Tammy317
05-03-2008, 06:10 AM
Hardship letter -
To follow you will find the extreme hardships I will have if my husband is not allowed to return quickly to the United States.
• I have a son from a previous marriage that is now 15 named XXX. He is currently living with his biological father but spends weekends and summer at our home. His biological father will not allow me to take him to Mexico. If my husband's waiver is not approved, I will be forced to choose between abandoning my husband in Mexico to remain in the U.S. with my son or abandoning my son in the U.S. to be with my husband in Mexico.
• I am currently responsible for paying my son XXX medical insurance. He has been diagnosed with a testicular cyst. He is currently under supervision and may need to have it removed. I will not be able to afford insurance if I have to move to Mexico to be with my husband, and it will be very difficult to get another insurance for him since he now has a pre-existing condition.
• I have a large family history of ovarian cysts and breast cancer and am therefore at more risk. Because of this my doctor has recommended me to have yearly exams. It is difficult for me to detect unusual lumps in my breasts since they are naturally lumpy. Because of this they have started giving me mammograms at an early age, to detect any changes. Breast cancer has a high death rate in Mexico since it goes undetected. Without medical insurance I would not be able to afford the exams necessary to remain healthy.
• I have suffered with anxiety disorder which causes me to have heart palpitations and panic attacks. I am taking Xanax & Zolof for my condition, as prescribed by my doctor. (Copies of my prescriptions enclosed). My husband helps to remind me to take my medication. When I have an anxiety attack I have to take the Xanax, it leaves me extremely tired, almost zombie like and I’m unable to function. Because of this my husband steps in to help care for not only me – but the children. I can not take my medication when I am alone with our son XXX because he is only 5 years old and needs to be watched all the time. There is a great possibility that if XXX and I were not reunited in the United States that my anxiety and obesity would cause an even greater amount of damage to my health.
• I am also morbidly obese with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 45. Any BMI over 30 is considered obese. My obesity puts me at great risk for many future health problems. The Surgeon General lists premature death, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, breathing problems, arthritis and many other health consequences linked to obesity. My greatest risk is diabetes since it is very hereditary and my mother and grandfather both have it, as well as many aunts and cousins on my mother’s side of the family. The National Institute of Mental Health has found that one out of four cases of obesity is associated with a mood or anxiety disorder. Diabetes is the number one killer in Mexico. Many can not afford the medical care needed. Moving to Mexico to be with my husband would put my health in grave danger.
• We have a 5 year old son together. XXX does not speak Spanish and adjusting to life in Mexico if his father is not allowed back in the United States would be extremely difficult. XXX will not have the same educational opportunities he has here in the United States, as well as the health care. The schools have an extremely high drop out rate in Guerrero where Santa Cruz is from. The poverty is so severe that children often quit school at a young age and are sent out to find work to help support the families. The quality of the healthcare providers is questionable in Mexico, especially in the small town in Guerrero that XXX comes from. They still use witch doctors instead of going to a licensed physician. Not having XXX here in the United States with us would be extremely difficult. It is important for us to raise him with a family that is intact. I would be forced to move to Mexico so that our son can grow up with a father and mother, leaving my oldest son behind in the U.S. with his biological father.
• In 2005 we started our own landscape/gardening business. XXXdoes all of the labor and I take care of all of the paperwork and help with landscape design. We have a goal of obtaining our contractors license here in the state of California for landscaping; so that we will be allowed to take on larger jobs and be able to afford to hire other employees. The minimum wage in California as of January 2008 is $8 per hour, and it is California law to have workers compensation insurance for any employees that we hire. Because of this we have not hired any employees to work with us at our business. Financially we have just reached the point where I am able to do the paperwork from home, work part time with the school district as a clerical substitute, and attend college a couple days a week, taking various agriculture classes that will all be credited towards obtaining the contractors license. At this point it would be financially devastating if XXX was not available to do the work for our customers, since that is our sole source of income, and I am physically not able to do it. If he were to have an extended stay in Mexico, I would have to close the business and throw away all we’ve been working for. There is no way financially for me to hire someone and pay them minimum wage plus pay workers compensation insurance and be able to support our family. Our business is currently bringing in about twice the amount I had made at my previous job (which was 50 miles away). This pays our mortgage, and other debts and expenses. I would be forced to drop out of school and find work, leaving my child in daycare for extended hours. I would not be able to find a job in the city where we currently reside since the income in this area for the type of office work I do is considerately less than more populated areas. I would have to look for a job over 50 miles away where the pay would be more, but the cost of gasoline and extended child care would eat up any larger monies earned. Without XXX working here at the business we’ve worked so hard to build, I would lose our home in foreclosure. There is no possible way for me to make enough money on my own to pay for everything.
• I have several financial obligations that would be impossible to pay without my husband here to work and help support our family. My mortgage payment is over $2,000 per month, I have credit cards that amount to about $3,000 total and I have a car payment that is $650 per month. I owe more than my car is worth so selling it would not be an option, and with the housing market downfall in California I believe I owe more on my house than I could sell it for. I have medical insurance for our family that I am also responsible for. I can not neglect my responsibilities, but I can not pay them off if my husband does not return to help with our business.
• If I were to have to move to Mexico in order to be with my husband it would be tremendously difficult for me. I do not speak Spanish, so I would not be able to find work, nor would I be able to continue my education and career goal of obtaining our contractors license. It would be difficult to even function in a place that I could not communicate in. We would have to stay in XXX’s hometown in Guerrero with his family until he found some sort of work and a home of our own. This would be terrible since the town they live in is so poor that even today his mother does not have a toilet in her home and has to ‘go’ outside somewhere. His sister and her children don’t even have beds and sleep on matt’s on the dirt floor in their home. These are only some of the conditions and the way of life in their town, and some of the reasons why there is so many health issues in that area. The ground is contaminated with feces and sleeping on the floor with scorpions and whatever else is crawling around is not how I want to live, nor do I want my children to even experience. The health care in Mexico does not even compare to the healthcare we receive here in the United States. It is estimated that 40% of the population in Mexico are living in poverty. The minimum wage in Mexico is about 49 pesos per day, and many earn less than that. With me not speaking the language, XXX will have to find a job that would not only pay enough for us to find a home and feed our family, but pay the debts we currently have here in the United States, as well as help to save for XXX’s college tuition in 4 years. We would not be able to afford decent health care, traveling to a larger city to see a real licensed physician, nor would we be able to afford to put Andres in a private school to have a chance at a some what decent education. With my own medical conditions, the stress of living in a foreign country, in poverty, not speaking the language and being separated from my oldest son XXX would devastate me. How could I choose between allowing my youngest son a family with a mom and dad that live together, and leaving my oldest son in the United States? I want the best for my children as any mother does… I also want to raise them in a happy healthy home, without the added anxiety of living in poverty, or living apart from my husband.
• Two years ago my mother, XXX, and her husband, XXX, moved close to us so that we will be near by to take care of them as they start to age. They are still able to drive locally and do some things themselves. I make myself available to drive them long distances when needed, and my husband goes over every week to maintain their yard for them, and help them take care of any needs they might have. I have always been a strong moral support for my mother. She suffers from panic disorder/anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes. The things in life that you might think are minor have serious effects on her, making her physically ill. Knowing that we are going through this immigration process and that there is a chance that XXX will not return soon has had a terrible effect on her. The thought of our family being apart worries her, and even worse the thought that I might have to move with our son to Mexico in order to keep the family together has caused her to shed many tears and lose many nights of sleep. Her husband is now 71 and though is relatively healthy now, has had medical problems (such as bi-pass surgery) in the past. If my husband were to not be allowed to return to the United States it would cause them extreme hardship as well, the added stress and anxiety is not healthy for someone with a heart condition, or someone with panic disorder and diabetes.
• My father XXX and his wife XXX have grown to love Santa Cruz as their own son. We have spent lots of family time together on their boat, as my father has taught my husband a little bit about sailing. My husband and children love to be out on the water. My parents have been a tremendous support to us, not just emotionally, but spiritually. Through their guidance and prayer, we were able to find our own local church, and have made the commitment to raise our children in a Christian home. My parents are extremely proud of XXX for working hard and starting our own business. My step-mother worked as an educator for many years before retiring. It is very important for them to know that their grandchildren will receive the best education possible. They are concerned about the high drop out rate in Mexico, and the lack of educational supplies in the schools. They know that the only way for our children to get a good education in Mexico is to place them in private schools. They are also very aware that if we were forced to move to Mexico to live, that we would not be able to afford private school tuition. This is very alarming to them, not only would they miss seeing their grandchildren on a regular basis, but they are worried about their education and safety.
• We have several ties to our community as well. Our friends and family are very dear to us, we enjoy our times together. We purchased our first house in July 2004 and have been working hard to make it beautiful. The transformation is amazing! Our neighbors are thankful that we are working hard to make our neighborhood beautiful. As I stated earlier, I attend the local college; our son XXX attends preschool here while I am in school and will start kindergarten next year. We attend Calvary Chapel church every week and have found it a great blessing in our lives. Our son attended the vacation bible school during the summer and absolutely loved it. It is very important for XXX and I to raise our family in the church, teaching our children to have a personal relationship with God. We also believe it is important to confess our wrongdoings and make things right. XXX knows and acknowledges that he entered into this country in March 1999 without permission in order to find work. It was wrong and he is taking responsibility and asking for forgiveness.
These are our extreme hardships. I plead with you to forgive my husband and approve this waiver. It is our hope that the United States Government will have the compassion and forgiveness to keep our family together here in the United States. Please consider our extreme hardships of not just our health, business and financial situation, but keeping our family together and raising our children with the opportunities that they will only be given here in the United States.
Sincerely, ME
To follow you will find the extreme hardships I will have if my husband is not allowed to return quickly to the United States.
• I have a son from a previous marriage that is now 15 named XXX. He is currently living with his biological father but spends weekends and summer at our home. His biological father will not allow me to take him to Mexico. If my husband's waiver is not approved, I will be forced to choose between abandoning my husband in Mexico to remain in the U.S. with my son or abandoning my son in the U.S. to be with my husband in Mexico.
• I am currently responsible for paying my son XXX medical insurance. He has been diagnosed with a testicular cyst. He is currently under supervision and may need to have it removed. I will not be able to afford insurance if I have to move to Mexico to be with my husband, and it will be very difficult to get another insurance for him since he now has a pre-existing condition.
• I have a large family history of ovarian cysts and breast cancer and am therefore at more risk. Because of this my doctor has recommended me to have yearly exams. It is difficult for me to detect unusual lumps in my breasts since they are naturally lumpy. Because of this they have started giving me mammograms at an early age, to detect any changes. Breast cancer has a high death rate in Mexico since it goes undetected. Without medical insurance I would not be able to afford the exams necessary to remain healthy.
• I have suffered with anxiety disorder which causes me to have heart palpitations and panic attacks. I am taking Xanax & Zolof for my condition, as prescribed by my doctor. (Copies of my prescriptions enclosed). My husband helps to remind me to take my medication. When I have an anxiety attack I have to take the Xanax, it leaves me extremely tired, almost zombie like and I’m unable to function. Because of this my husband steps in to help care for not only me – but the children. I can not take my medication when I am alone with our son XXX because he is only 5 years old and needs to be watched all the time. There is a great possibility that if XXX and I were not reunited in the United States that my anxiety and obesity would cause an even greater amount of damage to my health.
• I am also morbidly obese with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 45. Any BMI over 30 is considered obese. My obesity puts me at great risk for many future health problems. The Surgeon General lists premature death, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, breathing problems, arthritis and many other health consequences linked to obesity. My greatest risk is diabetes since it is very hereditary and my mother and grandfather both have it, as well as many aunts and cousins on my mother’s side of the family. The National Institute of Mental Health has found that one out of four cases of obesity is associated with a mood or anxiety disorder. Diabetes is the number one killer in Mexico. Many can not afford the medical care needed. Moving to Mexico to be with my husband would put my health in grave danger.
• We have a 5 year old son together. XXX does not speak Spanish and adjusting to life in Mexico if his father is not allowed back in the United States would be extremely difficult. XXX will not have the same educational opportunities he has here in the United States, as well as the health care. The schools have an extremely high drop out rate in Guerrero where Santa Cruz is from. The poverty is so severe that children often quit school at a young age and are sent out to find work to help support the families. The quality of the healthcare providers is questionable in Mexico, especially in the small town in Guerrero that XXX comes from. They still use witch doctors instead of going to a licensed physician. Not having XXX here in the United States with us would be extremely difficult. It is important for us to raise him with a family that is intact. I would be forced to move to Mexico so that our son can grow up with a father and mother, leaving my oldest son behind in the U.S. with his biological father.
• In 2005 we started our own landscape/gardening business. XXXdoes all of the labor and I take care of all of the paperwork and help with landscape design. We have a goal of obtaining our contractors license here in the state of California for landscaping; so that we will be allowed to take on larger jobs and be able to afford to hire other employees. The minimum wage in California as of January 2008 is $8 per hour, and it is California law to have workers compensation insurance for any employees that we hire. Because of this we have not hired any employees to work with us at our business. Financially we have just reached the point where I am able to do the paperwork from home, work part time with the school district as a clerical substitute, and attend college a couple days a week, taking various agriculture classes that will all be credited towards obtaining the contractors license. At this point it would be financially devastating if XXX was not available to do the work for our customers, since that is our sole source of income, and I am physically not able to do it. If he were to have an extended stay in Mexico, I would have to close the business and throw away all we’ve been working for. There is no way financially for me to hire someone and pay them minimum wage plus pay workers compensation insurance and be able to support our family. Our business is currently bringing in about twice the amount I had made at my previous job (which was 50 miles away). This pays our mortgage, and other debts and expenses. I would be forced to drop out of school and find work, leaving my child in daycare for extended hours. I would not be able to find a job in the city where we currently reside since the income in this area for the type of office work I do is considerately less than more populated areas. I would have to look for a job over 50 miles away where the pay would be more, but the cost of gasoline and extended child care would eat up any larger monies earned. Without XXX working here at the business we’ve worked so hard to build, I would lose our home in foreclosure. There is no possible way for me to make enough money on my own to pay for everything.
• I have several financial obligations that would be impossible to pay without my husband here to work and help support our family. My mortgage payment is over $2,000 per month, I have credit cards that amount to about $3,000 total and I have a car payment that is $650 per month. I owe more than my car is worth so selling it would not be an option, and with the housing market downfall in California I believe I owe more on my house than I could sell it for. I have medical insurance for our family that I am also responsible for. I can not neglect my responsibilities, but I can not pay them off if my husband does not return to help with our business.
• If I were to have to move to Mexico in order to be with my husband it would be tremendously difficult for me. I do not speak Spanish, so I would not be able to find work, nor would I be able to continue my education and career goal of obtaining our contractors license. It would be difficult to even function in a place that I could not communicate in. We would have to stay in XXX’s hometown in Guerrero with his family until he found some sort of work and a home of our own. This would be terrible since the town they live in is so poor that even today his mother does not have a toilet in her home and has to ‘go’ outside somewhere. His sister and her children don’t even have beds and sleep on matt’s on the dirt floor in their home. These are only some of the conditions and the way of life in their town, and some of the reasons why there is so many health issues in that area. The ground is contaminated with feces and sleeping on the floor with scorpions and whatever else is crawling around is not how I want to live, nor do I want my children to even experience. The health care in Mexico does not even compare to the healthcare we receive here in the United States. It is estimated that 40% of the population in Mexico are living in poverty. The minimum wage in Mexico is about 49 pesos per day, and many earn less than that. With me not speaking the language, XXX will have to find a job that would not only pay enough for us to find a home and feed our family, but pay the debts we currently have here in the United States, as well as help to save for XXX’s college tuition in 4 years. We would not be able to afford decent health care, traveling to a larger city to see a real licensed physician, nor would we be able to afford to put Andres in a private school to have a chance at a some what decent education. With my own medical conditions, the stress of living in a foreign country, in poverty, not speaking the language and being separated from my oldest son XXX would devastate me. How could I choose between allowing my youngest son a family with a mom and dad that live together, and leaving my oldest son in the United States? I want the best for my children as any mother does… I also want to raise them in a happy healthy home, without the added anxiety of living in poverty, or living apart from my husband.
• Two years ago my mother, XXX, and her husband, XXX, moved close to us so that we will be near by to take care of them as they start to age. They are still able to drive locally and do some things themselves. I make myself available to drive them long distances when needed, and my husband goes over every week to maintain their yard for them, and help them take care of any needs they might have. I have always been a strong moral support for my mother. She suffers from panic disorder/anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes. The things in life that you might think are minor have serious effects on her, making her physically ill. Knowing that we are going through this immigration process and that there is a chance that XXX will not return soon has had a terrible effect on her. The thought of our family being apart worries her, and even worse the thought that I might have to move with our son to Mexico in order to keep the family together has caused her to shed many tears and lose many nights of sleep. Her husband is now 71 and though is relatively healthy now, has had medical problems (such as bi-pass surgery) in the past. If my husband were to not be allowed to return to the United States it would cause them extreme hardship as well, the added stress and anxiety is not healthy for someone with a heart condition, or someone with panic disorder and diabetes.
• My father XXX and his wife XXX have grown to love Santa Cruz as their own son. We have spent lots of family time together on their boat, as my father has taught my husband a little bit about sailing. My husband and children love to be out on the water. My parents have been a tremendous support to us, not just emotionally, but spiritually. Through their guidance and prayer, we were able to find our own local church, and have made the commitment to raise our children in a Christian home. My parents are extremely proud of XXX for working hard and starting our own business. My step-mother worked as an educator for many years before retiring. It is very important for them to know that their grandchildren will receive the best education possible. They are concerned about the high drop out rate in Mexico, and the lack of educational supplies in the schools. They know that the only way for our children to get a good education in Mexico is to place them in private schools. They are also very aware that if we were forced to move to Mexico to live, that we would not be able to afford private school tuition. This is very alarming to them, not only would they miss seeing their grandchildren on a regular basis, but they are worried about their education and safety.
• We have several ties to our community as well. Our friends and family are very dear to us, we enjoy our times together. We purchased our first house in July 2004 and have been working hard to make it beautiful. The transformation is amazing! Our neighbors are thankful that we are working hard to make our neighborhood beautiful. As I stated earlier, I attend the local college; our son XXX attends preschool here while I am in school and will start kindergarten next year. We attend Calvary Chapel church every week and have found it a great blessing in our lives. Our son attended the vacation bible school during the summer and absolutely loved it. It is very important for XXX and I to raise our family in the church, teaching our children to have a personal relationship with God. We also believe it is important to confess our wrongdoings and make things right. XXX knows and acknowledges that he entered into this country in March 1999 without permission in order to find work. It was wrong and he is taking responsibility and asking for forgiveness.
These are our extreme hardships. I plead with you to forgive my husband and approve this waiver. It is our hope that the United States Government will have the compassion and forgiveness to keep our family together here in the United States. Please consider our extreme hardships of not just our health, business and financial situation, but keeping our family together and raising our children with the opportunities that they will only be given here in the United States.
Sincerely, ME