Release Me and Let Me Go Home

I am a Chinese citizen who has, for the past 15 years, been serving a life sentence in the California prison system for kidnapping and other crimes. I have gone to seven different parole hearings and have been denied parole each time.

I am a little confused about the California parole system. Under federal law, I must be deported immediately upon release from prison. Since that is the case, I don’t understand why the board denied me parole seven times.

The first time I was denied because I didn’t have a GED; I got that. The second time I was denied because I didn’t have any vocational training; I have gotten that too. The third time they said I didn’t have any self-help programs. Even though I did have some, I went and got more. The thing that confuses me is that if I am going to be deported from the U.S. why do I need all of these things?

I don’t understand why the parole board wants to spend money to educate someone who can’t stay in this country. I think the money would be better spent on the homeless, AIDS research, health care services, public education, etc.

Nine years ago, the victim in my case was deported. I can’t figure out how it benefits California citizens by keeping me in prison while I wait to be deported. Maybe you can give me some sensible answers?