IMMIGRATION SUCCESS STORY
An amazing success story once again stemming from a collaboration from many programs to help a family find their place in the United States.
October 9, 2008
Dear Friends of Catholic Charities,
As Haitian immigrants living in the U.S., our story all begin about ten years ago when we, my mother and I, applied for application type I-485 for adjustment of status under HRIFA (Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act). As the case was processing in West Palm Beach, Florida, we moved to Pensacola, Florida, at my mother’s employer’s request. Thereafter, all the preliminary processing started well even though we relocated. Yet however, when it came to the interview letter, although we notified the West Palm Beach immigration office of our new address in Pensacola before leaving the area, the letter was sent to the wrong address. As a result, by not receiving the letter for the interview, mommy and I lost the appointment as well as the chance to adjust my mom’s immigration status and thus mine since I was a minor at the time. To make matters worse, by the time we did find out what happened, the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) had already wrongfully denied our case. Before coming to this realization, it took us years and years from, seeing lawyer after lawyer and going from place to place until finally getting Catholic Charities of NW Florida to help us. There, a lady by the name of, My-Dung T. Do, a Program Coordinator of the Catholic Charities’ Immigration and Refugee Services helped us get a hold of the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) which confirmed immigration’s termination of the case. With this knew insight, she referred us to Catholic Charities in Orlando to help us with the Motion to Re-open or Re-consider our case status. We did not hear from USCIS in West Palm Beach or Jacksonville, Fl and so we seek My-Dung’s help again and again.
Throughout this long waiting period, in May 2005, my mother lost her mother. A year later, in May 2006, she also lost her father in Haiti. Because of our immigration status, neither one of us could travel back to Haiti to attend their funerals. As if our lives weren’t complicated enough, that same year my grandfather died. My mom was mugged outside our apartment complex on his way home from work one night. Left with a broken arm and concussion, my mom was out of work for three months. We struggled financially, especially because her job was the only source of income coming into our household. There was never anything I could do except provide her with emotional support, go to school, help around the house, cook, and clean. Since I didn’t have a Social Security number, I couldn’t drive, couldn’t get a job, and simply could not have a normal life. That was my reality. Because of my immigration status, although English is my second language and have worked extremely hard to becoming an honors student, I could not even get any scholarships or financial aid to pay for my college tuition. Likewise, getting accepted into college was a challenge and a struggle of itself. Throughout it all, my mom and I prayed and prayed and eventually, not only was I then accepted into Pensacola Junior College, a few months ago this year, I was also accepted into the University of West Florida. Despite our difficulties, I remember how, though we often couldn’t hold back tears, God’s voice consistently became the loudest voice in our lives. Fortunately for us, we did not have to go through it all alone thanks to our church family at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church.
As time continued passing by, with still no response from the immigration office. On June 11, 2008, about a month in a half before my twenty-first birthday, the age of adulthood, the age that would aged me out from any immigration benefit, my mom decided to go to Catholic Charities of NW Florida again to see My Dung. There that day, My Dung advised my mom to contact one of the private attorneys in town or in Orlando to represent us in Immigration Court. In response, my mother explained to her that we have already spoken to a few attorneys and can not afford their fees. We asked her to find a different approach if possible. With that said, My Dung tried one last attempt by sending an email to, Berta from USCIS Miami Office. She is the Congressional contact for both USCIS Miami and West Palm Beach Offices. From then on, My Dung and Berta began working and collaborating with one another in the hopes of somehow successfully getting our case re-open and adjudicated before I turned twenty one year old. On July 16, 2008, my mom’s constant persistence of going to My Dung’s office at each and every chance possible over the past eight years paid off because that day, USCIS didn’t just respond to us, they also asked that my mom and I attend our immigration interview in Jacksonville, Florida the following Tuesday, a week before my birthday. You see, this letter meant that we had finally received the second chance we had always prayed and searched for. We were not only given the opportunity to re-open our case, but also, change our status in the United States of America. About a month and a half after attending the most important interview of our lives, the USCIS mailed us our Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards). Today, I am often told by many people, who have worked for the government or who are familiar with how the government operates, that they have never known of any USCIS office to re-open a case in just a matter of months. Normally, once attending the kind of interview that we have attended, it would take about a few years before administering a Permanent Resident Card to the applicant. In my eyes, getting our case to re-open is an absolute miracle. To My Dung from Catholic Charities of NW Florida in Pensacola, Berta from USCIS in Miami District, and to Jean from Catholic Charities in Orlando, and the staff at both Catholic Charities, thank you for helping make the impossible become possible. Over the years, I have heard of a lot people who have receive great help from Catholic Charities and now, I can honestly say that I have truly experienced the caring, dedicative, and charitable nature of its staff through My Dung. For that and more, My Dung, will always hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you My Dung for giving us a life here in the United States and for never giving up on my mom and me throughout it. We will always love and appreciate you.
Forever grateful,
Vida and Doroty