LuluyRodrigo
04-18-2008, 01:55 AM
Ref: XXXXXXXXXXXX
CDJ: XXXXXXXXXXXX
April 15, 2008
Dear Sir/Madam:
My name is Lourdes xxxxx. I was born on January 9, xxxx. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I have lived in the United States since I was born. I was born at Norwegian Hospital in Chicago, IL. I have never lived anywhere else but the United States. I am a U.S. citizen, and I am writing to explain the extreme and severe hardship that I will suffer if my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx, is not granted his permanent residence and allowed to return to the United States. In support of his I-601 Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, I submit this personal statement of extreme hardship that includes the following: Family Background, Health, Financial Considerations, and Personal Considerations.
My husband xxxxxxx, left for Mexico in December of 2005 for his first immigrant visa appointment. We did not use an attorney and therefore we did not prepare an adequate waiver. We appealed that decision. Now, we were given a new immigrant visa appointment. I pray that my husband’s waiver will be approved and he will be allowed to return home. This separation from him has just been impossible and I need him by my side.
1. Family Background
I currently live with my parents and my sister, all of whom are U.S. citizens. My father, xxxx xxxxxxx, is 60 yrs old and my Mother, xxxxxx xxxxxxx, is 65 yrs old. My sister, xxxxxx xxxxxxx who has Downs Syndrome, is 27 yrs old. My parents currently rent at xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx in xxxxxxx, IL 60438. That is where my parents and I currently live. The rent is of $1465.00 per month. I have one other sister who is also a U.S. citizen. Her name is xxxxxx xxxxxxx. She is 39 yrs old and lives at xxxx x xxxx street in Chicago, IL. I also have a brother as well, who is a U.S. Citizen. His name is xxxxxx xxxxxxx. He lives at xxxx x. xxxxxxxxx xxx. in Chicago, IL xxxxx My parents used to live in Chicago for many years. That is where I was born and raised.
I have a lot of other family members that live in the United States. They are all U.S. citizens. My grandmother lives in California whom I unfortunately don’t get to see that often because she suffers from Alzheimer Disease and cannot travel anymore. I have 4 aunts, 2 uncles, 17 cousins, along with my godmother and godfather, all of whom live in Illinois. I also have another aunt and uncle and 3 cousins who live in Texas. They are all U.S. citizens as well. In California, my grandmother lives with my aunt and uncle. I have another aunt and 6 cousins who also live in California. In Colorado I have 4 cousins and another 3 cousins that live in Kansas. All my family members that I've mentioned are all U.S. citizens that I've grown up with.
On occasions we get together for family gatherings and celebrate U.S. holidays. On the weekends, my sister xxxxxx comes over to visit my mom. Since xxxxxx has two jobs she really only has the weekends available to come over and visit. My brother tries to come over on the weekends too. When we do get together we usually cook and have a good time together. I have a close relationship with my siblings and family members. We grew up together and that’s a hard tie to break. I have very little family remaining in Mexico. It makes it very hard for me to be apart from my family in the United States. I have developed great love and respect for my country. I am completely immersed in the American culture and the way of life, I know no other. It would be devastating for me to have to live in another country.
My background:
I went to a Catholic grammar school named St. Casmir but the name later changed to Our Lady of Tepeyac. I then attended the Our Lady of Tepeyac High School. When I finished High School, I later attended Daley College for my basic Courses. I had to drop my college studying to work, and financially help my parents out with their debts. I worked for the Chicago Park District at Piotraowski Park in Chicago for summer camp with the special needs program for three years. I have also volunteered for the Special Olympics as well. Later, I began working for the Chicago Public Schools and also did some volunteer work. In the first school I worked in was named Zapata Academy in which I was an individual aid for an autistic child in a special education classroom, for one year. Then I worked at Manuel Perez Elementary in Chicago for four years with a visually impaired child with type 1 diabetes. I followed this child to his regular class schedule and enlarged all his schoolwork. I also had to learn some Braille to assist and help him for the future. I really enjoyed my job but unfortunately, my position was cut and I was laid off in 2004. Something else that factors into my background is that when I was a teenager I witnessed a murder. That alone was a crucial episode in my life that I have never forgotten. This brings great fear to me of being alone in life especially without my loved ones in another country.
My Current Job:
I am currently working for my sister xxxxxx xxxxxxx. My job is in a program that is called Home-Based Support Services Program that provides services to help individuals with developmental disabilities live at home. I typically provide in areas like eating, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene and community integration and preparing of meals, transportation and actives in daily living. It is funds given to families of adults with severe developmental disabilities.
My Husband and I:
My relationship with my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx, is very special to us because we both have the same likes and dislikes in almost everything. He has made such a positive impact in my life. I feel safe and protected with him. I could honestly say that I would not be the person that I am today if it were not for him. He has been my main support throughout my first pregnancy with our first son. To my family he means a lot because they loved the thought of him being involved in church. He has so much goodness and respect for others.
xxxxxxx and I met in December of 2002 and began dating shortly thereafter. We got married on October 25, 2003. We have been inseparable since we met and got married.
My husband is an amazing husband to me. He makes me happy and we have shared many good and sad times together. He bought me my first computer so that I would not have to struggle when I was in school. He also helped me pay some of my debts that I had at the time. But during the immigration process I had to file for bankruptcy in 2005. Because I was laid off and he was my the only one working. I had a difficult time finding a job, because I was pregnant at the time. Rodrigo was the only one working and provided income for me and intended to help rebuild my credit, but we could not manage. That is why we had to file for bankruptcy.
My husband has been there through thick and thin. One time my sister xxxxxx had surgery in March 2005, she had an umbilical hernia and he helped during her recovery and never complained. Even when my sister had events for the Special Olympics he would go with us and enjoyed the events. He has demonstrated to me not only that he loves me but my family as well and has supported me in any way I could ever imagine. I could not ask for a better man and one that would not only do anything for me but also for my family.
2. Health
My Health Concerns:
My health would be extremely aggravated if my husband’s waiver were denied. I have a long history of depression. Also, I am currently 8 months pregnant with our second child. My due date is May 8, 2008.
In 2006, I had to go see psychologist and was diagnosed with Dysthymia depression. The doctor then put me on medication Lexapro, an antidepressant to control my depression. Since the immigration process began, I struggled with depression even more and later changed medication due to the severity of my depression. The doctor gave me Sertraline 100mg, due to concerns of my pregnancy and me hurting my self. I am now seeing a therapist at Rasidi Consulting that I am comfortable with. At times it is difficult to keep up with the therapy because we only have one car at home. This therapy is to control my stress, depression, and anxiety. By me taking medication, I am putting risks on myself and unborn child. It is known that babies born from mothers taking antidepressants show signs of withdrawal. They may have breathing or feeding problems and even seizures. My oby-gyne told me that this stressful process is aggravating my health and my baby’s.
Since my family has a history of mental retardation this matter is making it worse. On my husband’s side, he has two brothers that are deaf mute and I worry a lot because that’s hereditary as well. It has brought an extreme level of hardship to my life.
With so many impacting emotional struggles this condition can be extremely serious and disabling. Mothers who are giving birth and have experienced depressive symptoms are in danger and will need medical attention right away and possibilities of hospitalization. I would not have anyone to care for me, our son, and our new baby. xxxxxxx was my main social support during the pregnancy of our first son. That was a normal delivery with no complications. Without my husband, I worry that I will not be able to physically or mentally care for myself or our children. The enormous strain of being separated much longer from my husband constitutes a powerful hardship to me. I also am at risk for pre-term labor due to the extreme stress that I am facing. Babies who are born pre-term are at high risk of needing hospitalization, long term health problems, and dying than babies born at full term. Some studies have found that certain life and environmental factors put woman at great risk as well. These factors include: Lack of social support and stress, both of which relate to me. My hardship level has proven to be particularly severe and have the potential of causing medical illness, hospitalization, or even death. I will greatly need my husband’s help and support to monitor my condition and or children.
In the past I was diagnosed with Cervical Dysplasia and if left untreated it can turn into cervical cancer. This risk is compounded by the fact that we would be unable to afford my medication or therapy if I was in Mexico. Here in the United States I benefit from an insured program called All Kids that is for children and the family who need comprehensive, affordable health insurance regardless of family income. That helps me provide insurance for me my son and covers doctor’s visits, medication and any therapies needed. With the average wage in Mexico we would not be able to afford health or any proper medical care .
My son, xxxxxxxxx Health Concerns:
My husband and I have a 2 yr and 11 month old boy named xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx who has mental delays. He was born in MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, IL. He is a U.S. citizen. He is currently receiving services from the Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago for Occupational, Developmental and Speech therapies one time per week and emotional behavior counseling. He has also been extremely affected by this whole immigration process as well. The psychologist had advised me before that our son would need come counseling if this goes on any longer. Soon he will begin Preschool at Lansing School District #158 to continue and enhance his therapies in a special education classroom. Occupational therapy (fine motor skills) is given to him once a week. It is a treatment that will help him improve his mobility and promote independence in his daily life. It will also promote achievement in his school performance and activities in his appropriate age group. Speech therapy is given to him once a week. It is a treatment that will enhance his speech to be more fluent. So that he can verbally express himself with others. English will be his first language given in school. Speech therapy will help him verbally express himself with others. The cause of speech delay is unknown, most likely it’s a subtle brain abnormality, genetic or dramatic environmental changes in a child’s life. That plays a huge role in Rodrigo’s life in which I believe confused him even more. Developmental therapy will also be another therapy he is receiving. A child with developmental delays is a child who is not achieving as expected to his age group. This therapy will allow him to expand his ability to develop to mentally develop properly to his age. It will also help him improve mentally for his every day life.
xxxxxxx xxxxxxx has been greatly affected by this whole immigration process as well. The service coordinator from Easter Seals referred him to a program called Family Building Blocks that evaluated him and he will be receiving these services as well. A social worker has already been giving him behavior and emotional therapy. Being separated from his father has caused a traumatic change in both his and my life. The sadness of seeing our son suffer and need to go through all of this emotional change in his life is an emotional hardship for the whole family and especially for me. As a mother, it is just so hard to watch your children suffer and not be in a position to do anything to change the situation.
Moreover, he also suffers with Asthma and has Allergies. Asthma is a respiratory disorder that causes episodes of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. Children who develop it before the age of three, the condition may lead to numerous emergency room visits and hospitalizations. It has been said over numerous studies that asthma runs in families. Currently, he is on 2 medications to treat both allergies and asthma. One is called Xopenex and has used other medication to treat his asthma. I have to watch closely and monitor for possible side affects with medication. Hypersensitivity and possible deaths have been reported with this asthma medication. He also has allergies, but it has been said that allergies are associated with asthma. I have to extremely careful in what he eats. He had been given Diphenhydramine and is know taking Singulair to treat his allergies.
With all our son’s mental and health needs, we would not be able to support or maintain his therapies or medications if we were living in Mexico. This would cause severe and extreme hardship on me. xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx therapies are all given in English it would be extremely hard on me to see our son struggle the rest of his life with a speech problem and his mental delays. In our case I would need therapy as well and xxxxxxx alone would need, four sessions in one week for his speech, behavior, developmental and occupational. It would be a lot more than the minimum wage, we would simply not be able to afford it. If we are forced to leave the United States, xxxxxxx xxxxxxx would immediately have to transition his therapy to Spanish and this would only delay his speech even more. He would go through discrimination in school and be categorized as retarded. This would cause him to be at risk for peer harassment and even violent crime. The education system and security is very poor in Mexico. Many kids have to stop attending school and help bring food to the table. Furthermore, the child kidnaping in Jalisco, Mexico is extremely high. As for myself this terrifies me just to think if my children went through this, he would not know how to communicate with anybody due to his speech delay. This alone causes an immeasurable impact on my well-being.
Primary Caregiver of Disabled Sibling, xxxxxx:
My sister, xxxxxx, is 27 yrs old and she suffers from Downs Syndrome, Morbid Obesity, Liver Cirrhosis, Hypothyroidism, Sleep Apnea, and Skin Psoriasis. Downs Syndrome is the leading clinical cause of mental retardation in the world. There is no cure for Downs syndrome, is it something a person will have all of his/her life. My sister, xxxxxx, is very attached to me, my son, and my husband. By my husband being denied his waiver, it will physically and emotionally disrupt my mental health just to be apart from my sister who needs me. She would not understand why I could not be there for her, or why she would not be able to see my son or me. She is greatly attached to him, and loves him dearly since I have always lived with my parents; she tells me that he is her son too. That is how much she is attached to him. I am the only relative available and willing to care for my sister. My other sister xxxxxx lives in Chicago and works two jobs. She can’t afford to stop working and commute from Chicago to Lansing often. My brother xxxxxx does not have transportation thus cannot be the one to care for my sister either. My father xxxx xxxxxxx is 60 yrs old and works hard long hours as a machine operator and soon will retire. He lacks the strength or ability to take over this difficult task. Nobody is willing to take over this difficult role or responsibility. That is why I am the primary care giver of Olivia. I am more than happy to be in a position to help my family and help my sister.
My sister’s poor health will only deteriorate within time if left unattended. She currently takes 6 medications per day. xxxxxx suffers from Morbid Obesity that has become dangerous for her health and developed Sleep Apnea as well. Sleep Apnea is a common disorder that develops in obese people but can be very serious; your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you sleep. If left untreated it increases one’s chances of developing high blood pressure and even provoking a heart attack or stroke. She currently has to sleep using a Bi-pap machine that she dreadfully needs to pass oxygen to her lungs and allow her to sleep at night.
xxxxxx also has Non alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis. This is a condition that inflames and accumulates fat and fibrous tissue in the liver. She is currently taking Propranolol 10mg twice daily to control and treat this condition. At this time there is no cure. People who have developed cirrhosis are at risk for eventually developing complications of that will require a liver transplantation. I could not bear being far away from my sister knowing that my sister might need a liver transplant in the future and for me not to be here causes me to break down into tears. Who will provide expenses for me to travel from Mexico to the United States along with our children? The average plane costs from $738.00 to $964.00.
She is also Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism it is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. She takes Levothyroxide 25mg and 220mg once a day to prevent further danger to her health. If left untreated further complications can result in severe depression, heart failure, or a coma. xxxxxx needs special care and observance. xxxxxx also has skin psoriasis; it is an inflammatory skin condition that requires her to need 3 different daily tropical steroidal creams and UV therapy twice a week. If I am forced to leave the United States then her psoriasis will be left untreated. Who will take over this difficult role and provide assistance dedicated only to her needs?
I need to be here to assist my sister, because I am responsible for organizing her daily medication and numerous doctors’ appointments and transportation. I'm also in charge of her annual staffing's that she needs for her programs. Just to know that if I'd not be able to take any part in my sister’s life and her health conditions she would be left untreated this could only jeopardize her health and mine. Being her primary care giver is a very important role to me in the United States. Because of this role I play in my family, I am just not able to leave the United States to be with my husband. If his waiver is not granted, my unique family role and the need for my presence here will cause me to suffer great hardship.
Mother’s Health Conditions:
My mother’s health is another extreme factor to myself that would cause severe hardship to me. My mother xxxxxx xxxxxxx is 65yrs old and takes approximately 10 medications daily for a number of health problems. She has type 2 Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, High blood pressure, High Cholesterol and insufficient vitamin D. She had knee surgery a total knee replacement on her Left Knee, on February 1, 2008.
Type 2 Diabetes is a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It does not have any cure and is hereditary. Some of the complications include heart disease, blindness, nerve damage and kidney damage. My mom injects herself twice daily and checks her blood sugar 3 times a day. I usually keep track of her medications because she sometimes forgets if she took them or not. As for my mother with her advanced age, her condition can get worse if I’m not there to assist her with Olivia’s health. Her health concerns are the reasons that she is not in a position to take care of xxxxxx. Isabel also has the same condition that my sister xxxxxx has– Hypothyroidism and takes medication to treat this condition as well. My mother also has High Blood Pressure and takes 2 different kinds of medication to treat this condition. The risk of having high blood pressure is that it is a coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attacks and strokes especially when it’s present with other risk factors. Due to the immense stress and depression that my mother sees me facing it hurts, and her health can only get worse if this continues any longer. My mother also has High Cholesterol.
I am the person who cares for my mother as well. Her recovery after the knee replacement is expected to be long and slow. She needs someone there to monitor her medication, care for her daily needs, and take her to her doctor’s appointments. I am the one that does all of this and am the only one who is able. I do not know what I would do if my husband’s waiver is not approved. I could not leave both my sick sister and mother behind as they need me to care for them. I also need my husband here to help me with this job of caring for them. When he was here, he would help out in whatever way he could. I do not know how much longer I can handle all of this responsibility without the help and support of my husband.
Father’s Health Condition:
My father concerns me a lot because I know that he suffers the most to see me in this situation. My father’s mother whom is my grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease and in the past suffered from depression since my grandfather died. My father now has depression but neglects to be treated for it. I worry about him a lot because he has been financially supporting me throughout the whole immigration case. He had to sell their only house that they maintained for 35 yrs, because they couldn’t get out of debt. He worries me because my father has always worked and supported me in everything in my life. He has two more years left to retire and will not make the same income that he makes know. It will be impossible for him to provide for my son and me nor will he be able to help provide for my unborn baby. That is why it is extremely important for my husband to be here to be the one to financially support us as I know that my father can no longer manage all of this on his own.
My father now works a lot of overtime and his job is very hard for a man his age. At home we only have one car and my father needs it to work. My father is a machine operator in a steel company and for his job he really needs to be entirely focused and alert. Over the years my father developed High Blood Pressure, and is currently taking medication to treat his illness. He also takes pain medication to ease his joint pain. He developed joint pain due to his heavy and stressful job.
It hurts to see my mothers and fathers health deteriorate over the years and I wish I had the capacity and strength to help them financially, like my husband and I did before. I wish and pray that soon there will be an end to all this, so that they may see their grandchildren grow up.
The Separation
My husband had to leave the United States in Dec 5, 2005 to attend his immigration interview. Since then he had to remain in Mexico until he received his approval notice. Unfortunately we were denied due to insufficient hardship information. I has been very hard for us because nobody ever explained to us the proceeders of filing or preparing a hardship letter. The person who helped us the first time we filled just robbed our money. Threw the whole process since he has been in Mexico has been very difficult for both of us and our family. Me and our son have been visiting him in Mexico about 5 times, it has been very hard to maintain a long distance relationship especially when you have small children. It has been difficult to leave my family here in the U.S. because they need me so much physically and emotionally. During this time it has been very hard to balance and maintain a job to support my self and son. I had to either borrow money from the family or wait until my family can buy me a plain ticket to go see my husband. We can no longer be separated from my husband any longer. This whole procedure has impacted our life in a very harsh way emotionally and mentally. To see our son struggle without his father then later find out he has mental delays has been very hard for me to cope with alone. My husband means a lot to me and our son he is the love of my life and has always showed me how important we are and mean to him. Our newborn baby girl will need him as well. It make me very sad and depressed to think of what will happen to our children if we our separated much longer. I will not be able to struggle with this alone since I have a history of depression, after birth it will be even harder for me to focus and manage our children alone.
Personal Considerations:
I love my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx, very much and we have been married for 5 years. He is a loving father, husband and friend. He has proved to me in many ways how much I truly mean to him, he is supportive, hardworking and an incredible human being. My husband xxxxxxx had no intentions of violating the law to harm or to put anybody’s life in danger.
I cannot live in Mexico without suffering from extreme and unusual hardship. If he is not allowed to return to United States, with me my entire life will be shattered into pieces. I will extremely suffer a decline in my physical and mental health, and to see our children suffer more as well. We would not be able to afford medical or provide therapies that we will all extremely need. My husband is unlikely to be able to find a job in Mexico that will provide an adequate income to support all of us there. My psychological hardships have proven to be particularly severe and have the potential of causing medical illness, hospitalization and even worse depression. Since I had suffered depression before there is a high potential for me and my baby to suffer health problems. I would not be able to get the adequate treatment in Mexico like I do here. I am very comfortable with my doctors and therapist and hospitals here in the United States. I also worry that my depression would be even worse if I did move to Mexico and had to abandon my family that depends on me for so much. I could not bear to watch them suffer.
Since I've already been to the Emergency room for discomfort of pregnancy I have a high risk of having a premature baby. This scares me because pre-term babies are at high risk of infant deaths and lingering infant illness. Due to the fact that I have lack of social support this puts me at high risk as well. That is why it so important that my husband is allowed back in the United States, to prevent other major difficulties to our health and our children. If I have to be hospitalized or my unborn child, that would put a great deal of stress on my behalf and family. I'd not have anyone to care for xxxxxxx xx. nor for my sister xxxxxx. They both require therapies and medical assistants. Olivia and Rodrigo are a major responsibility and require a lot of work to help them in their daily activities. That is why I will need the support of my husband xxxxxxx xxxxx. My mother’s recovery after surgery is unknown because she has so many compelling health issues and her Diabetes is one major factor. She will also need physical therapy after her surgery. If this waiver is denied I'd face an excruciating painful emotional state. That is set forth to suicidal thinking and more. This high risk is compounded by the fact that we would not be able to afford medication and therapy or travel expenses in Mexico. My marriage with my husband Rodrigo Angel is based on mutual love and common goals. I cannot bear to be separated from him and I depend on him for everything.
My dream for our children is to educate them selves here in the U.S. and achieve their long term goals. It is extremely important for my son xxxxxxx x. to continue his therapy and continue with his early intervention program. All the therapies that he receives have made a huge change both of our lives. It makes me happy to see him progress in his speech, occupational and developmental therapy. In Mexico it will be very difficult to manage and provide all the services that he receives here in the U.S. to expand his mentality and education to improve in his every day life. The cost of one therapy alone in Mexico will be one weeks pay how will we survive and support our selves. In that case I will be needing my therapy as well. I will not be able to cope and manage to see our children suffer uneducated and to see xxxxxxx x. Be delayed even more. I truly see him a very happy child with the benefit from his therapy and this makes me very happy.
I respectfully request that the 10-year ban be waived so that we can pursue our lives together in the United States. Please forgive my husband for entering the country the way that he did. Please do not allow me, my children, and my family to suffer anymore.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
LuluyRodrigo
CDJ: XXXXXXXXXXXX
April 15, 2008
Dear Sir/Madam:
My name is Lourdes xxxxx. I was born on January 9, xxxx. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I have lived in the United States since I was born. I was born at Norwegian Hospital in Chicago, IL. I have never lived anywhere else but the United States. I am a U.S. citizen, and I am writing to explain the extreme and severe hardship that I will suffer if my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx, is not granted his permanent residence and allowed to return to the United States. In support of his I-601 Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, I submit this personal statement of extreme hardship that includes the following: Family Background, Health, Financial Considerations, and Personal Considerations.
My husband xxxxxxx, left for Mexico in December of 2005 for his first immigrant visa appointment. We did not use an attorney and therefore we did not prepare an adequate waiver. We appealed that decision. Now, we were given a new immigrant visa appointment. I pray that my husband’s waiver will be approved and he will be allowed to return home. This separation from him has just been impossible and I need him by my side.
1. Family Background
I currently live with my parents and my sister, all of whom are U.S. citizens. My father, xxxx xxxxxxx, is 60 yrs old and my Mother, xxxxxx xxxxxxx, is 65 yrs old. My sister, xxxxxx xxxxxxx who has Downs Syndrome, is 27 yrs old. My parents currently rent at xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx in xxxxxxx, IL 60438. That is where my parents and I currently live. The rent is of $1465.00 per month. I have one other sister who is also a U.S. citizen. Her name is xxxxxx xxxxxxx. She is 39 yrs old and lives at xxxx x xxxx street in Chicago, IL. I also have a brother as well, who is a U.S. Citizen. His name is xxxxxx xxxxxxx. He lives at xxxx x. xxxxxxxxx xxx. in Chicago, IL xxxxx My parents used to live in Chicago for many years. That is where I was born and raised.
I have a lot of other family members that live in the United States. They are all U.S. citizens. My grandmother lives in California whom I unfortunately don’t get to see that often because she suffers from Alzheimer Disease and cannot travel anymore. I have 4 aunts, 2 uncles, 17 cousins, along with my godmother and godfather, all of whom live in Illinois. I also have another aunt and uncle and 3 cousins who live in Texas. They are all U.S. citizens as well. In California, my grandmother lives with my aunt and uncle. I have another aunt and 6 cousins who also live in California. In Colorado I have 4 cousins and another 3 cousins that live in Kansas. All my family members that I've mentioned are all U.S. citizens that I've grown up with.
On occasions we get together for family gatherings and celebrate U.S. holidays. On the weekends, my sister xxxxxx comes over to visit my mom. Since xxxxxx has two jobs she really only has the weekends available to come over and visit. My brother tries to come over on the weekends too. When we do get together we usually cook and have a good time together. I have a close relationship with my siblings and family members. We grew up together and that’s a hard tie to break. I have very little family remaining in Mexico. It makes it very hard for me to be apart from my family in the United States. I have developed great love and respect for my country. I am completely immersed in the American culture and the way of life, I know no other. It would be devastating for me to have to live in another country.
My background:
I went to a Catholic grammar school named St. Casmir but the name later changed to Our Lady of Tepeyac. I then attended the Our Lady of Tepeyac High School. When I finished High School, I later attended Daley College for my basic Courses. I had to drop my college studying to work, and financially help my parents out with their debts. I worked for the Chicago Park District at Piotraowski Park in Chicago for summer camp with the special needs program for three years. I have also volunteered for the Special Olympics as well. Later, I began working for the Chicago Public Schools and also did some volunteer work. In the first school I worked in was named Zapata Academy in which I was an individual aid for an autistic child in a special education classroom, for one year. Then I worked at Manuel Perez Elementary in Chicago for four years with a visually impaired child with type 1 diabetes. I followed this child to his regular class schedule and enlarged all his schoolwork. I also had to learn some Braille to assist and help him for the future. I really enjoyed my job but unfortunately, my position was cut and I was laid off in 2004. Something else that factors into my background is that when I was a teenager I witnessed a murder. That alone was a crucial episode in my life that I have never forgotten. This brings great fear to me of being alone in life especially without my loved ones in another country.
My Current Job:
I am currently working for my sister xxxxxx xxxxxxx. My job is in a program that is called Home-Based Support Services Program that provides services to help individuals with developmental disabilities live at home. I typically provide in areas like eating, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene and community integration and preparing of meals, transportation and actives in daily living. It is funds given to families of adults with severe developmental disabilities.
My Husband and I:
My relationship with my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx, is very special to us because we both have the same likes and dislikes in almost everything. He has made such a positive impact in my life. I feel safe and protected with him. I could honestly say that I would not be the person that I am today if it were not for him. He has been my main support throughout my first pregnancy with our first son. To my family he means a lot because they loved the thought of him being involved in church. He has so much goodness and respect for others.
xxxxxxx and I met in December of 2002 and began dating shortly thereafter. We got married on October 25, 2003. We have been inseparable since we met and got married.
My husband is an amazing husband to me. He makes me happy and we have shared many good and sad times together. He bought me my first computer so that I would not have to struggle when I was in school. He also helped me pay some of my debts that I had at the time. But during the immigration process I had to file for bankruptcy in 2005. Because I was laid off and he was my the only one working. I had a difficult time finding a job, because I was pregnant at the time. Rodrigo was the only one working and provided income for me and intended to help rebuild my credit, but we could not manage. That is why we had to file for bankruptcy.
My husband has been there through thick and thin. One time my sister xxxxxx had surgery in March 2005, she had an umbilical hernia and he helped during her recovery and never complained. Even when my sister had events for the Special Olympics he would go with us and enjoyed the events. He has demonstrated to me not only that he loves me but my family as well and has supported me in any way I could ever imagine. I could not ask for a better man and one that would not only do anything for me but also for my family.
2. Health
My Health Concerns:
My health would be extremely aggravated if my husband’s waiver were denied. I have a long history of depression. Also, I am currently 8 months pregnant with our second child. My due date is May 8, 2008.
In 2006, I had to go see psychologist and was diagnosed with Dysthymia depression. The doctor then put me on medication Lexapro, an antidepressant to control my depression. Since the immigration process began, I struggled with depression even more and later changed medication due to the severity of my depression. The doctor gave me Sertraline 100mg, due to concerns of my pregnancy and me hurting my self. I am now seeing a therapist at Rasidi Consulting that I am comfortable with. At times it is difficult to keep up with the therapy because we only have one car at home. This therapy is to control my stress, depression, and anxiety. By me taking medication, I am putting risks on myself and unborn child. It is known that babies born from mothers taking antidepressants show signs of withdrawal. They may have breathing or feeding problems and even seizures. My oby-gyne told me that this stressful process is aggravating my health and my baby’s.
Since my family has a history of mental retardation this matter is making it worse. On my husband’s side, he has two brothers that are deaf mute and I worry a lot because that’s hereditary as well. It has brought an extreme level of hardship to my life.
With so many impacting emotional struggles this condition can be extremely serious and disabling. Mothers who are giving birth and have experienced depressive symptoms are in danger and will need medical attention right away and possibilities of hospitalization. I would not have anyone to care for me, our son, and our new baby. xxxxxxx was my main social support during the pregnancy of our first son. That was a normal delivery with no complications. Without my husband, I worry that I will not be able to physically or mentally care for myself or our children. The enormous strain of being separated much longer from my husband constitutes a powerful hardship to me. I also am at risk for pre-term labor due to the extreme stress that I am facing. Babies who are born pre-term are at high risk of needing hospitalization, long term health problems, and dying than babies born at full term. Some studies have found that certain life and environmental factors put woman at great risk as well. These factors include: Lack of social support and stress, both of which relate to me. My hardship level has proven to be particularly severe and have the potential of causing medical illness, hospitalization, or even death. I will greatly need my husband’s help and support to monitor my condition and or children.
In the past I was diagnosed with Cervical Dysplasia and if left untreated it can turn into cervical cancer. This risk is compounded by the fact that we would be unable to afford my medication or therapy if I was in Mexico. Here in the United States I benefit from an insured program called All Kids that is for children and the family who need comprehensive, affordable health insurance regardless of family income. That helps me provide insurance for me my son and covers doctor’s visits, medication and any therapies needed. With the average wage in Mexico we would not be able to afford health or any proper medical care .
My son, xxxxxxxxx Health Concerns:
My husband and I have a 2 yr and 11 month old boy named xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx who has mental delays. He was born in MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, IL. He is a U.S. citizen. He is currently receiving services from the Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago for Occupational, Developmental and Speech therapies one time per week and emotional behavior counseling. He has also been extremely affected by this whole immigration process as well. The psychologist had advised me before that our son would need come counseling if this goes on any longer. Soon he will begin Preschool at Lansing School District #158 to continue and enhance his therapies in a special education classroom. Occupational therapy (fine motor skills) is given to him once a week. It is a treatment that will help him improve his mobility and promote independence in his daily life. It will also promote achievement in his school performance and activities in his appropriate age group. Speech therapy is given to him once a week. It is a treatment that will enhance his speech to be more fluent. So that he can verbally express himself with others. English will be his first language given in school. Speech therapy will help him verbally express himself with others. The cause of speech delay is unknown, most likely it’s a subtle brain abnormality, genetic or dramatic environmental changes in a child’s life. That plays a huge role in Rodrigo’s life in which I believe confused him even more. Developmental therapy will also be another therapy he is receiving. A child with developmental delays is a child who is not achieving as expected to his age group. This therapy will allow him to expand his ability to develop to mentally develop properly to his age. It will also help him improve mentally for his every day life.
xxxxxxx xxxxxxx has been greatly affected by this whole immigration process as well. The service coordinator from Easter Seals referred him to a program called Family Building Blocks that evaluated him and he will be receiving these services as well. A social worker has already been giving him behavior and emotional therapy. Being separated from his father has caused a traumatic change in both his and my life. The sadness of seeing our son suffer and need to go through all of this emotional change in his life is an emotional hardship for the whole family and especially for me. As a mother, it is just so hard to watch your children suffer and not be in a position to do anything to change the situation.
Moreover, he also suffers with Asthma and has Allergies. Asthma is a respiratory disorder that causes episodes of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. Children who develop it before the age of three, the condition may lead to numerous emergency room visits and hospitalizations. It has been said over numerous studies that asthma runs in families. Currently, he is on 2 medications to treat both allergies and asthma. One is called Xopenex and has used other medication to treat his asthma. I have to watch closely and monitor for possible side affects with medication. Hypersensitivity and possible deaths have been reported with this asthma medication. He also has allergies, but it has been said that allergies are associated with asthma. I have to extremely careful in what he eats. He had been given Diphenhydramine and is know taking Singulair to treat his allergies.
With all our son’s mental and health needs, we would not be able to support or maintain his therapies or medications if we were living in Mexico. This would cause severe and extreme hardship on me. xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx therapies are all given in English it would be extremely hard on me to see our son struggle the rest of his life with a speech problem and his mental delays. In our case I would need therapy as well and xxxxxxx alone would need, four sessions in one week for his speech, behavior, developmental and occupational. It would be a lot more than the minimum wage, we would simply not be able to afford it. If we are forced to leave the United States, xxxxxxx xxxxxxx would immediately have to transition his therapy to Spanish and this would only delay his speech even more. He would go through discrimination in school and be categorized as retarded. This would cause him to be at risk for peer harassment and even violent crime. The education system and security is very poor in Mexico. Many kids have to stop attending school and help bring food to the table. Furthermore, the child kidnaping in Jalisco, Mexico is extremely high. As for myself this terrifies me just to think if my children went through this, he would not know how to communicate with anybody due to his speech delay. This alone causes an immeasurable impact on my well-being.
Primary Caregiver of Disabled Sibling, xxxxxx:
My sister, xxxxxx, is 27 yrs old and she suffers from Downs Syndrome, Morbid Obesity, Liver Cirrhosis, Hypothyroidism, Sleep Apnea, and Skin Psoriasis. Downs Syndrome is the leading clinical cause of mental retardation in the world. There is no cure for Downs syndrome, is it something a person will have all of his/her life. My sister, xxxxxx, is very attached to me, my son, and my husband. By my husband being denied his waiver, it will physically and emotionally disrupt my mental health just to be apart from my sister who needs me. She would not understand why I could not be there for her, or why she would not be able to see my son or me. She is greatly attached to him, and loves him dearly since I have always lived with my parents; she tells me that he is her son too. That is how much she is attached to him. I am the only relative available and willing to care for my sister. My other sister xxxxxx lives in Chicago and works two jobs. She can’t afford to stop working and commute from Chicago to Lansing often. My brother xxxxxx does not have transportation thus cannot be the one to care for my sister either. My father xxxx xxxxxxx is 60 yrs old and works hard long hours as a machine operator and soon will retire. He lacks the strength or ability to take over this difficult task. Nobody is willing to take over this difficult role or responsibility. That is why I am the primary care giver of Olivia. I am more than happy to be in a position to help my family and help my sister.
My sister’s poor health will only deteriorate within time if left unattended. She currently takes 6 medications per day. xxxxxx suffers from Morbid Obesity that has become dangerous for her health and developed Sleep Apnea as well. Sleep Apnea is a common disorder that develops in obese people but can be very serious; your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you sleep. If left untreated it increases one’s chances of developing high blood pressure and even provoking a heart attack or stroke. She currently has to sleep using a Bi-pap machine that she dreadfully needs to pass oxygen to her lungs and allow her to sleep at night.
xxxxxx also has Non alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis. This is a condition that inflames and accumulates fat and fibrous tissue in the liver. She is currently taking Propranolol 10mg twice daily to control and treat this condition. At this time there is no cure. People who have developed cirrhosis are at risk for eventually developing complications of that will require a liver transplantation. I could not bear being far away from my sister knowing that my sister might need a liver transplant in the future and for me not to be here causes me to break down into tears. Who will provide expenses for me to travel from Mexico to the United States along with our children? The average plane costs from $738.00 to $964.00.
She is also Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism it is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. She takes Levothyroxide 25mg and 220mg once a day to prevent further danger to her health. If left untreated further complications can result in severe depression, heart failure, or a coma. xxxxxx needs special care and observance. xxxxxx also has skin psoriasis; it is an inflammatory skin condition that requires her to need 3 different daily tropical steroidal creams and UV therapy twice a week. If I am forced to leave the United States then her psoriasis will be left untreated. Who will take over this difficult role and provide assistance dedicated only to her needs?
I need to be here to assist my sister, because I am responsible for organizing her daily medication and numerous doctors’ appointments and transportation. I'm also in charge of her annual staffing's that she needs for her programs. Just to know that if I'd not be able to take any part in my sister’s life and her health conditions she would be left untreated this could only jeopardize her health and mine. Being her primary care giver is a very important role to me in the United States. Because of this role I play in my family, I am just not able to leave the United States to be with my husband. If his waiver is not granted, my unique family role and the need for my presence here will cause me to suffer great hardship.
Mother’s Health Conditions:
My mother’s health is another extreme factor to myself that would cause severe hardship to me. My mother xxxxxx xxxxxxx is 65yrs old and takes approximately 10 medications daily for a number of health problems. She has type 2 Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, High blood pressure, High Cholesterol and insufficient vitamin D. She had knee surgery a total knee replacement on her Left Knee, on February 1, 2008.
Type 2 Diabetes is a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It does not have any cure and is hereditary. Some of the complications include heart disease, blindness, nerve damage and kidney damage. My mom injects herself twice daily and checks her blood sugar 3 times a day. I usually keep track of her medications because she sometimes forgets if she took them or not. As for my mother with her advanced age, her condition can get worse if I’m not there to assist her with Olivia’s health. Her health concerns are the reasons that she is not in a position to take care of xxxxxx. Isabel also has the same condition that my sister xxxxxx has– Hypothyroidism and takes medication to treat this condition as well. My mother also has High Blood Pressure and takes 2 different kinds of medication to treat this condition. The risk of having high blood pressure is that it is a coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attacks and strokes especially when it’s present with other risk factors. Due to the immense stress and depression that my mother sees me facing it hurts, and her health can only get worse if this continues any longer. My mother also has High Cholesterol.
I am the person who cares for my mother as well. Her recovery after the knee replacement is expected to be long and slow. She needs someone there to monitor her medication, care for her daily needs, and take her to her doctor’s appointments. I am the one that does all of this and am the only one who is able. I do not know what I would do if my husband’s waiver is not approved. I could not leave both my sick sister and mother behind as they need me to care for them. I also need my husband here to help me with this job of caring for them. When he was here, he would help out in whatever way he could. I do not know how much longer I can handle all of this responsibility without the help and support of my husband.
Father’s Health Condition:
My father concerns me a lot because I know that he suffers the most to see me in this situation. My father’s mother whom is my grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease and in the past suffered from depression since my grandfather died. My father now has depression but neglects to be treated for it. I worry about him a lot because he has been financially supporting me throughout the whole immigration case. He had to sell their only house that they maintained for 35 yrs, because they couldn’t get out of debt. He worries me because my father has always worked and supported me in everything in my life. He has two more years left to retire and will not make the same income that he makes know. It will be impossible for him to provide for my son and me nor will he be able to help provide for my unborn baby. That is why it is extremely important for my husband to be here to be the one to financially support us as I know that my father can no longer manage all of this on his own.
My father now works a lot of overtime and his job is very hard for a man his age. At home we only have one car and my father needs it to work. My father is a machine operator in a steel company and for his job he really needs to be entirely focused and alert. Over the years my father developed High Blood Pressure, and is currently taking medication to treat his illness. He also takes pain medication to ease his joint pain. He developed joint pain due to his heavy and stressful job.
It hurts to see my mothers and fathers health deteriorate over the years and I wish I had the capacity and strength to help them financially, like my husband and I did before. I wish and pray that soon there will be an end to all this, so that they may see their grandchildren grow up.
The Separation
My husband had to leave the United States in Dec 5, 2005 to attend his immigration interview. Since then he had to remain in Mexico until he received his approval notice. Unfortunately we were denied due to insufficient hardship information. I has been very hard for us because nobody ever explained to us the proceeders of filing or preparing a hardship letter. The person who helped us the first time we filled just robbed our money. Threw the whole process since he has been in Mexico has been very difficult for both of us and our family. Me and our son have been visiting him in Mexico about 5 times, it has been very hard to maintain a long distance relationship especially when you have small children. It has been difficult to leave my family here in the U.S. because they need me so much physically and emotionally. During this time it has been very hard to balance and maintain a job to support my self and son. I had to either borrow money from the family or wait until my family can buy me a plain ticket to go see my husband. We can no longer be separated from my husband any longer. This whole procedure has impacted our life in a very harsh way emotionally and mentally. To see our son struggle without his father then later find out he has mental delays has been very hard for me to cope with alone. My husband means a lot to me and our son he is the love of my life and has always showed me how important we are and mean to him. Our newborn baby girl will need him as well. It make me very sad and depressed to think of what will happen to our children if we our separated much longer. I will not be able to struggle with this alone since I have a history of depression, after birth it will be even harder for me to focus and manage our children alone.
Personal Considerations:
I love my husband, xxxxxxx xxxxx, very much and we have been married for 5 years. He is a loving father, husband and friend. He has proved to me in many ways how much I truly mean to him, he is supportive, hardworking and an incredible human being. My husband xxxxxxx had no intentions of violating the law to harm or to put anybody’s life in danger.
I cannot live in Mexico without suffering from extreme and unusual hardship. If he is not allowed to return to United States, with me my entire life will be shattered into pieces. I will extremely suffer a decline in my physical and mental health, and to see our children suffer more as well. We would not be able to afford medical or provide therapies that we will all extremely need. My husband is unlikely to be able to find a job in Mexico that will provide an adequate income to support all of us there. My psychological hardships have proven to be particularly severe and have the potential of causing medical illness, hospitalization and even worse depression. Since I had suffered depression before there is a high potential for me and my baby to suffer health problems. I would not be able to get the adequate treatment in Mexico like I do here. I am very comfortable with my doctors and therapist and hospitals here in the United States. I also worry that my depression would be even worse if I did move to Mexico and had to abandon my family that depends on me for so much. I could not bear to watch them suffer.
Since I've already been to the Emergency room for discomfort of pregnancy I have a high risk of having a premature baby. This scares me because pre-term babies are at high risk of infant deaths and lingering infant illness. Due to the fact that I have lack of social support this puts me at high risk as well. That is why it so important that my husband is allowed back in the United States, to prevent other major difficulties to our health and our children. If I have to be hospitalized or my unborn child, that would put a great deal of stress on my behalf and family. I'd not have anyone to care for xxxxxxx xx. nor for my sister xxxxxx. They both require therapies and medical assistants. Olivia and Rodrigo are a major responsibility and require a lot of work to help them in their daily activities. That is why I will need the support of my husband xxxxxxx xxxxx. My mother’s recovery after surgery is unknown because she has so many compelling health issues and her Diabetes is one major factor. She will also need physical therapy after her surgery. If this waiver is denied I'd face an excruciating painful emotional state. That is set forth to suicidal thinking and more. This high risk is compounded by the fact that we would not be able to afford medication and therapy or travel expenses in Mexico. My marriage with my husband Rodrigo Angel is based on mutual love and common goals. I cannot bear to be separated from him and I depend on him for everything.
My dream for our children is to educate them selves here in the U.S. and achieve their long term goals. It is extremely important for my son xxxxxxx x. to continue his therapy and continue with his early intervention program. All the therapies that he receives have made a huge change both of our lives. It makes me happy to see him progress in his speech, occupational and developmental therapy. In Mexico it will be very difficult to manage and provide all the services that he receives here in the U.S. to expand his mentality and education to improve in his every day life. The cost of one therapy alone in Mexico will be one weeks pay how will we survive and support our selves. In that case I will be needing my therapy as well. I will not be able to cope and manage to see our children suffer uneducated and to see xxxxxxx x. Be delayed even more. I truly see him a very happy child with the benefit from his therapy and this makes me very happy.
I respectfully request that the 10-year ban be waived so that we can pursue our lives together in the United States. Please forgive my husband for entering the country the way that he did. Please do not allow me, my children, and my family to suffer anymore.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
LuluyRodrigo