Associated Press
Nov. 23, 2007 05:56 PM
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1123immig-rescuer1123-ON.html

A 9-year-old boy looking for help after his mother crashed their van in the southern Arizona desert was rescued by a man entering the U.S. illegally, who stayed with him until help arrived the next day, an official said.

The 45-year-old woman, who eventually died while awaiting help, had been driving on a U.S. Forest Service road in a remote area just north of the Mexican border when she lost control of her van on a curve on Thanksgiving, Sheriff Tony Estrada said.

The van vaulted into a canyon and landed 300 feet from the road, he said. The woman, from Rimrock, north of Phoenix, survived the impact but was pinned inside, Estrada said.

Her son, unhurt but disoriented, crawled out to get help and was found about two hours later by Jesus Manuel Cordova, 26, of Magdalena de Kino in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Unable to pull the mother out, he comforted the boy while they waited for help.

The woman died a short time later.

“He stayed with him, told him that everything was going to be all right,” Estrada said.

As temperatures dropped, he gave him a jacket, built a bonfire and stayed with him until about 8 a.m. Friday, when hunters passed by and called authorities, Estrada said. The boy was flown to University Medical Center in Tucson as a precaution but appeared unhurt.

Cordova was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents, who were the first to respond to the call for help. He had been trying to walk into the U.S. when he came across the boy.

The boy and his mother were in the area camping, Estrada said. The woman's husband, the boy's father, had died only two months ago. The names of the woman and her son were not being released until relatives were notified.

Cordova likely saved the boy, Estrada said, and his actions should remind people not to quickly characterize illegal immigrants as criminals.

“They do get demonized for a lot of reasons, and they do a lot of good. Obviously this is one example of what an individual can do,” he said.

Want to stop illegal immigration? Go after the employers, plain and simple.

My proposal is to fine companies for employing illegal immigrants.

If your business has 1-24 employees the fine is $5000 per illegal

25-100 employees: $25000 per illegal

more than 100: $50,000 per illegal.

Businesses would be agressively investigated after a specified grace period. Have illegals working after the grace period, get fined.

Can't afford the fine? Seizure and auction of the business.

You won't hear Bill O'riley mention this story

though I don't think it is nearly as serious as some would want you to believe

They are out in the fields picking fruits and vegetables which is back breaking monotonous work

I had a company in Florida and I was approached daily by illegals that wanted to work.They told me they wouldnt work for less than ten dollars an hour. I know some people who have a roofing company they pay their illegals 12 to 15 dollars an hour.So this image that we have of illegals being such cheap labor and being exploited is propganda pepretrated by those who want amnesty for the illegals.

........come on people use your brains....

Certainly giving out big fines to employers who are employing illegal immigrants would be a deterrent to employers , but i don't think it would stop it. The wealthy want to remain wealthy and paying others to do what they consider menial work for next to nothing helps them remain wealthy .

They are all named Jesus or Pedro

All through the Southwest the influx of illegals have driven down electricians, plumbers, carpenters and HVAC workers wages, amongst others.

Cordova likely saved the boy, Estrada said, and his actions should remind people not to quickly characterize illegal immigrants as criminals.

“They do get demonized for a lot of reasons, and they do a lot of good. Obviously this is one example of what an individual can do,” he said.