Getting my dad back in the US
Donation protected
For the past 7 years, my mom has worked endlessly to bring my dad back into the US. He had been stopped by the police in 2010, and upon discovering he didn't have papers, they immediately arrested him. We didn't pay for his bail quick enough, and by the time we did, ICE had already interfered. My dad voluntarily left the country in 2011, per the recommendation of our lawyers, and has been in Mexico since then. It has been a frustrating experience for my mom to prove that our family has suffered without his presence, when it should be a given.
This past month, December 22nd, my dad had his second meeting with the consultant in San Juarez. His first meeting back in 2016, for some reason, didn't go as planned. He should've been back after that meeting, but bureaucracy isn't always fast. So, on December 22nd, he had the exact same meeting. This means my mom had to pay for his flights, his hotel, his food, and his doctor's exam (since this is required for the meeting) on two separate occasions. My dad works as an Uber driver in Mexico, but most of his income comes from my mom who struggles to balance 2 jobs.
There was a 98% chance, as told by our lawyers, that my dad would have been back in 3 months’ time. However, it was the 2% that won. My father was denied reentry, and his pardon, a formal set of documents that says he has been pardoned for his past mistakes, was considered invalid.
Now, my mom is faced with the problem of having to do another pardon, which takes an incredible amount of effort and money to gather the information and send it off. A pardon costs about $950 - this money goes directly to the government, as our lawyers have stopped adding their own fees. One section of the pardon has become incredibly important in the last year, which is a psychological report done by a doctor. When we first did the pardon, my mom refused to do that considering it was $600 for 3 sessions. This was both time and money she did not have. Now, as an added barrier, immigration requests for this document as proof that yes, she has suffered for 7 years without her husband. My mom and I are scrambling to figure out how to gather this money fast enough in order to start the almost year long process of the pardon. We just want my dad back as soon as possible. The funds raised will directly go to his pardon, and hopefully this means he will be back soon. The extra $400 would tremendously help with his flight and stay for his next meeting. If you can't donate, please consider sharing my family's story. Thank you so much.
This past month, December 22nd, my dad had his second meeting with the consultant in San Juarez. His first meeting back in 2016, for some reason, didn't go as planned. He should've been back after that meeting, but bureaucracy isn't always fast. So, on December 22nd, he had the exact same meeting. This means my mom had to pay for his flights, his hotel, his food, and his doctor's exam (since this is required for the meeting) on two separate occasions. My dad works as an Uber driver in Mexico, but most of his income comes from my mom who struggles to balance 2 jobs.
There was a 98% chance, as told by our lawyers, that my dad would have been back in 3 months’ time. However, it was the 2% that won. My father was denied reentry, and his pardon, a formal set of documents that says he has been pardoned for his past mistakes, was considered invalid.
Now, my mom is faced with the problem of having to do another pardon, which takes an incredible amount of effort and money to gather the information and send it off. A pardon costs about $950 - this money goes directly to the government, as our lawyers have stopped adding their own fees. One section of the pardon has become incredibly important in the last year, which is a psychological report done by a doctor. When we first did the pardon, my mom refused to do that considering it was $600 for 3 sessions. This was both time and money she did not have. Now, as an added barrier, immigration requests for this document as proof that yes, she has suffered for 7 years without her husband. My mom and I are scrambling to figure out how to gather this money fast enough in order to start the almost year long process of the pardon. We just want my dad back as soon as possible. The funds raised will directly go to his pardon, and hopefully this means he will be back soon. The extra $400 would tremendously help with his flight and stay for his next meeting. If you can't donate, please consider sharing my family's story. Thank you so much.
Organizer
Kim Hipo
Organizer
Missouri City, TX
