pazmommy
04-05-2008, 06:29 AM
My husbands visa appointment is in a week and half, but his waiver appointment is not until the end of may, yet I need to have this done before we leave next week, so all opinions would be very appreciated. We are enclosing a few doctors notes, employers notes, family notes, internet information on things such as safety and education. I was curious on what else to include... I feel I don't have enough. As well the exact lay out it should be. We had a lawyer but were forced to fire him after he scammed us out of money and sent us on many wild goose chases. As well he wrote the wrong information and submitted with our copied signatures... so I am doing this on my own... please help and thank you all so much... this website is such a blessing... here goes nothing...
Dear Sir or Ma’am,
I am writing this letter in support of my I-601 petition that I have filed as USC for my husband XXXX. He came to this country at eighteen years old. He could not make enough money to support his mother and himself in Mexico. He came here to help himself and his family and not cause harm to anyone. He pays taxes and obeys all the laws. He is an honorable man and deserves an honorable chance. He came here and learned the language and the culture and not only adapted but gave back to the community and is always willing to go above and beyond what is asked of him to help others whenever he can. I cannot imagine my husband, the father of my children, being separated from us. The financial struggle is a fear, but more then anything the emotional and family support he gives us that could be taken away is an overwhelming thought. We have a one year old and a two year old who idolize their father. They look up to him and depend on him and if he was separated from us they would miss out on growing up with a wonderful man. I believe very strongly in the vows of marriage and do not believe in being away from him or keeping children from a father who can give so much to them emotionally and intellectually. His loving nature and passion is something he teaches to his children and everyone around him. His presence in the United States is mandatory not only to me but as well, our extended family, friends and work. Our family moving to Mexico would not be an option based on the extreme hardship it would cause to many. Education, health care, employment, family ties and so much more would have to be given up to go to Mexico and could not be replaced in a sufficient manner there. It is of extreme importance that my husband’s I-601 be approved so that we will be able to continue our lives in the United States.
Our Family Background
I met husband around April of 2001. We worked in restaurants with the same owners and met through friends. We hung out occasionally in groups but were mainly just acquaintances. In September 2003 I started at a University in another state. I continued working at the restaurant. We continued to see each other occasionally. In September 2004 I became pregnant with my first child. Husband is not her biological father, but at only two and a half years old she knows no other father then her daddy, my husband, husband. I became really close to husband while I was pregnant. My life had changed greatly and he became a friend and confidant and definitely a shoulder to lean on. In fact, the first place I took my daughter when we left the house for the first time after she was born, at six days old, in July 2005 was to see husband. She was the smallest baby he had ever held and although new to the whole baby scene he was wonderful with her from the first touch. We stayed close talking and being together everyday. He was a part of my daughter’s life from the start. August 2, 2005 we began dating, but it was more serious then that. By October 2005 we were engaged and knew this is what we wanted. He was already my daughter’s daddy and the man I wanted to spend my life with. May 6, 2006 we were married and December 23, 2006 we had our second child, but our first son and husband’s namesake. We are a happy family of four with routine and roots in America and it would detrimental to take him away from us or to force us to relocate to a place we are not familiar with that is a culture and life so different from the one we have here.
Although my daughter is not my husband’s biological daughter he is daughter’s daddy. As I wrote about before he has been there since I was pregnant. She knows no other life than the life with daddy and she knows no other fatherly role model. He is her hero. Since six days old she has not gone a day without seeing him. Her biological father has nothing to do with her and has not seen her since around a month of age and has had absolutely no financial or emotional support. He does not care for her at all and even wanted me to have an abortion and was angry when I didn’t. Yet, when he finds out that we have gone to Mexico he will cause problems. Her safety and emotional well being depend on me keeping him out of her life. He never liked my having Hispanic friends and was openly rude and disrespectful about other races, especially Hispanics, most off Mexicans. Although he has nothing to do with us he finds comfort in knowing we live in a small town and he can keep track of us. I have never done a drug in my life, but he is addicted to drugs. I do not want legal battles and to have drag my children to and from Mexico to see their daddy while I fight for custody of my daughter in the US. Being separated from their daddy is not an option for my children. They even cry for him when he goes to work. As soon as my husband is legal he is adopting my daughter. That is one main reason I need to get this I-601 approved, to be able to give my daughter the correct last name of Paz before she has to know any differently.
I was raised to believe that family is something that is very important and cannot be replaced. I am very dependent emotionally on my family. We stick close and all help each other greatly. I cannot think of the last day that I haven’t talked to both my parents and my older sister. And I see both at least five days a week usually more than that. We are together all the time. Together we can relax, regroup and reenergize. My kids love my family and miss them and want to be with them whenever we don’t see them.
We rent a cottage behind my sister’s house. My children are one and two. Her children are two and three. They are like four siblings’ not just cousins and friends. My sister and I help each other with the kids and we are best friends. She has been there for me through everything I have gone through, and though she may not agree with all my actions she is still there for us the way my parents taught us. She is like a second mommy to my kids and I could not imagine having to be without her for 10 years. To take my children away from such strong family and emotional bonds would cause extreme hardship. As well my sister just recently found out she is pregnant with twins and due in early September 2008. She will need our help in the end of her pregnancy because there is a good chance she will be on bed rest and she will not be able to lift anything, and will be in dire need of our help with her kids. Then after the twins are born she will need help with her two older ones and with the two new ones. With us being in such close proximity we will be the ones that can help her the easiest and the most often. If we are not there she will be caused extreme hardship. As well our rent each month helps her to afford her bills. And if stuck in Mexico we cannot keep our cottage and pay rent and she will be out of that income.
My mother and father live less then five minutes away. They raised me right and are the world’s best grandparents. They give my kids the love and support that most could only dream of. I cannot imagine my kids missing out on that kind of love and the gift of getting to know them if we were stuck in Mexico. My mother is disabled. As well she is bipolar. She cannot work and is sometimes stuck inside for days because of her because of her severe allergies. As well sometimes she is bedridden when the depressive part of the bipolar disorder kicks in. She depends on me to pick up groceries for her a lot of the time when my father is working or busy. My father not only works, but he helps my sister and brother-in-law with their business. He is very active in our church and is chairman of a board for building a new church. Often when he is busy my children and I come to see my mother and visit. Sometimes the kids are the only thing that can bring her out of her depressive state. She is the world’s best mom but she needs our help too. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would do to her for us to be in Mexico for ten years and her to miss out on being apart of the lives of my husband, my children and I. That could be detrimental for her in her mental state of mind. As well it would be next to impossible for her to visit us. My husband’s family currently lives in Mexico City and that is where we would be staying. She could not come and visit us due to her extreme asthma and the problems with pollution that they have in Mexico City.
My father is only fifty-eight, most may say that is young, but his family history says otherwise. Heart problems run in my father’s side of the family. They are extremely hard on the men. My father’s father and brother both died relatively young from heart problems. My father has to watch what he eats and keep checked up on by his doctor to make sure he is not going to have the same problems. My father is my son’s favorite person in the world. When he is tired or upset he wants his grandfather. They have a bond so close that I cannot explain. My heart breaks to think that I would have to break the bond between my father and my fifteen month old son if we had to be in Mexico for ten years. My father is a war veteran, well educated, and a good Christian man. He has a lot to teach my kids. I do not want them to miss out on all that he has to offer because of distance. That is a hardship that is not fixable.
My mommom is my mother’s mom, and boy is she a trooper. She suffers from lupus; diverticulitus, as well two years ago she had both knees replaced at the same time, and just this past December they found a growth in her colon and had part of her colon and intestines removed. She is a strong woman with a strong personality. She is only seventy-four and relatively healthy for that age, but she needs help. She needs someone to check in on her often. She lives alone and I know she really looks forward to the visits with the kids. With the kids I cannot be her main caretaker, but I help. She cannot afford someone to live with her and be with her twenty-four seven, but my whole family pitches in and helps as much as they can. I go every Sunday as well as other unscheduled days in the week. The kids and I look forward to it. She’s a good cook with a good heart. She is well rounded and well experienced from both her years and from life. Life can be hard and definitely has not been the easiest to her, but she has taken it and ran with it. She gives that knowledge to us. She teaches us and it is my honor to help her out and be there for her when I can. If we were in Mexico it would be a strain not only on my mommom but on the whole family for us to not be able to visit, bring groceries, vacuum and do the little things we can to help.
Concerns for Safety
Our one and two year old children are American Citizens and would endure the most hardship if their daddy was forced to stay in Mexico for ten years. I could not afford to live in the United States without his financial and emotional support and my children living in Mexico is not an option because their safety would be put at risk. Jose’s family lives in Mexico City, Mexico so that is where we would be staying. Here are some of the reasons it would not be safe for my children nor me to reside in Mexico.
Mexico City is known for being one of the most polluted places on the planet. It is extremely dangerous for children. It was actually named “the most dangerous city in the world for children”. This is not a safe or smart place to have my children who are American Citizens be raised and forced to live for the next ten years. This would be an extreme hardship. Some of the pollutants found in Mexico can hurt your eyes; and as well cause you heart and breathing problems. These pollutions can even cause early death. To put not only children, but my babies in this kind of an environment is not an option. For people with asthma pollution is a very dangerous thing. Pollution constricts your bronchial tubes restricting your airflow, causing you to be unable to breath, which can in result be deadly to a person with asthma. Although neither my babies nor I have been diagnosed with asthma it runs in my family. Both my mother and brother have it, and my mother’s case is severe. Asthma tends to run in families. In fact you are three to six times more likely to develop asthma if your parent has it. As well asthma can be caused by environment. Early and repeated exposure to allergens and irritants such as pollution can increase your risk of asthma. This is a great concern for my children since it runs in our family. They are young and at risk and prone to it. This could cause them not only lifelong problems, but as well put their life at risk while we are in Mexico. Extreme hardship does not even begin to explain what this would be.
We are Caucasian and look American. In Mexico that puts a target on our head. It is a well known fact that Mexico City has many problems with crime. There are issues with robbery, murder and rape. American tourists are warned to be very careful when visiting. As well, a big problem is kidnapping and with a one and two year old in a foreign country where I barely speak any of the language that is a big fear for me. If I was forced to live down there with my babies I would be forced to live in fear for ten years. I am a petite twenty two year old woman with two babies who went to a private Christian school and was raised in a good family, surrounded by church and family friends in a small rural community. I know nothing about cities or self defense. To put me in a situation where I am in danger and do not know how to defend myself or my children and do not know what to expect would cause extreme hardship and possible detrimental consequences.
Even the water is not safe to drink. Although bottled water is a safe alternative it is not always available and it can become very costly. You are warned to even be careful where you swim due to contamination that can make you sick. They have warnings about fruits that can make you sick. Even some of the candies are not safe to consume since they contain high levels of lead. There are many food and drink worries that could cause extreme hardship if we were forced to live there and to watch and be in fear of every food that me and my children were to eat because of the difference in food or the different food safety laws they have in Mexico. It is even more dangerous because babies have such delicate stomachs and can have such violent reactions to contaminated foods. At one and two there are so many foods they have never even tried and they will be introduced to so many new and possibly harmful foods. I fear for their health safety in Mexico where there is such a great concern for the quality and cleanliness of food and food preparation.
Future Family and Medical Concerns
My family is very close and I am very emotionally dependent on my family since they have always proven to be there for me and the most loving and caring support a person could ask for. When I left for college in another state a mere two hours from my home in the fall of 2003 I became very stressed and emotional. I was horrible to be around I snapped for no reason and had panic attacks and was just overall miserable and miserable to be around. My school work suffered and I became introverted. I was stressed and emotional and my parents became very concerned because usually overall I am outgoing and happy. They always knew that I was emotional they just thought it was part of my nature, but when I went to college it got out of hand. My father decided that it had gotten to the point that I needed to be taken to a psychiatris. He has been my mothers doctor for many years since both my mother and her father (my grandfather) have been diagnosed with bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. He then diagnosed me with bipolar disorder as well and prescribed lithium. After figuring out the correct dosage I could feel a positive reaction. Although still stressed and emotional, the affects were not as drastic. It was figured out that the bipolar disorder was irritated by the change in scenario and being separated from my family. Shortly after that I had to stop taking medication because I was pregnant. Yet, around the same time I returned home, so the stress was not as severe anymore. If my husband was forced to stay in Mexico for the next ten years this would cause me extreme stress and the stress would most likely cause me to have a reoccurrence of the bipolar and the depression and extreme emotion that accompanies it. With two young babies to have to be separated from their daddy or to have to move to another country would be too much for me to handle. If the slight distance of two hours caused such bad results I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to be separated days from either my husband or family and home.
My son is only fifteen months old. Since birth he has had a mucus discharge from his left eye. His pediatrician tried giving him different medicines such as Polymyxin B Sulfate and Trimethroprim eye drops because they were hoping it was just an infection or something that would clear up with time. They ended up figuring out that it was most likely blocked tear duct. They hoped it would clear up by one year old since with most children this is the case, but after a year the chance of it clearing up on its own is very unlikely. At around thirteen and a half months they sent him to an ophthalmologist for children. He said it was a blocked tear duct and that since it had not cleared up by this age it most likely would not clear up on its own so that he would definitely recommend surgery. This surgery is done best before two years. After a year old the surgery success rate drops as the child ages. As well without having this done it can cause infections and scarring which has a permanent affect on the child’s sight. Little Jose needs to have this surgery done as soon as possible and if we were in Mexico this would not be possible because of the expense it would cost and the lack of income we would have down there. We have insurance in the United States and it covers this surgery, but in Mexico we have no insurance and the surgery is not cheap. As well the quality of medical care in Mexico is sub par and forcing my citizen child to have to get a necessary surgery down there could cause further health problems. When testing little Jose’s eyes they also found out he was near sighted and has an astigmatism. They want to keep an eye on him and have him in at least yearly to be in control of the situation so that it does not get any worse and they can keep proactive in any further steps that may need to be taken such as glasses. This would not be possible in Mexico because our insurance would not cover us there.
As well, my son went to the his pediatrician for his one year visit and they found out that he did not weigh enough and he was small in general. They want to keep him under surveillance for this. They want him there at least every three months to keep track of his growth. The doctor has informed me that if he has not had a growth spurt by his next visit they will have to take proactive measures. He can not visit his doctor if he is in Mexico and we would not be able to visit a doctor as often without the insurance that we have. This could be detrimental to his health if it is not monitored and taken care of in a scheduled and precise manner, which would not be possible in Mexico.
Family Hardship and Lack of Educational Opportunity
Family unity is very important. Our children love and respect us equally. They are taught to respect and obey both of us. It is emotionally and psychologically important for children to be raised jointly by a mother and father figure. Our children are blessed to have parents whole love each other and them as much as they do. Me and husband both have something different to give to our children and to separate them from their father and his guidance by denying him to immigrate to the United States could be detrimental to both there emotions and psychological growth.
Although our children are not in school if my husband was denied this I-601 they would both be forced to enter into the Mexican school system. My husband and I both want our children to speak Spanish as well as English and be bilingual, but as of yet they predominately speak English. At two and a half my daughter has an extremely large vocabulary, she knows her alphabet, how to count, her colors and much more, but she excels in English because that is the language she has been submerged in since birth. Husband has been here so long that he speaks English almost better then Spanish. He has a job where communicating with customers, solving problems and computer work is a must. Therefore he speaks to the children primarily in English. To place them in Mexico and expect them to go to a school and be taught in a different language would be both frustrating to them and as well may cause them to be behind the learning curve. As well schools in Mexico are known to have a few main problems. Location, often there are not schools close enough to where the children are for them, for them to be able to attend. Even if they have the schools some of them to do not even have the six primary grades. Another problem is that even if there is a school many people can not afford to send their children. Another big problem is the quality of teachers. There are often not enough teachers because of the lack of funds and even with the amount of teachers they have the quality of teaching is often insufficient. The literacy level is a good sign of the education problems in Mexico, where the literacy level is only 91.6% versus the United States at 99.0%. My children as United States citizens deserve to be able to have the best education possible in the language they are familiar with and this is only possible in the United States.
I went to University for three consecutive semesters starting in the fall of 2003. I completed all my courses and only left because I was pregnant with daughter. I continued at College for two semesters after I had daughter and before I became pregnant with little son. Again I stopped taking courses because I was pregnant. I had planned on going back this semester, but since we were in the process of doing his papers and knowing that we may have to travel to Mexico I wanted to wait till next semester to go back so that I could put all my energy and mind into college. I am on my way to receiving my bachelors in business, which would be very helpful in our future plans of owning our own restaurant where we can both use our skills and abilities to the best use. I need to finish these courses as soon as possible and being in Mexico this would not be possible because of the language barrier. As well we would not have the money to afford the price of college down there. To take away the opportunity of college education for me for ten years would be a great hardship. As well without the education and the degree it causes me to have more of a hardship for following the dreams we have one day of being successful business owners, and creating an easier future for our children.
Job
My sister and her husband are the proud new owners of Restaurant and my father runs the books. My sister is the mother of a two and three year old and pregnant with twins so her part in the restaurant is nonexistent. Brother in law is only twenty-four and has very little restaurant experience and depends greatly on husband to help him. Husband has been in the restaurant business for more than eight years both cooking and running them. He also is older than brother in law and has a maturity and wisdom that brother in law looks up to. Husband is the assistant manager there and helps with most of the decisions and brother in law runs most decision by husband before finalizing them. Husband is the only one that brother in law trusts to run the restaurant on his days off. I have worked as a waitress for the last eight years and since my sister is unable to manage to work or run the front end of the business brother in law relies on me to supervise the waitress staff and customer service end of the restaurant. As well I am the only one who completely knows there computer system and can change, update and fix them. Without me and husband there to help with this new business venture it will be a hardship, because brother in law relies on us for our experience and loyalty to him for the business to be a success.
Community Ties
We belong to the XXXX Church. My children look forward to going there every week. Even though they are just in nursery, my daughter every week gets very excited to be there. You may say at that age they get nothing out of church, but to be surrounded with people that love the Lord the way the people at my church do and to create a bond with people in our community that they can look up to and trust and go to for help and guidance in the future years is priceless. Plus that is a part of who they are and where they come from. Church is important to our family and whenever my husband can get off from work and on every holiday we go together as a family. In Mexico I am sure we will be going to a different church and it will definitely be a problem for me with the language barrier and the difference in the churches due to culture as well denomination. I believe you can trust God and worship Him wherever you are and I plan to do that, but it will be extremely hard to leave my church. I have been going there since our branch of the denomination started about eleven years ago. I’ve been raised in it and with them and want the same for my children. The people in the church came to my wedding and baby showers and are apart of my kids lives as well as ours. My pastor married us and knows us personally and it would be hard for my kids as well as my husband and me to start over somewhere else and not have the support of those in our church.
Summary
When you look at these things separately extreme hardship may not be seen, but as a whole when you look at our case you see that extreme hardship is not a strong enough phrase to explain what would be caused if his I-601 is not approved. It would affect not only our family, but it would cause stress and strain for the many people around him who have grown to count on him. He is one of those people that always have their eyes and ears open to what is going on around him and is willing to help in any way he can. He is a good man and a benefit to the community.
Husband has been there for me since I met him. He is the best father in the world to our kids. He is not only our main financial support but the glue that holds our family together. I believe in the sanctity of marriage and believe it is of utmost importance for us to be together so that we can do all possible to keep our marriage healthy and our family safe and happy for not only us, but our children. To be separated from him would cause my children to grow up without truly knowing there father. As well going to live in Mexico for the next ten years is not an option either since it affects my children’s safety and well being. Either of these situations would cause both my and my children’s physical and emotional health to be negatively affected. We are proud to be United States Citizens and trust our country to do what is right and return to us the world’s best husband and father, so that we will not have to suffer any hardship. The only good solution is to approve his petition for the I-601 and allow my husband to rejoin his family and community.
Dear Sir or Ma’am,
I am writing this letter in support of my I-601 petition that I have filed as USC for my husband XXXX. He came to this country at eighteen years old. He could not make enough money to support his mother and himself in Mexico. He came here to help himself and his family and not cause harm to anyone. He pays taxes and obeys all the laws. He is an honorable man and deserves an honorable chance. He came here and learned the language and the culture and not only adapted but gave back to the community and is always willing to go above and beyond what is asked of him to help others whenever he can. I cannot imagine my husband, the father of my children, being separated from us. The financial struggle is a fear, but more then anything the emotional and family support he gives us that could be taken away is an overwhelming thought. We have a one year old and a two year old who idolize their father. They look up to him and depend on him and if he was separated from us they would miss out on growing up with a wonderful man. I believe very strongly in the vows of marriage and do not believe in being away from him or keeping children from a father who can give so much to them emotionally and intellectually. His loving nature and passion is something he teaches to his children and everyone around him. His presence in the United States is mandatory not only to me but as well, our extended family, friends and work. Our family moving to Mexico would not be an option based on the extreme hardship it would cause to many. Education, health care, employment, family ties and so much more would have to be given up to go to Mexico and could not be replaced in a sufficient manner there. It is of extreme importance that my husband’s I-601 be approved so that we will be able to continue our lives in the United States.
Our Family Background
I met husband around April of 2001. We worked in restaurants with the same owners and met through friends. We hung out occasionally in groups but were mainly just acquaintances. In September 2003 I started at a University in another state. I continued working at the restaurant. We continued to see each other occasionally. In September 2004 I became pregnant with my first child. Husband is not her biological father, but at only two and a half years old she knows no other father then her daddy, my husband, husband. I became really close to husband while I was pregnant. My life had changed greatly and he became a friend and confidant and definitely a shoulder to lean on. In fact, the first place I took my daughter when we left the house for the first time after she was born, at six days old, in July 2005 was to see husband. She was the smallest baby he had ever held and although new to the whole baby scene he was wonderful with her from the first touch. We stayed close talking and being together everyday. He was a part of my daughter’s life from the start. August 2, 2005 we began dating, but it was more serious then that. By October 2005 we were engaged and knew this is what we wanted. He was already my daughter’s daddy and the man I wanted to spend my life with. May 6, 2006 we were married and December 23, 2006 we had our second child, but our first son and husband’s namesake. We are a happy family of four with routine and roots in America and it would detrimental to take him away from us or to force us to relocate to a place we are not familiar with that is a culture and life so different from the one we have here.
Although my daughter is not my husband’s biological daughter he is daughter’s daddy. As I wrote about before he has been there since I was pregnant. She knows no other life than the life with daddy and she knows no other fatherly role model. He is her hero. Since six days old she has not gone a day without seeing him. Her biological father has nothing to do with her and has not seen her since around a month of age and has had absolutely no financial or emotional support. He does not care for her at all and even wanted me to have an abortion and was angry when I didn’t. Yet, when he finds out that we have gone to Mexico he will cause problems. Her safety and emotional well being depend on me keeping him out of her life. He never liked my having Hispanic friends and was openly rude and disrespectful about other races, especially Hispanics, most off Mexicans. Although he has nothing to do with us he finds comfort in knowing we live in a small town and he can keep track of us. I have never done a drug in my life, but he is addicted to drugs. I do not want legal battles and to have drag my children to and from Mexico to see their daddy while I fight for custody of my daughter in the US. Being separated from their daddy is not an option for my children. They even cry for him when he goes to work. As soon as my husband is legal he is adopting my daughter. That is one main reason I need to get this I-601 approved, to be able to give my daughter the correct last name of Paz before she has to know any differently.
I was raised to believe that family is something that is very important and cannot be replaced. I am very dependent emotionally on my family. We stick close and all help each other greatly. I cannot think of the last day that I haven’t talked to both my parents and my older sister. And I see both at least five days a week usually more than that. We are together all the time. Together we can relax, regroup and reenergize. My kids love my family and miss them and want to be with them whenever we don’t see them.
We rent a cottage behind my sister’s house. My children are one and two. Her children are two and three. They are like four siblings’ not just cousins and friends. My sister and I help each other with the kids and we are best friends. She has been there for me through everything I have gone through, and though she may not agree with all my actions she is still there for us the way my parents taught us. She is like a second mommy to my kids and I could not imagine having to be without her for 10 years. To take my children away from such strong family and emotional bonds would cause extreme hardship. As well my sister just recently found out she is pregnant with twins and due in early September 2008. She will need our help in the end of her pregnancy because there is a good chance she will be on bed rest and she will not be able to lift anything, and will be in dire need of our help with her kids. Then after the twins are born she will need help with her two older ones and with the two new ones. With us being in such close proximity we will be the ones that can help her the easiest and the most often. If we are not there she will be caused extreme hardship. As well our rent each month helps her to afford her bills. And if stuck in Mexico we cannot keep our cottage and pay rent and she will be out of that income.
My mother and father live less then five minutes away. They raised me right and are the world’s best grandparents. They give my kids the love and support that most could only dream of. I cannot imagine my kids missing out on that kind of love and the gift of getting to know them if we were stuck in Mexico. My mother is disabled. As well she is bipolar. She cannot work and is sometimes stuck inside for days because of her because of her severe allergies. As well sometimes she is bedridden when the depressive part of the bipolar disorder kicks in. She depends on me to pick up groceries for her a lot of the time when my father is working or busy. My father not only works, but he helps my sister and brother-in-law with their business. He is very active in our church and is chairman of a board for building a new church. Often when he is busy my children and I come to see my mother and visit. Sometimes the kids are the only thing that can bring her out of her depressive state. She is the world’s best mom but she needs our help too. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would do to her for us to be in Mexico for ten years and her to miss out on being apart of the lives of my husband, my children and I. That could be detrimental for her in her mental state of mind. As well it would be next to impossible for her to visit us. My husband’s family currently lives in Mexico City and that is where we would be staying. She could not come and visit us due to her extreme asthma and the problems with pollution that they have in Mexico City.
My father is only fifty-eight, most may say that is young, but his family history says otherwise. Heart problems run in my father’s side of the family. They are extremely hard on the men. My father’s father and brother both died relatively young from heart problems. My father has to watch what he eats and keep checked up on by his doctor to make sure he is not going to have the same problems. My father is my son’s favorite person in the world. When he is tired or upset he wants his grandfather. They have a bond so close that I cannot explain. My heart breaks to think that I would have to break the bond between my father and my fifteen month old son if we had to be in Mexico for ten years. My father is a war veteran, well educated, and a good Christian man. He has a lot to teach my kids. I do not want them to miss out on all that he has to offer because of distance. That is a hardship that is not fixable.
My mommom is my mother’s mom, and boy is she a trooper. She suffers from lupus; diverticulitus, as well two years ago she had both knees replaced at the same time, and just this past December they found a growth in her colon and had part of her colon and intestines removed. She is a strong woman with a strong personality. She is only seventy-four and relatively healthy for that age, but she needs help. She needs someone to check in on her often. She lives alone and I know she really looks forward to the visits with the kids. With the kids I cannot be her main caretaker, but I help. She cannot afford someone to live with her and be with her twenty-four seven, but my whole family pitches in and helps as much as they can. I go every Sunday as well as other unscheduled days in the week. The kids and I look forward to it. She’s a good cook with a good heart. She is well rounded and well experienced from both her years and from life. Life can be hard and definitely has not been the easiest to her, but she has taken it and ran with it. She gives that knowledge to us. She teaches us and it is my honor to help her out and be there for her when I can. If we were in Mexico it would be a strain not only on my mommom but on the whole family for us to not be able to visit, bring groceries, vacuum and do the little things we can to help.
Concerns for Safety
Our one and two year old children are American Citizens and would endure the most hardship if their daddy was forced to stay in Mexico for ten years. I could not afford to live in the United States without his financial and emotional support and my children living in Mexico is not an option because their safety would be put at risk. Jose’s family lives in Mexico City, Mexico so that is where we would be staying. Here are some of the reasons it would not be safe for my children nor me to reside in Mexico.
Mexico City is known for being one of the most polluted places on the planet. It is extremely dangerous for children. It was actually named “the most dangerous city in the world for children”. This is not a safe or smart place to have my children who are American Citizens be raised and forced to live for the next ten years. This would be an extreme hardship. Some of the pollutants found in Mexico can hurt your eyes; and as well cause you heart and breathing problems. These pollutions can even cause early death. To put not only children, but my babies in this kind of an environment is not an option. For people with asthma pollution is a very dangerous thing. Pollution constricts your bronchial tubes restricting your airflow, causing you to be unable to breath, which can in result be deadly to a person with asthma. Although neither my babies nor I have been diagnosed with asthma it runs in my family. Both my mother and brother have it, and my mother’s case is severe. Asthma tends to run in families. In fact you are three to six times more likely to develop asthma if your parent has it. As well asthma can be caused by environment. Early and repeated exposure to allergens and irritants such as pollution can increase your risk of asthma. This is a great concern for my children since it runs in our family. They are young and at risk and prone to it. This could cause them not only lifelong problems, but as well put their life at risk while we are in Mexico. Extreme hardship does not even begin to explain what this would be.
We are Caucasian and look American. In Mexico that puts a target on our head. It is a well known fact that Mexico City has many problems with crime. There are issues with robbery, murder and rape. American tourists are warned to be very careful when visiting. As well, a big problem is kidnapping and with a one and two year old in a foreign country where I barely speak any of the language that is a big fear for me. If I was forced to live down there with my babies I would be forced to live in fear for ten years. I am a petite twenty two year old woman with two babies who went to a private Christian school and was raised in a good family, surrounded by church and family friends in a small rural community. I know nothing about cities or self defense. To put me in a situation where I am in danger and do not know how to defend myself or my children and do not know what to expect would cause extreme hardship and possible detrimental consequences.
Even the water is not safe to drink. Although bottled water is a safe alternative it is not always available and it can become very costly. You are warned to even be careful where you swim due to contamination that can make you sick. They have warnings about fruits that can make you sick. Even some of the candies are not safe to consume since they contain high levels of lead. There are many food and drink worries that could cause extreme hardship if we were forced to live there and to watch and be in fear of every food that me and my children were to eat because of the difference in food or the different food safety laws they have in Mexico. It is even more dangerous because babies have such delicate stomachs and can have such violent reactions to contaminated foods. At one and two there are so many foods they have never even tried and they will be introduced to so many new and possibly harmful foods. I fear for their health safety in Mexico where there is such a great concern for the quality and cleanliness of food and food preparation.
Future Family and Medical Concerns
My family is very close and I am very emotionally dependent on my family since they have always proven to be there for me and the most loving and caring support a person could ask for. When I left for college in another state a mere two hours from my home in the fall of 2003 I became very stressed and emotional. I was horrible to be around I snapped for no reason and had panic attacks and was just overall miserable and miserable to be around. My school work suffered and I became introverted. I was stressed and emotional and my parents became very concerned because usually overall I am outgoing and happy. They always knew that I was emotional they just thought it was part of my nature, but when I went to college it got out of hand. My father decided that it had gotten to the point that I needed to be taken to a psychiatris. He has been my mothers doctor for many years since both my mother and her father (my grandfather) have been diagnosed with bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. He then diagnosed me with bipolar disorder as well and prescribed lithium. After figuring out the correct dosage I could feel a positive reaction. Although still stressed and emotional, the affects were not as drastic. It was figured out that the bipolar disorder was irritated by the change in scenario and being separated from my family. Shortly after that I had to stop taking medication because I was pregnant. Yet, around the same time I returned home, so the stress was not as severe anymore. If my husband was forced to stay in Mexico for the next ten years this would cause me extreme stress and the stress would most likely cause me to have a reoccurrence of the bipolar and the depression and extreme emotion that accompanies it. With two young babies to have to be separated from their daddy or to have to move to another country would be too much for me to handle. If the slight distance of two hours caused such bad results I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to be separated days from either my husband or family and home.
My son is only fifteen months old. Since birth he has had a mucus discharge from his left eye. His pediatrician tried giving him different medicines such as Polymyxin B Sulfate and Trimethroprim eye drops because they were hoping it was just an infection or something that would clear up with time. They ended up figuring out that it was most likely blocked tear duct. They hoped it would clear up by one year old since with most children this is the case, but after a year the chance of it clearing up on its own is very unlikely. At around thirteen and a half months they sent him to an ophthalmologist for children. He said it was a blocked tear duct and that since it had not cleared up by this age it most likely would not clear up on its own so that he would definitely recommend surgery. This surgery is done best before two years. After a year old the surgery success rate drops as the child ages. As well without having this done it can cause infections and scarring which has a permanent affect on the child’s sight. Little Jose needs to have this surgery done as soon as possible and if we were in Mexico this would not be possible because of the expense it would cost and the lack of income we would have down there. We have insurance in the United States and it covers this surgery, but in Mexico we have no insurance and the surgery is not cheap. As well the quality of medical care in Mexico is sub par and forcing my citizen child to have to get a necessary surgery down there could cause further health problems. When testing little Jose’s eyes they also found out he was near sighted and has an astigmatism. They want to keep an eye on him and have him in at least yearly to be in control of the situation so that it does not get any worse and they can keep proactive in any further steps that may need to be taken such as glasses. This would not be possible in Mexico because our insurance would not cover us there.
As well, my son went to the his pediatrician for his one year visit and they found out that he did not weigh enough and he was small in general. They want to keep him under surveillance for this. They want him there at least every three months to keep track of his growth. The doctor has informed me that if he has not had a growth spurt by his next visit they will have to take proactive measures. He can not visit his doctor if he is in Mexico and we would not be able to visit a doctor as often without the insurance that we have. This could be detrimental to his health if it is not monitored and taken care of in a scheduled and precise manner, which would not be possible in Mexico.
Family Hardship and Lack of Educational Opportunity
Family unity is very important. Our children love and respect us equally. They are taught to respect and obey both of us. It is emotionally and psychologically important for children to be raised jointly by a mother and father figure. Our children are blessed to have parents whole love each other and them as much as they do. Me and husband both have something different to give to our children and to separate them from their father and his guidance by denying him to immigrate to the United States could be detrimental to both there emotions and psychological growth.
Although our children are not in school if my husband was denied this I-601 they would both be forced to enter into the Mexican school system. My husband and I both want our children to speak Spanish as well as English and be bilingual, but as of yet they predominately speak English. At two and a half my daughter has an extremely large vocabulary, she knows her alphabet, how to count, her colors and much more, but she excels in English because that is the language she has been submerged in since birth. Husband has been here so long that he speaks English almost better then Spanish. He has a job where communicating with customers, solving problems and computer work is a must. Therefore he speaks to the children primarily in English. To place them in Mexico and expect them to go to a school and be taught in a different language would be both frustrating to them and as well may cause them to be behind the learning curve. As well schools in Mexico are known to have a few main problems. Location, often there are not schools close enough to where the children are for them, for them to be able to attend. Even if they have the schools some of them to do not even have the six primary grades. Another problem is that even if there is a school many people can not afford to send their children. Another big problem is the quality of teachers. There are often not enough teachers because of the lack of funds and even with the amount of teachers they have the quality of teaching is often insufficient. The literacy level is a good sign of the education problems in Mexico, where the literacy level is only 91.6% versus the United States at 99.0%. My children as United States citizens deserve to be able to have the best education possible in the language they are familiar with and this is only possible in the United States.
I went to University for three consecutive semesters starting in the fall of 2003. I completed all my courses and only left because I was pregnant with daughter. I continued at College for two semesters after I had daughter and before I became pregnant with little son. Again I stopped taking courses because I was pregnant. I had planned on going back this semester, but since we were in the process of doing his papers and knowing that we may have to travel to Mexico I wanted to wait till next semester to go back so that I could put all my energy and mind into college. I am on my way to receiving my bachelors in business, which would be very helpful in our future plans of owning our own restaurant where we can both use our skills and abilities to the best use. I need to finish these courses as soon as possible and being in Mexico this would not be possible because of the language barrier. As well we would not have the money to afford the price of college down there. To take away the opportunity of college education for me for ten years would be a great hardship. As well without the education and the degree it causes me to have more of a hardship for following the dreams we have one day of being successful business owners, and creating an easier future for our children.
Job
My sister and her husband are the proud new owners of Restaurant and my father runs the books. My sister is the mother of a two and three year old and pregnant with twins so her part in the restaurant is nonexistent. Brother in law is only twenty-four and has very little restaurant experience and depends greatly on husband to help him. Husband has been in the restaurant business for more than eight years both cooking and running them. He also is older than brother in law and has a maturity and wisdom that brother in law looks up to. Husband is the assistant manager there and helps with most of the decisions and brother in law runs most decision by husband before finalizing them. Husband is the only one that brother in law trusts to run the restaurant on his days off. I have worked as a waitress for the last eight years and since my sister is unable to manage to work or run the front end of the business brother in law relies on me to supervise the waitress staff and customer service end of the restaurant. As well I am the only one who completely knows there computer system and can change, update and fix them. Without me and husband there to help with this new business venture it will be a hardship, because brother in law relies on us for our experience and loyalty to him for the business to be a success.
Community Ties
We belong to the XXXX Church. My children look forward to going there every week. Even though they are just in nursery, my daughter every week gets very excited to be there. You may say at that age they get nothing out of church, but to be surrounded with people that love the Lord the way the people at my church do and to create a bond with people in our community that they can look up to and trust and go to for help and guidance in the future years is priceless. Plus that is a part of who they are and where they come from. Church is important to our family and whenever my husband can get off from work and on every holiday we go together as a family. In Mexico I am sure we will be going to a different church and it will definitely be a problem for me with the language barrier and the difference in the churches due to culture as well denomination. I believe you can trust God and worship Him wherever you are and I plan to do that, but it will be extremely hard to leave my church. I have been going there since our branch of the denomination started about eleven years ago. I’ve been raised in it and with them and want the same for my children. The people in the church came to my wedding and baby showers and are apart of my kids lives as well as ours. My pastor married us and knows us personally and it would be hard for my kids as well as my husband and me to start over somewhere else and not have the support of those in our church.
Summary
When you look at these things separately extreme hardship may not be seen, but as a whole when you look at our case you see that extreme hardship is not a strong enough phrase to explain what would be caused if his I-601 is not approved. It would affect not only our family, but it would cause stress and strain for the many people around him who have grown to count on him. He is one of those people that always have their eyes and ears open to what is going on around him and is willing to help in any way he can. He is a good man and a benefit to the community.
Husband has been there for me since I met him. He is the best father in the world to our kids. He is not only our main financial support but the glue that holds our family together. I believe in the sanctity of marriage and believe it is of utmost importance for us to be together so that we can do all possible to keep our marriage healthy and our family safe and happy for not only us, but our children. To be separated from him would cause my children to grow up without truly knowing there father. As well going to live in Mexico for the next ten years is not an option either since it affects my children’s safety and well being. Either of these situations would cause both my and my children’s physical and emotional health to be negatively affected. We are proud to be United States Citizens and trust our country to do what is right and return to us the world’s best husband and father, so that we will not have to suffer any hardship. The only good solution is to approve his petition for the I-601 and allow my husband to rejoin his family and community.