When the Honduran Silvia Rosibel Ramírez received the letter of welcome to the United States with the approval of her residence, she says that she felt one of the greatest joys of her life after 35 years of living in the shadows and the limited protection of Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
“I cried, cried and jumped with happiness”, recalls Silvia who to the 57 years, he became a permanent resident.
To get the prized green card, he had what to expect 35 years. “I came in 1986 to Los Angeles to escape a relationship of domestic violence and because I wanted to give my son Byron a better life. In Honduras I couldn’t find a good job, ”he says.
When Silvia emigrated, she left her one-year-old son in the care of her grandmother. “The person who helped me cross told me that he could not bring the child.”
In Los Angeles he began to earn a living, playing from door to door with the sale of pots and kitchen utensils. Then she met a Mexican with whom she married and had four children who are now adults.
In 1997, she, her husband and a brother went to see a notary to see if he would help them fix their immigration status. “He told us that we qualified for political asylum, but instead of helping us, he had the three of us ordered deported, and it came to me on the mere day of my birthday and I was pregnant with my youngest child.”
It was a very hard blow, but two years later in 1999, managed to get protection with TPS, an immigration relief that is renewed every year and authorizes a work permit and a temporary legal stay in the country.
“With the work permit, I got a job in a fast food company, then I studied as a medical assistant and phlebotomist ( responsible for the collection, processing and transport of blood samples in a laboratory). I worked in the medical field for many years. ”
Silvia clarifies that although the TPS gave her a break, she was not calm because they told her that her deportation order was in force.
“I started to see lawyers. At least five told me there was nothing they could do. His recommendation was that I change my home, job or state. They practically wanted me to run away. ”
The responses of the lawyers made her worry and even more when she saw that the immigration agents did not stop arrest people. “They took my neighbor away and left their children crying.”
It was the immigration lawyer, Sergio Siderman, who agreed to take her case . “I was incredulous to see him, but when he told me ‘I lose my license if I don’t fix his papers’, he gave me great confidence.”
The defender made him see that they would file a residence petition based on his TPS and one of his children born in the United States, who had already reached the of legal age.
“In 2017, my son Christian who is now 30, applied for my residency. ”
But the lawyer also told him that he had to get a permit to travel (Advance Parole) to Honduras, and thus have a legal entry to the country, which will serve you for your residence request.
“Many people, including my brother, advised me not to go, that it was not a guarantee that they would let me return. I knew there was a risk, but ‘I said, I’ll raffle it’. I had no choice if I wanted to fix my residence. I bet that everything would be fine. ”
Silvia stayed two weeks in Honduras and when passing through the immigration area of the Los Ángeles (LAX), remember that he told his patron saint, San Judas Tadeo, “this is where I need you.”
And after present her Honduran passport, her TPS and her permit to travel (Advance Parole), the immigration agents put her in a room. “They interrogated me and reviewed my documents for 45 minutes or an hour. They asked me about all my immigration paperwork, I said ‘excuse me but I don’t bring that documentation. They immediately stamped my passport and let me pass. ”
The happiness that the Honduran woman felt when she left that room and headed out of the immigration area was explosive. “I almost jumped with pleasure. I thanked the Lord for giving me the opportunity to return to my family’s side. ”
Back in the country, it began to fight your deportation order in court. “After several hearings, we managed to have it taken away from me.”
Now without a deportation order, with a legal entry into the country, the TPS and the residence petition presented by your child, managed to be a legal permanent resident.
“I’m very happy. My life has taken a turn of 180 degrees. Two days ago I returned from Mexico. I went to Guanajuato to meet my mother-in-law and my husband’s family in person. ”
The best thing happened when he re-entered the country. “ I felt great peace when I handed over my green card and passed without fear. Really, how great is being a resident ”.
Silvia’s dream now is to help her son Byron, whom she left in Honduras, and later had her brought to the United States, to become a resident, but she also wants to study to be a registered nurse.
The lawyer Siderman explains that when Silvia went to see him to fix his residence, a decision was in force of the Ninth Circuit that allowed TPS beneficiaries to fix their immigration status without having to leave the country. “That is why I told him that I would bet my license as a lawyer if not I could get him residency.”
However, the Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the Ninth Circuit, and that is why he asked Silvia to travel to Honduras with an Advance Parole to register a legal entry upon her return.
With regard to the deportation order, he comments that it is not easy to eliminate oneself. “A negotiation has to be made with the prosecutors to reach an agreement that allows the case to be reopened and removed.”
The lesson of Silvia’s story, says the lawyer, is that there is always a way to fix the immigration status if the person does not have crimes and they have behaved well in the country .