YAKIMA -- Manuh Santos, the two-time Yakima River Canyon Marathon winner who returned to Mexico after living illegally in the Yakima Valley for more than a decade, will be allowed to return to the United States. Santos and his wife, Rose Romfo, are expected to arrive in the Yakima Valley tonight. The 28-year-old Mexican national voluntarily returned to his native country in February, hoping he could get documents to work legally in the country he's called home for 12 years.When he first met with officials from the consulate, he was told he would be barred from getting permanent residency - a "green card" - for 10 years because he had lived in the U.S. illegally for more than a year.During an appeal hearing Friday morning, Santos challenged the initial ruling by presenting a hardship letter from his wife, an American citizen. On Monday, he received documents permitting him to live and work in the U.S. Lowell Romfo, Santos' father-in-law, said although he feels the immigration process is necessary, there are elements that need to be fixed. Santos was likely allowed to return to the U.S. largely because of the hardship the situation would create for his wife."It's really all about how it affects people in the U.S. and also about the individual's merit and what that person has been doing in the U.S.," Romfo said Monday. Romfo, who spent some time in Mexico trying to help his son-in-law, said the U.S. Consulate's initial ruling denying Santos entry to the U.S. would have been a hardship on Rose, who suffers from a medical problem. He declined to elaborate on her condition.The 50 pages of documents supporting Santos, including letters from the community and some lawmakers, may have helped his appeal. Santos received letters from Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco. Hastings, while careful to note he didn't support illegal immigration, wrote a letter on Santos' behalf."The 10-year ban was waived, and he can return to the United States. He will be granted a Social Security number, and life as we know it will be available to him," said Romfo.What was not included was e-mail Lowell received from staff members with the CBS news show "60 Minutes," who expressed interest in Santos' story. It's unclear if they still plan to pursue a story.For years, Santos worked a series of jobs illegally, constantly looking over his shoulder in fear of being discovered and deported. In February, he returned to Mexico to get the documents he needed to be in America legally.Santos is expected to continue the education he was pursuing at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where his wife teaches in the Asia University America Program. She is on a leave of absence and plans to resume teaching in the fall.Santos first arrived in the United States in 1996 when he was 16 years old.He came from a small mountaintop village in Oaxaca where people spoke one of the 40 dialects of Mixteco; he spoke no English or Spanish. He was unable to read or write. He enrolled at Davis High School, graduating in 2004 when he was 24 years old under a waiver from the school district that allowed him to remain in school past the age of 21, as permitted under state law.James Rigney, retired educator at Davis, wrote one of several letters asking the U.S. to allow Santos to live here legally. Rigney, who was the school's migrant and bilingual program coordinator, said he was talking to students at the migrant alternative school at the Southeast Community Center when he met Santos.When he realized the student was staying with relatives but sleeping on a floor, Rigney said he and other co-workers helped Santos move in with a teacher. "Manu Santos is a unique person: the most driven, self disciplined, dedicated, hardworking, honest, gentle and kind person I have ever met," Rigney wrote. "I have never heard a negative or disparaging word out of him. He was a role model to other students when he was in school; he continues to be an inspiration to those who know him."While in high school, Santos discovered a passion for running, competing in high school and later at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash.In 2006, Santos entered his first marathon, the Yakima River Canyon Marathon. He finished the 26.2-mile course first in 2 hours, 46 minutes and 48 seconds. Last year he outdid his first attempt, completing the course 71&frasl;2 minutes faster, a personal record of 2:39:14. He missed his chance to defend his title a third time earlier this month because he was in Mexico awaiting Friday's appeal hearing."This has been quite the marathon for him," Romfo said.• James Joyce III can be reached at 577-7675 or jjoyce@yakimaherald.com.  Manuh Santos, the two-time Yakima River Canyon Marathon winner who returned to Mexico after living illegally in the Yakima Valley for more than a decade, will be allowed to return to the United States. WEB, LOCAL

2008-04-15T07:28:15Z

By JAMES JOYCE III

false

2008-04-16T00:30:43Z

Marathoner Manuh Santos gains entry into U.S. 3231 marathoner-manuh-santos-gains-entry-into-u-s Web Story

Yakima Herald-Republic

2008-04-15T00:30:43Z

Marathoner Manuh Santos gains entry into U.S. published WEB Edited

2009-03-20T02:25:51Z