New Hampshire man facing deportation denied pardon

A New Hampshire auto shop owner facing deportation to Lebanon for crimes committed 14 years ago has been denied a pardon that would have allowed him to remain in the country.

Alain Ata, 34, came to the U.S. at age 10. He spent several years in prison for a pair of burglaries in December 2004, and after fighting deportation for many years, recently sought a pardon from the governor's Executive Council.

The council denied his request Wednesday on a vote of 3-1, with one abstention. Councilor Andru Volinsky said while he disagrees with parts of U.S. immigration policies, Ata was undeserving of a pardon because of his post-release behavior, including drunken driving and violating a domestic violence protective order.

Ata declined to speak to reporters after, saying only "thank you."

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