Papi
06-18-2008, 05:02 AM
Final edition for next week. Please check. Thanks.
To whom it may concern:
I, Papi, a United States Citizen, am writing this letter in support of application I-601 on behalf of my caring wife of almost five years, Mrs. Papi, and swear that all information provided is true. The following information is supporting evidence to show the extreme suffering and hardship I would face should I be forced to relocate from the United States to be with my wife. Mrs. Papi voluntarily left the United States after filing the I-130 as a show of good faith, and we have been in contact via telephone almost every day. It has been extremely difficult for me to be apart from Señora Papi after living with each other for the past four years, as I have become psychologically dependent on her presence.
MEDICAL
Should I be forced to relocate to Mexico, I would be subject to medical care with no health insurance in a remote area with the nearest major medical facility over two hours away. I am currently in need of medical care from two different doctors that I have been seeing for many years, as well as the professional care of a psychologist. I have a severely injured back, to the point in which my doctor has suggested surgery as the solution to this ailment. While I have been able to function without the surgery to this date, my doctor has given the directive that I have surgery and continuous physical therapy to correct my back issue, and to use extreme care in any activities that I participate. The only reason I have opted not to have surgery to this point is my fear of the risk of paralysis should there be any complications during surgery of the spinal column. As such, I would not be able to survive living on my own, thus a great need for the presence of my wife. I am suffering from degenerative disc disease as well as two herniated discs, L4-L5 and L5-S1, which inflame and cause me severe pain, to the point that it prevents me from walking and I am forced to take pain medication. It is these moments in which I dearly miss the assistance of Mrs. Papi, as she was the one who would help me perform my daily routine, such as cooking, cleaning, changing my clothes, or even walking to the bathroom. Provided is a letter from Dr. DoLittle, MD, my attending doctor for this injury since it initially occurred in the year 2000, and former head of the X University’s Sports Medicine Center and Team Physician for X Athletics (1990-2004), and current Medical Director of X Center, (*Exhibit A). Dr. DoLittle has prescribed me Percocet and Vicodin (*Exhibit B), for the past eight years, and I continue to use them in an attempt to control the extreme pain from which I suffer. Dr. DoLittle’s letter fully outlines the seriousness of my condition and his prognosis, stating that it is imperative that I remain under his care.
Also provided is a letter from my family doctor, Dr. Hoohoo, MD (*Exhibit C), stating that I am under his care for hypercholesterolemia (*Exhibit D, provided by Penn State University). I have been under Dr. Hoohoo’s care for years, and the recent discovery of hypercholesterolemia has been an issue of serious concern. Dr. Hoohoo has ordered me to be tested by his office at The X University Medical Center Family Practice, every three months until I have my hypercholesterolemia at least brought under control. Dr. Hoohoo is also the physician of both of my parents, and has been treating my mother for many years in working to control her cholesterol disorder. Family history and genetics plays a major role in cholesterol disorders, and Dr. Hoohoo ’s familiarity with my family’s medical history is a huge advantage in attempting to bring under control my hypercholesterolemia. An example of this advantage is that Dr. Hoohoo has the knowledge of what medication works best for my mother, and can use the same medication for my illness (*Exhibit E), instead of constantly working through a method of trial and error until finding the right medication.
Psychologist Dr. Phil, PhD, has provided a letter (*Exhibit F) showing that I am suffering from depression and need to remain under his care for treatment. Dr. Phil’s letter states, “It is imperative that Mr. Babai stay in the United States in order to receive treatment for his Depression.” The letter also indicates how the presence of my caring wife would aid in my overcoming of this psychological disorder. Additionally, Dr. Phil’s letter shows that I am a critical component in my parents’ lives, as they are both physically ill, and that my mother is also under treatment for depression and dependent on me.
These doctor visits are critical to my health, well-being, and ultimately my life. Moving to Mexico, it is highly unlikely that I would be able to find doctors in Mexico who would be able to care for me and know my situation so well, especially in the remote area where my wife is located. Should I be forced to relocate to Mexico, not only would I lose years of history with my current doctors, but I would not be able to communicate effectively with Mexican medical professionals as to what my medical ailments are or from what I am suffering.
Should I relocate to Mexico, I have great worry of how I will be able to continue to take my long-term cholesterol medication, as well as my long-term medication to control the pain I suffer in my lower back region. Of great concern to my health is this line posted on the travel advisory page of the United States State Department’s website (*Exhibit G1): “The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens not travel to Mexico for the sole purpose of buying prescription drugs. U.S. citizens have been arrested and their medicines confiscated by the Mexican authorities when their prescriptions were written by a licensed American physician and filled by a licensed Mexican pharmacist.” Should I live in Mexico, I cannot show a doctor my past medical records because they are to remain the United States, and I would have to convince a Mexican medical professional through another series of testing that I am suffering from my ailments. In an area of substandard medical care, I don’t know if they would even detect my hypercholesterolemia and I would possibly be without my medication, or would have to risk refilling my medication at a pharmacy and be possibly subjected to penalties. If I were able to get my medication, the following line, again from the State Department’s website (*Exhibit G2): “In addition, U.S. law enforcement officials believe that as much as 25 percent of medications available in Mexico are counterfeit and substandard. Such counterfeit medications may be difficult to distinguish from the real medications and could pose serious health risks to consumers.” According to these statements, were I fortunate enough to get medication to help my hypercholesterolemia and degenerative disc disease, there is still a twenty-five percent chance that the medication I need to sustain my life may be of risk to me. Due to the lack of sufficient genuine medication and proper, current medical care in Mexico, my life can very seriously be put at risk, lower my life expectancy, and dare I say, have even deathly consequences.
FAMILY
My parents, both of whom are United State Citizens, are already older in age and continue to suffer from health issues. My father is suffering from diabetes mellitus, is on a very strict diet and has a daily regimen in which he must check his blood sugar three times daily. He is under current medical treatment by the aforementioned Dr. Hoohoo (*Exhibit L), and is taking prescription medication (*Exhibit M). Diabetes is not a predictable disease, and my father could suffer from a stroke, blindness, heart attack, etc, at any time. Now is the critical time that he needs my assistance and support.
My mother suffers from a variety of ailments, including high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, allergy problems, anxiety, and takes a myriad of medications on a daily basis (*Exhibits N through X). Again, heredity and genetics is a major factor here, and this puts me at a high-risk category of acquiring one of these diseases. My mother is on disability retirement (*Exhibit Y), cannot even work, and has not for the past five years. Because of the trauma her injury caused her, she has had to seek psychological counseling in order to maintain a healthy mental condition. My father is a substitute teacher who is paid based on the numbers of days he works during a pay period, instead of a guaranteed salary. They do not have much income, are not in the greatest of health, and therefore depend on me practically on a daily basis to help them, even be it something as simple as cutting their lawn, which is something they cannot afford to pay someone to do due to such a limited income. This is reiterated in Dr. Phil’s letter (*Exhibit F), stressing the importance of my presence for my parents.
Other than my parents, the only other person in my immediate family is one younger brother who is a traveling occupational therapist. He is sent on assignments for several months at a time to destinations across the United States. He was assigned to a facility in Florida, then Ohio, returned to Florida, is currently in Illinois for the summer of 2008, and will be re-assigned again for Fall 2008. With my parents’ medical condition, it is critical that one of their two children stay close to home, as any child would want to do for a parent who is not doing so well in health, let alone both of them. Should I be fortunate enough to find employment in Mexico, the drastic reduction in wages only would make it very difficult for me to visit my parents, especially should it be on a very short notice due to a sudden, more severe illness, than from those that they suffer from now.
EDUCATION
I am a graduate of The Ohio State University, and I proudly earned my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Nutrition in 2002 (*Exhibit H). I have been searching for a way to fund furthering my education by returning to school for either a second degree or to study at the graduate level in order to work in my field of studies. Moving to Mexico would make it nearly impossible to further my studies, as I am not sufficiently fluent in Spanish to study at the university level in Mexico. I have a great desire to further my education, and failure to do so would be a missed lifetime opportunity. My degree would not be very recognized at a Mexican university or in the Mexican workforce, and I would have to virtually forfeit my over five years of studying.
EMPLOYMENT
I have been employed by the same company for over twelve years, and have received several promotions and prestigious awards over the past few years as a result of very, very hard work, and many sleepless nights. My wife is unable to work in Mexico right now, because she is living with her family in a very remote area where employment opportunities are very scarce. In addition to paying my rent, utilities, credit card debt, student loan, car and insurance payments, and other daily expense, I am financially obligated to send money to my wife in order to help her with her daily expenses, due to her inability to find employment.
As mentioned, I am the recipient of several very prestigious awards from the McDonald’s Corporation. I have become very established in my industry, and am well known in the state of Ohio for my accolades. It would be very difficult to find employment in Mexico with a salary comparable to the salary I am earning in the United States. As stated in the letter provided by my employer (*Exhibit I), I play an “integral” role in my company’s daily operations. I am a general manager for company called MJPT II and Associates dba McDonald’s, and have multiple positions with the company, among them my role as a General Manager of a restaurant, Supervisor of a second restaurant, and the Senior Manager for Training for our seven-restaurant organization. As part of my employment, I receive a bonus plan, company subsidized health insurance, including major medical, dental vision, disability, and life insurance. I also have a 401K-retirement plan and other benefits that I would be forced to forfeit and unable to find should I relocate to Mexico. I have served on committees for Corporate McDonald’s, have been award Manager of the Year on multiple occasions, and won an award known as the Ray Kroc Award (Exhibit J), which is granted to the top 1% of managers in the United States in 2005. I was 1 of 138 managers to win this VERY prestigious award, and have served in various other capacities for McDonald’s Corporation. Should I be forced to leave the country to be with my wife, I would lose my seniority and tenure with the company, and would not be able to find an opportunity similar to the one I have now due to so many differences in the restaurant industry between the United State and Mexico. I have no knowledge of the Mexican structure in the restaurant industry, and would have almost no opportunity to succeed.
In addition to working for McDonald’s, I have spent time serving on committees for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) based in Chicago, IL (Exhibit K). I have been very fortunate to work on committees to help standardize testing for the food service industry. The NRAEF asked for my assistance due to my expertise, accolades, and experience, and it has been a great honor for me to be able to serve in this role. I am also a certified Sanitarian-in-training registered with the State of Ohio (Exhibit L). The rules and regulations that are used in the United States are very, very different and my experience from the United States would not serve me in the same capacity if I were fortunate enough to find work in Mexico. In Mexico, there is very little need with someone of my expertise and capacity due to the structure of their legal and health systems.
Should I relocate to my wife’s native country of Mexico, it would be extremely difficult to find employment where I could succeed in the way I have in the United States. The area where my wife is located is primarily farming terrain on mountains, where my skills and college degree would be practically worthless. I worked intensely to earn my college degree from The X University, but this degree would not be well appreciated in Mexico. The closest town is approximately thirty minutes away, and there is almost no employment opportunity in this area. I would not be able to find anything remotely close to my home nor anything that would have wages equal to even one quarter of my current wage structure, without even taking into account my bonus potential.
FINANCIAL
I owe student loans totaling XXXXX, and I am obligated by law to pay this money back as it came from the federal government. In addition to this loan, I have credit debt amounting to XXXXXX, and a car loan in the amount of XXXXX from National City Bank. Moving to Mexico, there is almost no way I would be able to pay these obligations due to the low wages. My credit, which I have worked so hard to keep in good standing, would be destroyed, and any future in the United States would be a nightmare because of a poor credit situation.
MISCELLANEOUS
I am of the Baptist religion, and moving to Mexico, it would be difficult for me to practice my religion in a country where over ninety percent of the population is Catholic. Based on the information provided on the United States State Department, in a statement issued on April 4, 2008, it is written clearly that United States Citizens should be VERY cautious in the country of Mexico. Travel to Mexico is very difficult for me, as I have limited opportunity to take time off from my employer due to my intricate role in the operations of the company. The financial burden I am suffering from currently, living paycheck to paycheck, has been quite, quite difficult to deal with. I worked very, very hard to reduce my debt, only to have much of it return as my wife has been away and I have been forced to use my credit cards to pay my bills. Again, going to Mexico to see my wife would be extremely difficult for me to do because of my financial situation as well as the inability to take extended time off from work.
The United States State Department’s website states, “In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Mexico and many cases remain unresolved. Moreover, new cases of disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom continue to be reported.” This statement exhibits that this problem exists in Mexico, and would be reason for me to live in constant paranoia and fear. Also, the website states “It is preferable for U.S. citizens to stay in well-known tourist destinations and tourist areas of the cities with more adequate security, and provide an itinerary to a friend or family member not traveling with them.” I have not had a traffic ticket in over ten years, have never been arrested or even questioned by police in any way, and have had no legal issues whatsoever in the United States. Unfortunately, my wife is not located in a tourist area, but instead in a remote farming area where there is not even a police station within many miles of her home. We would be in an area with no job opportunities related to my areas of expertise, no medical facilities nearby, and an area where I would be subject to unsecure settings based on my citizenship.
My wife suffers from ovarian cysts, and has been seeing Dr. D since the year 2004. She has not been able to see a doctor in Mexico who has been able to treat here for this ailment since she returned to Mexico. She is a Mexican citizen, yet in her own country, she is not able to get the care that she has needed. Included is a letter stating that she has been under Dr. D’s care, and for what reason. Our only hope is that this event has not caused her any risk of being able to give birth, and wish is that Mrs. Papi can continue to see Dr. D so that we may begin to start our family.
CONCLUSION
The reason Mrs. Papi and I married was to begin our lives together, united as one family. This separation while awaiting immigration proceedings has been very difficult for both of us. It is difficult for me to take much time off from work, and cost prohibitive for me to visit my wife often. We are both suffering from the separation we are currently enduring, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As I mentioned earlier, my wife and I speak on almost a daily basis, and I communicate with her daily by sending text messages. I am trying to be a strong husband, working hard to show my wife that we must maintain our strength and have faith in the immigration system, however this is much easier said than done.
The term “extreme hardship” is very subjective and subject to a wide range of interpretation. How much more hardship should I be suffering from to merit the return of my wife to be with me twenty-four hours a day to assist me in my daily life and routine, especially as her return to me is humanitarian in nature? Any misjudgment, how ever small, may lead to a major blow and devastation to the lives of a law-abiding United States family (myself and my parents). I thank the Immigration Office for trusting my assertions, and certainly appreciate its fair judgment.
I ask that our application be processed with thought to the suffering and extreme hardships that my wife and I have been enduring while we have been separated, and to the bleak future we would both face should we were forced to live in Mexico. I am proud to be a graduate of The X University, a proud employee of McDonald’s Corporation, and a proud individual who has worked hard to be a model United States citizen. I take pride in that fact that I can vote and help shape our country’s government, and am able to speak my voice. Please consider our situation, and our dream to raise children in a stable environment with high morals and ethics, as we teach them to be great contributors to the American society.
Respectfully,
Papi
To whom it may concern:
I, Papi, a United States Citizen, am writing this letter in support of application I-601 on behalf of my caring wife of almost five years, Mrs. Papi, and swear that all information provided is true. The following information is supporting evidence to show the extreme suffering and hardship I would face should I be forced to relocate from the United States to be with my wife. Mrs. Papi voluntarily left the United States after filing the I-130 as a show of good faith, and we have been in contact via telephone almost every day. It has been extremely difficult for me to be apart from Señora Papi after living with each other for the past four years, as I have become psychologically dependent on her presence.
MEDICAL
Should I be forced to relocate to Mexico, I would be subject to medical care with no health insurance in a remote area with the nearest major medical facility over two hours away. I am currently in need of medical care from two different doctors that I have been seeing for many years, as well as the professional care of a psychologist. I have a severely injured back, to the point in which my doctor has suggested surgery as the solution to this ailment. While I have been able to function without the surgery to this date, my doctor has given the directive that I have surgery and continuous physical therapy to correct my back issue, and to use extreme care in any activities that I participate. The only reason I have opted not to have surgery to this point is my fear of the risk of paralysis should there be any complications during surgery of the spinal column. As such, I would not be able to survive living on my own, thus a great need for the presence of my wife. I am suffering from degenerative disc disease as well as two herniated discs, L4-L5 and L5-S1, which inflame and cause me severe pain, to the point that it prevents me from walking and I am forced to take pain medication. It is these moments in which I dearly miss the assistance of Mrs. Papi, as she was the one who would help me perform my daily routine, such as cooking, cleaning, changing my clothes, or even walking to the bathroom. Provided is a letter from Dr. DoLittle, MD, my attending doctor for this injury since it initially occurred in the year 2000, and former head of the X University’s Sports Medicine Center and Team Physician for X Athletics (1990-2004), and current Medical Director of X Center, (*Exhibit A). Dr. DoLittle has prescribed me Percocet and Vicodin (*Exhibit B), for the past eight years, and I continue to use them in an attempt to control the extreme pain from which I suffer. Dr. DoLittle’s letter fully outlines the seriousness of my condition and his prognosis, stating that it is imperative that I remain under his care.
Also provided is a letter from my family doctor, Dr. Hoohoo, MD (*Exhibit C), stating that I am under his care for hypercholesterolemia (*Exhibit D, provided by Penn State University). I have been under Dr. Hoohoo’s care for years, and the recent discovery of hypercholesterolemia has been an issue of serious concern. Dr. Hoohoo has ordered me to be tested by his office at The X University Medical Center Family Practice, every three months until I have my hypercholesterolemia at least brought under control. Dr. Hoohoo is also the physician of both of my parents, and has been treating my mother for many years in working to control her cholesterol disorder. Family history and genetics plays a major role in cholesterol disorders, and Dr. Hoohoo ’s familiarity with my family’s medical history is a huge advantage in attempting to bring under control my hypercholesterolemia. An example of this advantage is that Dr. Hoohoo has the knowledge of what medication works best for my mother, and can use the same medication for my illness (*Exhibit E), instead of constantly working through a method of trial and error until finding the right medication.
Psychologist Dr. Phil, PhD, has provided a letter (*Exhibit F) showing that I am suffering from depression and need to remain under his care for treatment. Dr. Phil’s letter states, “It is imperative that Mr. Babai stay in the United States in order to receive treatment for his Depression.” The letter also indicates how the presence of my caring wife would aid in my overcoming of this psychological disorder. Additionally, Dr. Phil’s letter shows that I am a critical component in my parents’ lives, as they are both physically ill, and that my mother is also under treatment for depression and dependent on me.
These doctor visits are critical to my health, well-being, and ultimately my life. Moving to Mexico, it is highly unlikely that I would be able to find doctors in Mexico who would be able to care for me and know my situation so well, especially in the remote area where my wife is located. Should I be forced to relocate to Mexico, not only would I lose years of history with my current doctors, but I would not be able to communicate effectively with Mexican medical professionals as to what my medical ailments are or from what I am suffering.
Should I relocate to Mexico, I have great worry of how I will be able to continue to take my long-term cholesterol medication, as well as my long-term medication to control the pain I suffer in my lower back region. Of great concern to my health is this line posted on the travel advisory page of the United States State Department’s website (*Exhibit G1): “The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens not travel to Mexico for the sole purpose of buying prescription drugs. U.S. citizens have been arrested and their medicines confiscated by the Mexican authorities when their prescriptions were written by a licensed American physician and filled by a licensed Mexican pharmacist.” Should I live in Mexico, I cannot show a doctor my past medical records because they are to remain the United States, and I would have to convince a Mexican medical professional through another series of testing that I am suffering from my ailments. In an area of substandard medical care, I don’t know if they would even detect my hypercholesterolemia and I would possibly be without my medication, or would have to risk refilling my medication at a pharmacy and be possibly subjected to penalties. If I were able to get my medication, the following line, again from the State Department’s website (*Exhibit G2): “In addition, U.S. law enforcement officials believe that as much as 25 percent of medications available in Mexico are counterfeit and substandard. Such counterfeit medications may be difficult to distinguish from the real medications and could pose serious health risks to consumers.” According to these statements, were I fortunate enough to get medication to help my hypercholesterolemia and degenerative disc disease, there is still a twenty-five percent chance that the medication I need to sustain my life may be of risk to me. Due to the lack of sufficient genuine medication and proper, current medical care in Mexico, my life can very seriously be put at risk, lower my life expectancy, and dare I say, have even deathly consequences.
FAMILY
My parents, both of whom are United State Citizens, are already older in age and continue to suffer from health issues. My father is suffering from diabetes mellitus, is on a very strict diet and has a daily regimen in which he must check his blood sugar three times daily. He is under current medical treatment by the aforementioned Dr. Hoohoo (*Exhibit L), and is taking prescription medication (*Exhibit M). Diabetes is not a predictable disease, and my father could suffer from a stroke, blindness, heart attack, etc, at any time. Now is the critical time that he needs my assistance and support.
My mother suffers from a variety of ailments, including high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, allergy problems, anxiety, and takes a myriad of medications on a daily basis (*Exhibits N through X). Again, heredity and genetics is a major factor here, and this puts me at a high-risk category of acquiring one of these diseases. My mother is on disability retirement (*Exhibit Y), cannot even work, and has not for the past five years. Because of the trauma her injury caused her, she has had to seek psychological counseling in order to maintain a healthy mental condition. My father is a substitute teacher who is paid based on the numbers of days he works during a pay period, instead of a guaranteed salary. They do not have much income, are not in the greatest of health, and therefore depend on me practically on a daily basis to help them, even be it something as simple as cutting their lawn, which is something they cannot afford to pay someone to do due to such a limited income. This is reiterated in Dr. Phil’s letter (*Exhibit F), stressing the importance of my presence for my parents.
Other than my parents, the only other person in my immediate family is one younger brother who is a traveling occupational therapist. He is sent on assignments for several months at a time to destinations across the United States. He was assigned to a facility in Florida, then Ohio, returned to Florida, is currently in Illinois for the summer of 2008, and will be re-assigned again for Fall 2008. With my parents’ medical condition, it is critical that one of their two children stay close to home, as any child would want to do for a parent who is not doing so well in health, let alone both of them. Should I be fortunate enough to find employment in Mexico, the drastic reduction in wages only would make it very difficult for me to visit my parents, especially should it be on a very short notice due to a sudden, more severe illness, than from those that they suffer from now.
EDUCATION
I am a graduate of The Ohio State University, and I proudly earned my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Nutrition in 2002 (*Exhibit H). I have been searching for a way to fund furthering my education by returning to school for either a second degree or to study at the graduate level in order to work in my field of studies. Moving to Mexico would make it nearly impossible to further my studies, as I am not sufficiently fluent in Spanish to study at the university level in Mexico. I have a great desire to further my education, and failure to do so would be a missed lifetime opportunity. My degree would not be very recognized at a Mexican university or in the Mexican workforce, and I would have to virtually forfeit my over five years of studying.
EMPLOYMENT
I have been employed by the same company for over twelve years, and have received several promotions and prestigious awards over the past few years as a result of very, very hard work, and many sleepless nights. My wife is unable to work in Mexico right now, because she is living with her family in a very remote area where employment opportunities are very scarce. In addition to paying my rent, utilities, credit card debt, student loan, car and insurance payments, and other daily expense, I am financially obligated to send money to my wife in order to help her with her daily expenses, due to her inability to find employment.
As mentioned, I am the recipient of several very prestigious awards from the McDonald’s Corporation. I have become very established in my industry, and am well known in the state of Ohio for my accolades. It would be very difficult to find employment in Mexico with a salary comparable to the salary I am earning in the United States. As stated in the letter provided by my employer (*Exhibit I), I play an “integral” role in my company’s daily operations. I am a general manager for company called MJPT II and Associates dba McDonald’s, and have multiple positions with the company, among them my role as a General Manager of a restaurant, Supervisor of a second restaurant, and the Senior Manager for Training for our seven-restaurant organization. As part of my employment, I receive a bonus plan, company subsidized health insurance, including major medical, dental vision, disability, and life insurance. I also have a 401K-retirement plan and other benefits that I would be forced to forfeit and unable to find should I relocate to Mexico. I have served on committees for Corporate McDonald’s, have been award Manager of the Year on multiple occasions, and won an award known as the Ray Kroc Award (Exhibit J), which is granted to the top 1% of managers in the United States in 2005. I was 1 of 138 managers to win this VERY prestigious award, and have served in various other capacities for McDonald’s Corporation. Should I be forced to leave the country to be with my wife, I would lose my seniority and tenure with the company, and would not be able to find an opportunity similar to the one I have now due to so many differences in the restaurant industry between the United State and Mexico. I have no knowledge of the Mexican structure in the restaurant industry, and would have almost no opportunity to succeed.
In addition to working for McDonald’s, I have spent time serving on committees for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) based in Chicago, IL (Exhibit K). I have been very fortunate to work on committees to help standardize testing for the food service industry. The NRAEF asked for my assistance due to my expertise, accolades, and experience, and it has been a great honor for me to be able to serve in this role. I am also a certified Sanitarian-in-training registered with the State of Ohio (Exhibit L). The rules and regulations that are used in the United States are very, very different and my experience from the United States would not serve me in the same capacity if I were fortunate enough to find work in Mexico. In Mexico, there is very little need with someone of my expertise and capacity due to the structure of their legal and health systems.
Should I relocate to my wife’s native country of Mexico, it would be extremely difficult to find employment where I could succeed in the way I have in the United States. The area where my wife is located is primarily farming terrain on mountains, where my skills and college degree would be practically worthless. I worked intensely to earn my college degree from The X University, but this degree would not be well appreciated in Mexico. The closest town is approximately thirty minutes away, and there is almost no employment opportunity in this area. I would not be able to find anything remotely close to my home nor anything that would have wages equal to even one quarter of my current wage structure, without even taking into account my bonus potential.
FINANCIAL
I owe student loans totaling XXXXX, and I am obligated by law to pay this money back as it came from the federal government. In addition to this loan, I have credit debt amounting to XXXXXX, and a car loan in the amount of XXXXX from National City Bank. Moving to Mexico, there is almost no way I would be able to pay these obligations due to the low wages. My credit, which I have worked so hard to keep in good standing, would be destroyed, and any future in the United States would be a nightmare because of a poor credit situation.
MISCELLANEOUS
I am of the Baptist religion, and moving to Mexico, it would be difficult for me to practice my religion in a country where over ninety percent of the population is Catholic. Based on the information provided on the United States State Department, in a statement issued on April 4, 2008, it is written clearly that United States Citizens should be VERY cautious in the country of Mexico. Travel to Mexico is very difficult for me, as I have limited opportunity to take time off from my employer due to my intricate role in the operations of the company. The financial burden I am suffering from currently, living paycheck to paycheck, has been quite, quite difficult to deal with. I worked very, very hard to reduce my debt, only to have much of it return as my wife has been away and I have been forced to use my credit cards to pay my bills. Again, going to Mexico to see my wife would be extremely difficult for me to do because of my financial situation as well as the inability to take extended time off from work.
The United States State Department’s website states, “In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Mexico and many cases remain unresolved. Moreover, new cases of disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom continue to be reported.” This statement exhibits that this problem exists in Mexico, and would be reason for me to live in constant paranoia and fear. Also, the website states “It is preferable for U.S. citizens to stay in well-known tourist destinations and tourist areas of the cities with more adequate security, and provide an itinerary to a friend or family member not traveling with them.” I have not had a traffic ticket in over ten years, have never been arrested or even questioned by police in any way, and have had no legal issues whatsoever in the United States. Unfortunately, my wife is not located in a tourist area, but instead in a remote farming area where there is not even a police station within many miles of her home. We would be in an area with no job opportunities related to my areas of expertise, no medical facilities nearby, and an area where I would be subject to unsecure settings based on my citizenship.
My wife suffers from ovarian cysts, and has been seeing Dr. D since the year 2004. She has not been able to see a doctor in Mexico who has been able to treat here for this ailment since she returned to Mexico. She is a Mexican citizen, yet in her own country, she is not able to get the care that she has needed. Included is a letter stating that she has been under Dr. D’s care, and for what reason. Our only hope is that this event has not caused her any risk of being able to give birth, and wish is that Mrs. Papi can continue to see Dr. D so that we may begin to start our family.
CONCLUSION
The reason Mrs. Papi and I married was to begin our lives together, united as one family. This separation while awaiting immigration proceedings has been very difficult for both of us. It is difficult for me to take much time off from work, and cost prohibitive for me to visit my wife often. We are both suffering from the separation we are currently enduring, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As I mentioned earlier, my wife and I speak on almost a daily basis, and I communicate with her daily by sending text messages. I am trying to be a strong husband, working hard to show my wife that we must maintain our strength and have faith in the immigration system, however this is much easier said than done.
The term “extreme hardship” is very subjective and subject to a wide range of interpretation. How much more hardship should I be suffering from to merit the return of my wife to be with me twenty-four hours a day to assist me in my daily life and routine, especially as her return to me is humanitarian in nature? Any misjudgment, how ever small, may lead to a major blow and devastation to the lives of a law-abiding United States family (myself and my parents). I thank the Immigration Office for trusting my assertions, and certainly appreciate its fair judgment.
I ask that our application be processed with thought to the suffering and extreme hardships that my wife and I have been enduring while we have been separated, and to the bleak future we would both face should we were forced to live in Mexico. I am proud to be a graduate of The X University, a proud employee of McDonald’s Corporation, and a proud individual who has worked hard to be a model United States citizen. I take pride in that fact that I can vote and help shape our country’s government, and am able to speak my voice. Please consider our situation, and our dream to raise children in a stable environment with high morals and ethics, as we teach them to be great contributors to the American society.
Respectfully,
Papi