The Case of Rosa Martin

The shutdown has not only resulted in thousands of cancelled court hearings but also generated chaos for everyone involved in the immigration system.

Most judges have been furloughed and those who remain are working without pay. Lawyers have cancelled flights for out-of-town hearings and, absent direction from the Justice Department, continue to meet filing deadlines imposed by courts that aren’t open to accept them.

WSJ  @andreamcastillo

Justice for the poor is slow, for strangers it's a lie;

like trying to dice cotton candy with an old necktie.

Lawyers have no time to spend with clients who can't pay,

and bailiffs will not give outsiders just the time of day.

For example take the case of Rosa Martin, now;

who came into this country as a child, no matter how.

Law abiding, conscientious, working day and night,

to support her household and pursue her own birthright.

She went to Immigration for to set the record straight,

to show them that she was determined to cooperate.

The clerks gave her such paperwork to sign it made her sigh;

the marshal came around next, acting just like Captain Bligh.

He threatened her with jail time as he huffed and puffed and snorted --

and added that for jaywalking he'd soon have her deported.

She meekly bowed her head and did not give the big ape room

to charge her with the least offense or send her to her doom.

But now the courts became involved; the wheels of justice started

moving at a pace that one could only call 'halfhearted.'

In the dusty halls where jurisprudence held its sway

Rosa sat around on wooden benches ev'ry day.

(She gathered up such splinters she could build a Swiss chalet.)

The judges were not paid and lawyers didn't like pro bono;

they all were on their cellphones with complaint and bitter groan-o. 

Poor Rosa was ignored; she could have set off fireworks,

and no one would have noticed, not the bailiffs or law clerks.

And when the courts shut down she had no clue what she should do.

She waited at the entrance feeling anxious and quite blue.

Her boss was understanding, but to work she never came;

he had to give her job to someone else -- a dirty shame!

And then by some great miracle the courts again revived,

ready to give justice to anyone who had survived.

When Rosa went before the judge at last, he only laughed;

and told her that because he was so broke and understaffed

she'd have to wait a dozen years before her case was viewed,

and that is when our Rosa really knew that she was screwed.

Although to start all over would most certainly be rocky,

she fled to Canada -- and now her sons are playing hockey.