Donate to Nedjie Jean-Francois' Legal Fees

Hello, my name is Nedjie Jean-Francois. I came to the States 15 years ago following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. I was 9 years old when we moved, and I've spent all of my formative years in the U.S.

Growing up, my mom told me that if I focused on my education and worked hard, I'd be able to accomplish anything. I've always been a tragic optimist, so I put in the work. I held a job throughout high school, participated in every club, volunteering, and academic opportunity I could fit in my schedule. I ended up graduating with my associate's degree through dual enrollment.

When it came time to apply for universities, I looked far and wide for scholarships and came up short. No one talks about the limited opportunities there are for students of my immigration status. If I was a permanent resident, I'd qualify for Bright Futures, and I'd be able to accept the grants and scholarships that were rescinded because of my status. It really hurt when I couldn't even get funding through FAFSA. It made me realize that if I wanted to go to college, I'd have to come up with the money myself.

I got accepted into FSU, and I worked two jobs my freshman year since classes were remote due to COVID. I ended up moving to Tallahassee the following year and worked as a server. I got in a car accident my sophomore year and totaled my car. It was a difficult 3 years, to say the least, but my mom and I worked hard to afford the $32,000 annual tuition. I walked everywhere and made use of Tally's public transit. Despite all the hardships, I graduated in spring 2023 with 2 degrees and $10,000 in debt from the private loan I had to take out.

There was not a day I didn't envy my peers that got to focus on school alone. My university experience was made so difficult because of my immigration status, something completely outside of my control.

I dream of being a lawyer, and I plan on applying for school this fall. With the way immigration laws keep changing and the particular disdain this administration seemingly has against Haiti, I'm scared of what lies ahead. My TPS extension has already been shortened from 18 to 12 months.

I need the security of permanent residence to live my life without the fear of deportation. The petitions I have to file are $2,325. I want to submit my petition with a lawyer to ensure everything is done correctly so I don’t run into any issues but the quotes I’ve received are an added $4,000. I’m hoping to find an attorney with a lower rate so if anyone has a suggestion please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Getting my green card would be a life-saving change. The U.S. is my home; I've experienced my whole life here. I don't want to be separated from my family and friends. I don't want my dreams to be taken away from me. My entire life is here. I hope that with the help of my community, I'll be able to preserve my dreams.