I just got off the phone with him. Despite telling him (and me on the phone) that he’d be in Mason TN for three days, they transported him to Louisiana today. He’s spoken to someone there (not sure what type of person because our connection was horrible) who told him they have been offering people a chance to pay a five thousand dollar fine for a six month permit. Work permit? Who knows. But five thousand dollars might as well be five million to us.
Eva, I wasn’t sure if I wanted him around our daughter, not with the way he’s been drinking lately. And there has been very little work even in the summer, a time where he usually makes enough to get us through the winter time. Of course he’s promised to stop drinking, but isn’t that what they always say? I don’t really know what I want, but if I had that money in my pocket I’d send it. I don’t want to see him suffer and I know he wants to live here. If he could do it legally that would be all the better.
They gave him a list of local immigration attorneys but he was just able to get to the phone this late at night, at almost 11 p.m. He says he’ll try tomorrow, but with it being the weekend who knows. They told him he has two weeks at least until he goes before the judge. I told him to not waste money calling me (ten bucks per ten minute call!) and use what he can to contact an attorney there and I’ll do what I can from this end. Maybe with a lawyer they could work something else out that wouldn’t be so expensive.
I’ve never heard of such a thing - that’s crazy. If you get more details on that, I’d love to know. The government filing fee for a work permit is normally $380. And I’ve never heard of a six-month validity period (it’s normally a year except in a few specialized circumstances).
Even if you don’t want him around right now until he’s behaving better, if he’s deported, he may not have the option of being around her legally for 10 years, if ever - with his history it’s going to be next to impossible for him to get even a tourist visa, and until your daughter is 21, I can’t think of anyone who is even eligible to petition for him to get a green card, unless he marries a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or unless he has close U.S. citizen or permanent relatives that you haven’t mentioned. At least if he is granted cancellation of removal or some other form of relief, you (and he) have options.
Thank you! Last night after I posted that I went looking for more information and couldn’t find a thing about it! Getting a fresh start today making calls.
It’s possible someone lied. They’ve been lying to him at every point in this process.
It’s not a new law (I misspoke earlier) its a policy change. They are reviewing each current pending deportation order (about 300,000 of them) and putting all but those involving violent crimes or national security threats on indefinite hold while offering work permits to those who qualify which it sounds like he probably would.
When you are able to reach an immigration lawyer, chances are they will be very aware of this change in policy, and what the best course will be based on his specific situation.
Here is another news story about the announcement.
He’s spoken to someone there (not sure what type of person because our connection was horrible) who told him they have been offering people a chance to pay a five thousand dollar fine for a six month permit. Work permit? Who knows. But five thousand dollars might as well be five million to us. /QUOTE]
Wow, I am terribly sorry to hear your story, the situation sucks. As a whole I think the country should take a very hard stand on illegal immigration, however your story is quite compelling and makes the point that these things should definitely be decided on a case by case basis. The fact that there is a child involved that I am sure wants to have her father in her life makes this even more terrible.
I don’t have much advice as I have no experience in this type of issue. But, I can tell you without a doubt that who ever he spoke to is NOT trying to help him and IS trying to relieve him of $5000. The Government doesn’t sell visas or work permits, at least not for that small (in the context of things) of an amount. Make sure that you talk with and only deal with Attorneys or organizations devoted to immigrants. If you are not careful, something tells me that there are a ton of scumbags out there willing to take advantage of someone in a situation like this.
Thank you** Crazyhorse!** I don’t have a TV so I miss out on a lot of news.
I just got off the phone with him again. He’s upset because he tried to call the Mexican Consulate from the facility but he got a recording saying the number is blocked. That hardly seems fair.
I’ll try there Monday myself.
Obbn, I think he got that information from another person in the facility and not anyone in charge or on the outside. They probably have no idea what they’re talking about.
It’s not only unfair, it’s illegal. Foreign nationals have rights under international treaty to assistance from their home country’s consulate. Please tell the Consulate what you have posted here!
As far as halting deportations until cases are reviewed one by one, here’s the text of the White House announcement. It’s not a change in law per se, it’s applying existing laws differently than they have been applied until now in many cases. Nobody knows yet how it’s going to shake out in practical terms.
It just occurred to me this morning that he was calling me collect, and I wonder if he was calling them collect too, and maybe they have a collect call block at the consulate. I’m sending him copies of our daughter’s birth certificate and proof of her disability if that matters, and our lease here has his name on it so that would show he’s been living here for several years. I guess I’ll send him a phone card too.
Things are only remaotely likely to happen that fast if a) he isn’t bonded out of detention, and b) he doesn’t object to being deported and/or has no claim to relief form deportation. In Chicago, anyway, a non-detained person who goes for an initial hearing and doesn’t throw in the towel and simply ask to leave, and who asks for a continuance to get an attorney or for any other reason (such as to prepare an application for relief from deportation) is likely to have the next hearing scheduled at least several months out, if not a year or more. In some cases here, hearings are being scheduled as late as 2014. That’s how busy the courts are.
Even if he just wants to leave, he can request voluntary departure, which means he agrees to leave on his own within a certain period of time, normally 4 months. As long as he doesn’t have serious criminal convictions (and a DUI may or may not count, and probation on pot possession, I’m not sure about and it may depend on state law), the judge normally grants voluntary departure.
Another thing to keep in mind is that people in deportation proceedings are eligible to apply for work authorization (if they are not detained). So if he can be bonded out, you may be able to buy him quite a bit of time.
Contact the local immigrant rights coalition in the area of the detention facility. They can help you. There are people here in Denver who advocate for detainees and get them letters and things. At the very least, they’ll know the system.
Not sure if he’s in your daughter’s life at all or not, but ripping families apart is not good.
We were actually together when this happened, CitizenPained. I decided to break up with him because I don’t want to live with an alcoholic who takes chances like this. It’s not the first foolish mistake he’s made, he just usually doesn’t get caught and it’s always involving alcohol.
I didn’t really care at the time what happened to him I was so angry but now I’m starting to regret it. I don’t want to be with him anymore but I’m hoping he doesn’t get deported, and if he does I’m hoping I can help him safely get to a place where he has some family in Mexico City.
Thank you Eva. I was able to read it.
I’ve had two attorneys call and leave messages while I was out wanting me to call back but they’re long distance numbers and I have no long distance service so I’ll have to get a phone card for that when my daughter comes home from work.
At least I know now he’s able to contact an attorney.
So far there is one “free” service provider on that list in LA, Sean Lewis, who says they don’t do anything pro bono. They require 1500 dollars up front to do a detention center visit and consultation with of course no guarantees.
This is one who left a message this morning so I wonder if they’ll all tell me the same thing. I don’t know why they’re on that free provider list.
Louisiana State Law school has an immigration law clinic. Call them and see if they are taking clients right now. The school year would have just started. Their number is: (225) 578-8262.
In a law clinic, law students represent the client, under direct supervision of an experienced attorney. There is no charge if they take your case. If they can’t help you because they already have all the clients they can handle right now, they may know of other not-for-profit organizations in the area that assist with deportation defense.