Boy's Mother Could Be Deported

There is a search for answers for a little boy whose mother might be deported.  The News On 6 introduced you to four-year-old John on Monday after he was reported missing at school, but later found staying with his pastor.  John's mother had been arrested and she'd asked the pastor and his wife to care for her son.  The News On 6's crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports now John's mother may be sent home to Portugal, which raises the question: What will happen to John?

John has been away from his mother since Friday night when she and her fiancé' were arrested after a drunken fight.  Filomenia Peteron was booked for resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

Because it appears she's in this country illegally, the jail put a hold on her for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The pastor taking care of her son says John was born on American soil and could stay here.  He's contacted the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to see whether he and his wife can continue caring for John, but so far, he has no answer.

The jail says it faces these types of dilemmas all the time, regardless of citizenship.

"There's a lot of times, people get arrested and say, ‘I've got to pick up the kids after school, what do I do?' So, we get on the phone or get them on the phone and try to contact Grandma or whoever or DHS. We say these kids are unsupervised and parent locked up and it doesn't look like they'll be able to get bonded out, so leave it up to DHS," said Tulsa County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tim Albin.

Tulsa County's Jail made the news about a year ago when it put its deputies through immigration training that allows them to identify illegals and put a detainer on them.

Since the program began, 1,328 people who were booked into jail were handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  But, not all of those were deported.

"Some do a VR, a voluntary removal, I'm here illegally, I don't want to go through the process, so I'm signing a VR.  Send me home. Some request an administrative hearing.  Some will have an issue with their legal permanent residence status or student visa or whatever and it's resolved and they're released," said Tulsa County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tim Albin.

Around 90% of those turned over to ICE were from Mexico.  The sheriff's office says that's just because of the proximity.  People from Italy, Kenya, India, Jamaica, Russia and the United Kingdom make up the rest.

John's pastor plans to meet with DHS to discuss options, including contacting the boy's father, who may be in Chicago.

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