I plead to you as a wife and mother in desperate need of your help. I am a medical assistant at the Siloam Family Health Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Siloam is a faith-based, non-profit clinic that serves the poor and uninsured. On June 23 my life, as I knew it, began to crumble under my feet. That morning my mother, who was at home watching my two year-old-son, Matthew, called the clinic to tell me that three men had approached with claims of an illegal man residing in our home. I had a sinking feeling in my heart that something was wrong. In a matter of minutes I got a call from my husband’s employer that Alex had been arrested and would be deported.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. Not my husband. It couldn’t be. Although we have been fighting and appealing for residency for Alex for years, we had no fear of deportation. Alex and I have been married for over four years and we welcomed our first son, Matthew, in February of 2007. Alex works hard to support our family and is a dedicated and loving husband. He sacrifices for our son and for me on a regular basis, always putting our needs and desires before his own. How can I live without this man? He is my partner, the father of my son, and my best friend.
The United States is the only place that will ever be home to Alex. Alex, along with his family, came to the United States as a young child from Guatemala in 1987. His parents and siblings have since been granted United States citizenship. He knows no one in Guatemala and I fear that within days he will be in a country that is not his home and find himself among faces he does not know.
Alex is an honest man and does not hide that he has a criminal history. Instead, he daily reminds himself of how far God has brought him. My fear is that officials will not look past what they see on paper to the man that Alex is today: a dedicated, hard working, family man who proudly calls the United States his home. In 2001, Alex was convicted of three misdemeanors resulting in a felony charge. He was incarcerated for three months. Since then he has earned his GED and been dedicated to not only his own growth and change, but also to providing a life for our family that will not produce the same challenges and struggles for our son.
Alex’s youthful mistakes continue to haunt us. For years we have applied for legal status and have paid a lot of money to immigration lawyers. Our appeals failed and in November of 2008 our appeal for Alex’s residency was closed. The next steps for Alex have not been made clear to me. My husband could be deported at any time and after several meetings with lawyers refusing to take the case, my hope is draining. I must now rely on my faith in God that He will provide a miracle. My prayer is that someone will look beyond Alex’s youthful mistakes to the man he is today and that he might be granted a pardon.
This is an urgent matter. Please contact me if you think you can be of any help. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Veronica Miranda
veronica.e.miranda@gmail.com
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