What if You Literally Worked 11 Years For Nothing?

I don't necessarily have a problem with illegal immigrants, most of them seem to work really hard and from what I have heard from "experts" they actually play kind of a vital part in our economy. The only part of the illegal immigrant situation I have issues with is the whole our borders being unprotected and we have no idea who is coming and going, thing. This, however important, isn't what I wanted to write about.

Imagine if you worked for 11 years and and saved every possible penny you could, all the while making about $5.50 an hour. At $5.50 an hour, most of us would not only be eating a lot of ramen noodles and mac n' cheese, but we probably would not be putting enough away to afford to buy more than a few value meals after everything was over. Somehow, Pedro Zepeta managed to put away $59,000 under those circumstances.

Pedro has done the unenviable task of cleaning plates for the past 11 years and had $59,000 to show for it, until now. On his way home to Guatemala, customs officials seized the money at the airport and it now looks like Pedro will not get any of it. Granted, Pedro has not paid taxes on any of the money. I guess there is a rule that you can't just bring a dufflebag stuffed with almost 60k onto an airplane. (If it's over 10k you have to declare it, which makes sense)

I really feel for this guy. I don't think he should get a free ride by any means - I say take out the taxes, have him pay penalties or whatever for not paying them, but give him something to show for all of this. I don't see how this is a triumph for law enforcement when we know that there are white-collar crooks all over this country making money by stealing from the unsuspecting or just making their fortune by taking advantage of people. I don't know what this guy is feeling right now, but I would imagine it is similar to being kicked in the stomach by a rhino. And what was Pedro going to do with the money? He was going to buy land in his mountain village to build a home for his mother and sisters. Put yourself in Pedro's shoes.