Casino Del Sol - Win and Get deported

[jay]

Mirna Valenzuela took a trip to Tucson, Arizona’s Casino del Sol Resort with her daughter Zamira Osorio, and hit a $1200 jackpot win. But the lucky win turned unlucky very quickly when events led to Valenzuela’s deportation to Mexico. Federal law requires that winners of $1200 or more show identification for tax purposes. When Valenzuela presented her ID, casino officials suspected it was fraudulent, and called the tribal Pascua Yaqui police. After investigating they determined that the ID was valid, but that Valenzuela and her daughter were undocumented immigrants from Mexico. The mother and daughter were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol and arrested. Valenzuela was deported and Osorio was released under the DREAM act. Casino CEO, Wendell Long said, “We’re not here to deport people,� and that this is the first time since the casino’s 2001 opening that an incident of this type has occurred. Regardless, Zamira Osorio said that her family felt discriminated against and that Casino del Sol Resort should put up a sign that they don’t want illegal immigrants playing at their casino. While the situation is sad, Valenzuela is doing all right and her winnings are still at the casino, where she’ll have to claim them in person with a valid id..

[Oscar Pompa]

OMG !!!! whats crapening with  this world !!!

[4 Deuces]

 

[StatFreak]

... and her winnings are still at the casino, where she’ll have to claim them in person with a valid id..

Sounds like the greedy casino found another scam to withhold paying out winnings. They shouldn't be able to have it both ways. If the customer is an American citizen then the he/she has to show ID and report the winnings to the IRS; if not (in this case) then they have an obligation to pay the win without any further action or withholding. As I see it, they had no right to withhold those winnings once they determined who she was and that that she was a citizen of Mexico.

Maybe her daughter can bring legal action against them...

[jay]

As a Canuck a win in Vegas would auto withhold 25%.
There are some forms you can file to get this withholding back.
As a Canadian we have NO taxes on lottery or other winnings. The philosophy is that we gamble with after tax $$ so what we win is tax free.

With regards to claiming the withholding money back.....
Essentially Canada and US have a tax treaty.
You file the equivent of  a US personal tax return that shows your employment earnings + gambling winnings.
This calcates an amount of tax owing. You then file a foreign tax credit form that shows how much Canadian tax you have paid.
As a Canadian we pay between 33-45% tax which generally far and exceeds the tax rate in the us at 24-27% leaving a lot of room for a refund. Because you can opt to take your winnings over 10 years it would take a mega-bucks sized win before you would pay any tax.

The mex native should have received her winnings less the 25%.
Uncle Sam gets his Vic and every one else is happy.

[4 Deuces]

and every one else is happy.

Not those Arizonians!  They'll arrest you just because you're eating a taco.

[Foster]

Why should she be entitled to anything but a deportation.

1 She was here illegally which the last time I checked is a serious felony.
2 She showed false ID which is also a serious felony.
3 She was also probably working with the false ID another serious felony.

[emt232004]

Why should she be entitled to anything but a deportation.

1 She was here illegally which the last time I checked is a serious felony.
2 She showed false ID which is also a serious felony.
3 She was also probably working with the false ID another serious felony.

You can't tell me she didn't know she was here as an illegal. Illegal means just that illegal, now get the hell out.

As far as

Zamira Osorio said that her family felt discriminated against and that Casino del Sol Resort should put up a sign that they don’t want illegal immigrants playing at their casino

I don't want illegal immigrants in my County.

[jay]

I kind of disagree.
A casino is an entertainment venue. It promotes tourism which brings money into the economy.
Assuming she was a visitor - she is bringing in net new money that was not in the economy before.
If she is here illegally then this is at least a return of money to the system with a 25% withholding.
They said her ID was valid in the article. I am with the notion that the casino looks for all avenues not to pay out.

[Foster]

When you cross the boarder legally you get documentation as such which is valid for set period of time.
if you are here past the expiration then you become illegal immigrant which at that point in time you are no longer a legal tourist.

[cowboygames]

If that's the case they should have carded her before she spent a dime in their machines. Legal or not she spent money with the chance of winning or losing and shouldn't be penalized after the the fact

[jay]

I agree giver her the $800 and send her home.

[proten]

She will just use it to bring 8 of her family back with her. 

[4 Deuces]

If the winner was a minor, should the casino pay out?  Why should they pay an illegal alien and not pay a minor?  Both are illegal, yes?  The only difference is, the casino is only required to check for age, not citizenship.

[jay]

My position is that the casino is not qualified to verify citizenship.

I don't have to be a US Citizen to gamble in Vegas.
My Japanese friend doesn't need to be a US Citizen to gamble in Vegas.
So why was the Mexican interogated for legal status ?

[cowboygames]

But they did effectively check for citizenship after verifying that the ID was valid. And yes, minors should be caught before ever spending a dime also. It's not only illegal when you win, it's illegal when you lose too, they just don't give a damn till you win. That's why right and righteous are two different words with different definitions in the dictionary. I don't advocate illegal immigration by any stretch, but legal or not, she got screwed

[emt232004]

If that's the case they should have carded her before she spent a dime in their machines. Legal or not she spent money with the chance of winning or losing and shouldn't be penalized after the the fact

As an illegal she should not have been here in the first place to spend any money, if only we had a president with balls rather than supporting illegals being here we would be better off.

[Foster]

I have no problem with people from other countries coming here legally as a tourist, or business, or employment.
I have a problem with them staying after their time to be in the country legally is up or coming into the country illegally.

Since she was here illegally she is not entitled to the winnings.
I suspect there is some gaming law that says she is barred from even being in the casino legally.
If any one should get the money is the INS and the US Court that has to handle her case.

IF I go to another country as a tourist I better not stay longer than legally allowed be it 30, 60 days or whatever the max time is.
if I stay past that and happen to win at a casino in that country and they do not pay me because I was in the country illegally that is my fault.
Just as it is her fault she was not paid for being in the country illegally.
 

[PLUNGER BOY]

If she won as a minor the money was not legally won and would be forfitted as such . If she won as an adult weather she was legal or not the money should be paid . BUT as a illegal alien the money should be confiscated by the law and used to pay any fine  or fines for being here illegally. As in a civil infraction / misdemeanor or felony and court costs  . Any money left is hers. P.B.

[leapyearguy]

there were a couple of posts off the mark here.  Before you start blaming the casino or the state of Arizona, read the initial post again please. The casino has the obligation to check for valid I.D. upon a win, that they did. The tribal police that has jurisdiction on a reservation were called to investigate a suspected false identification not the state or county. So let's forget about Arizona. the casino also can't pay a jackpot over a given amount without valid I.D. (in Nevada the cap is $1199.99). Even as a citizen, if you fail to produce required identification, you will not be paid until such time as you do. The money will be paid when such I.D. is presented, even at a later date. As I read it, the casino rep indicated that her money was there waiting for her. So to me if you want to place blame, blame the police force under the perview of the Bureau of Indian Affairs a Federal agency and the f*** up federal immigration laws.

[tacman]

Sorry guys, the bottom line is that what the casino did was according to their regulations up until they decided not to pay. The responsible law enforcement agency, the tribal police determined it was a valid ID so although I agree with the deportation, she also should have been paid since the ID was valid. Someone had to determine that although valid, they were not going to accept it as proper identification. Mexican consulates in the US offer bullshit ID's to illegals all the time since they are still Mexican citizens in the US. But the bottom line is that if her ID was valid, she should have got the money.

[jay]

Well put.

[stayouttadabunker]

My guess is that she's home trying to get some legal passport papers to go back
and get her money from the casino since it's there waiting for her, right?

This brings up some questions n my mind though...>>>
1). Do Mexicans have THAT hard of a hard time getting passport and work papers?
2). Why do they almost always have to come to the U.S. as "illegal aliens"?

I suppose I'd have to ask a Mexican citizen this question...not a buncha slot guys! LOL   

[jay]

There is no issue going to the US as a visitor.
The acid test at the border is where are you going (street address) ?
How long are you staying ?
What are you doing when your there ?
Proof that you intend to return home.

So under employed Jose shows up on foot at the TJ border without a dime and says he is going to Sandiego but doesn't have a clean shirt on, not a dime in his pocket and no Credit card, cant correlate a hotel with a street.  He gets booted pretty quick and flagged as a risk.

If someone has 1/2 a brain getting in is pretty easy.