Mercedes, center, is supposed to return to Italy--a country she's never seen
Alternative Title
Valley Times Photo Collection
Creator
Goldwater, Jeff
Contributor
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
Photograph was edited for publication purposes First photograph caption dated March 24, 1962 reads "But Granada Hills couple, Mr. and Mrs. John Molinari, want to keep her." The 19 year old was born in Madrid, Spain. Her mother was Spanish, her father, Italian which, under Spanish law, made her an Italian citizen. In the following years, she was separated from her father, moved to Cuba with her mother, then came to the United States in 1955 with the John Molinari family on a student visa when her mother died. She was due to be deported in February, 1963.; Second photograph caption dated March 8, 1963 reads "Mercedes DeToffoli. Bill introduced for her." Congressman James C. Corman (D-22nd Dist.) introduced legislation to give her American citizenship.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Young women--California--Los Angeles Women--California--Los Angeles Men--California--Los Angeles Families--California--Los Angeles Deportation--California--Los Angeles Immigrants--United States Illegal aliens--United States United States--Emigration and immigration Granada Hills (Los Angeles, Calif.) Portrait photographs Group portraits Valley Times Collection photographs
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