SUPPORT FLOWS FOR BULLARD HIGH STUDENT
By Vanessa Colon
Fresno Bee
June 3 2008
CA
Lawmaker, Armenian group, peers respond to plight of valedictorian.
Arthur Mkoyan, the Bullard High School valedictorian who may be
deported before he can fulfill his college dreams, got a boost Monday
in his efforts to remain in this country.
Mkoyan, whose story was featured in Monday’s Bee, drew immediate
support from a local Armenian advocacy group and fellow Bullard High
students — and a promise from Rep. George Radanovich to take a second
look at his request for help.
On Monday, Arthur said, he was showered with questions and offers of
help from students and teachers at school, who hadn’t known of his
plight. His home phone has been ringing off the hook as friends and
supporters called. Television news reporters were trying to get an
interview most of the day, Arthur said.
The shy 17-year-old with a 4.0 grade-point average said he is
overwhelmed by the sudden attention.
"It makes me feel good people care," he said.
Arthur will graduate from Bullard High June 10 as a valedictorian. He’d
like to stay in the United States and attend the University of
California at Davis, where he has been accepted for the fall.
But the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordered Arthur and
his mother to leave the U.S. by late June and return to Armenia,
a country Arthur hasn’t seen since he was 2.
Arthur’s family fled from the old Soviet Union and has been seeking
asylum since 1992. Ruben Mkoian, Arthur’s father, applied for asylum
but was rejected. Mkoian, who spells his name differently from his son,
appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. He
lost his appeal. Mkoian is currently at a detention center in Arizona.
On Monday, as news of the family’s plight spread, Arthur’s family
was contacted by the Armenian National Committee of Central
California. Hilda Santikian, the committee’s chair, said her group
is exploring how it can help the family.
Meanwhile, Arthur’s mother, who has declined to give her name for fear
of losing her job, was invited on Ray Appleton’s afternoon radio show
on KMJ 580 and discussed the family’s situation. She said the family
had sought help from Radanovich, R-Mariposa, but his office wasn’t
able to do anything for them.
Radanovich’s office acknowledged Monday that the family first sent
a letter to the congressman on April 18. A few days later, a staff
member told the family that its only option was a private bill to grant
legal status to individuals, but that Radanovich doesn’t introduce
private bills.
"He doesn’t feel he should be able to pick winners or losers and who
should on an individual basis stay or leave," said Spencer Pederson,
Radanovich’s press secretary.
Arthur’s mother then turned to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who
has introduced private bills in the past. Feinstein is now looking
at Arthur’s case. Private bills are rarely introduced and often don’t
pass, but if a bill is introduced, deportation is halted.
Radanovich called Arthur’s mother soon after her KMJ radio
appearance. His staff now plans to meet with Arthur and his mom
Thursday.
"We are taking a more extensive view" of the case, Radanovich said
in a phone interview.
"This is a second look. … We would be reviewing the case to see if
there’s anything we can do."
Arthur is surprised by all the attention. But he is trying not to
let it distract him — he has one more final exam and an essay still
to write.