That's the crux though, no? The US could be a legitimately incredible place, and there are glimpses of that all the time. The fact that her parents were able to immigrate and raise their child there is a great success story. I won't hesitate to say they contributed to the US's economy and tax system as much as any native born citizen. But then the US turns around and does this to the children of immigrants who would continue to contribute meaningfully?

It's insanely wasteful, destructive, short-sighted and, most of all, cruel.

If I had to describe the US in one sentence, that would be it. If I had to present an example of how paradoxically destructive the system is in the US, I'd pick her story, because it's oddly reflective of probably most stories I hear out of the US. Great deeds marred by evil, intentional or not.