaking the law should NEVER be rewarded and that's exactly what we do when we don't come down hard on these illegals...we send the message that it's okay and that we'll put up with it. Why should we put up with crap from illegals that we'd get in trouble for ourselves? That makes no sense. I work HARD for my money as does my DH. We have LEGAL jobs and pay our taxes (all eight trillion different ones!). Illegals essentially flaunt that they get something for nothing (even if they're NOT using the healthcare or welfare systems, they ARE getting something for nothing if they're NOT paying their fair share to Uncle Sam). Forget that. I'm not having it.

Not only was he here illegally earning money...but he wasn't paying taxes on his illegally earned money, either--which is illegal. Double whammy. :D

They need to take the money he owes in taxes, as well as a smaller amount for the fine, and send him back to his country of residence with the remainder. We do not need to make examples of people. We need to do what is morally right and just. In this situation he broke the law and must suffer the consequences but we also have a responsibility to ensure consequences are fair. I personally feel he should have come here through legal methods and his actions were wrong, even if he did mean to do good things with the money. You are probably right in saying his family wasn't starving. That being said I doubt they were even close to middle class. I am not sure what they offer in their country for assistance but I bet it doesn't help much. I'm not saying he was right, all I'm saying is that I can understand a bit of what he might have been thinking.

On A Different Note: I am going to ask people to please stop refering to this group as "illegals." I know there's a backlash against politically correct terms but reinforcing intolerance and prejudice is something we should work against. No, you don't need to change your way of thinking because I'm asking this. I just figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. If someone were to start throwing around "nigger" or "fag" I would make the same request.

What shall we call them, then? I don't see anything wrong with calling an illegal immigrant an "illegal." I am in no way referring to anyone's race---they're an "illegal" if they are in the US illegally no matter if they're black, white, hispanic, purple or green and from Mars. Help me understand why this is derogatory, please.