![Justin Bieber smiles after being arrested for driving under the influence and resisting arrest in Miami, Florida on Jan. 23. [AP]](http://www.jstudentboard.com/reporter/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Screen-Shot-2014-02-06-at-11.49.31-AM.png)
Following a string of recent mishaps, the popular “Baby” singer’s residence in the States has been called into question through a petition on the White House’s “We the People” site. The petition was filed January 23rd, the same day the 19-year-old pop star was arrested in Miami for resisting arrest, and has gained more than 250,000 signatures.
The petition, which is available on the petitions.whitehouse.gov website, reads, “We the people of the United States feel that we are being wrongly represented in the world of pop culture. We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing Justin Bieber deported and his green card revoked. He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nation’s youth. We the people would like to remove Justin Bieber from our society.”
This petition appears to be the first major petition calling for the deportation of a pop star on the grounds of moral influence.
The “We the People” petition system, initiated by President Obama and launched in Sept. 2011, allows citizens to “take action on a range of important issues facing our country.” White House staff is required to issue an official response if a petition garners enough support. The initial threshold in 2011 was 25,000 signatures, but due to the site’s popularity it now stands at 100,000 signatures.
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Because the Bieber deportation petition has already gained double the necessary amount of signatures, the White House is required to take the petition into consideration. Accordingly, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney commented, “That response will come… relatively soon,” in a press conference held Jan. 31.
But there is question over whether or not Bieber’s mishaps are severe enough to constitute Presidential consideration of deportation. Some of his most controversial alleged actions include egging his neighbor’s home, driving with an expired license, partaking in marijuana, and driving under the influence. Do these actions truly present an insidious example for youth, or are they merely symptomatic of a troubled teen affected by fame?
When approached by JSR, Beckman student Noah Lee answered, “I truly think Justin Bieber is an embarrassment to himself and the people he represents, or Americans. All he does is cause trouble for the innocent people his actions affect. It would be much better if he was removed from America altogether.”
However, self-proclaimed “die-hard Belieber” Kailee Carvalho disagreed, instead labeling Bieber’s actions as those of, “a teen growing up in the spotlight.”
“We’ve seen stars act out like this before. Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Amanda Bynes have all had rough patches in their development under the scrutiny of the public eye. Justin just needs a little time to realize his actions are wrong and this could be a great wake-up call for him.”
What do you think? Should Justin Bieber be deported? CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE JSR SURVEY NOW!
