I
was destroyed, reduced to a pile of fragmented shards by the email informing me
of the denial from USICS. Joelle sent me
home, though she wanted to call someone to come get me instead. She only saw the tattered facade left behind
by emotions run amok; she couldn’t see the core of steel, the resolve that was
keeping me upright when all I wanted to do was crumble into pieces on the
floor. I left because it was easier to
do so, and because I needed Ashley.
I
explained what had happened to my parents as best as I was able though I was
distraught to say the least. I couldn’t talk
about what would happen next because I didn’t know. I needed comfort that Ashley was unable to
give, so I opted for a distraction instead and we went to the YMCA to go
swimming. I was completely, even
blissfully numb by the time we got into the pool. Every time a thought about immigration
surfaced, my mind would make little cement shoes and send the thought to sleep
with the fishies. I existed without
emotion and feeling nothing for several days, knowing that Alberto and Ashley
needed me to be strong.
July
23rd was my meeting with Lance and Graciela to talk options, knowing that it
would be left to me to explain everything to Alberto. I reminded myself that Lance had said
‘options’ as in more than one choice, though they made all be unpleasant. I arrived early as always, with my heart
sheathed in a block of ice, knowing that I would have to say goodbye at least
one more time. My frozen heart couldn’t
hold back the tears as Lance laid the options on the table.
1. Appeal the
Denial: Processing an appeal can take
USICS anywhere from 3 months to 2 years.
Alberto would remain in jail, or be deported in the meantime. Then there was the chance that if he was
deported, he would be denied parole if another interview were required. It would also potentially be the same person
reviewing the appeal, and the outcome would be final.
2. Refile through the
Lockbox: Alberto would leave the country
by deportation, which would trigger a 10 year ban. USICE would not release him to leave on his
own dime, and the chances of buying his ticket through the government were slim
to none. The refilling would have to
include the I-601 and I-212 waivers with a combined filing fee of $1,170.
3. Cut our losses and
leave the country: It would take me at
least 6 months to a year just to pay off all the debt I have before leaving the
US. Leaving would be giving up, and I
need to try one last thing.
Alberto
and I talked about this as in-depth as one is able to in a 20 minutes video
chat. He will give the government their
moment of victory and allow himself to be deported. This gives us the most options in the end.
That
brings me to today, the day that the weasel got his way. Judge Whatshisface wanted to know what we
were doing back in court when he told us to just submit the approval by fax so
he could terminate the proceedings. It
was almost satisfying to see the judge dumbstruck when Graciela told him we’d
been denied. Imagine that, the judge was
actually disgusted by the decision made by USCIS, the governmental branch he
works for. After Alberto conferred
briefly with Graciela before stating his wish to be deported, the judge tried
to get him to change his mind and appeal.
Maybe if this judge would have had any say in the outcome an appeal
would have been the way to go, but unfortunately that’s not the case. The hearing is over, the decision is final,
and my husband will be the next plane to Mexico.
My
rights to ‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ have once again been
suspended because some asshat doesn’t think I’ve suffered enough.
“The
Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it
is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it come to
dominate out lives and interests.”
Patrick
Henry
Ciao
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