Immigration Update....

[JustAnotherUserName]

David has received his 10-year green card! It took just over three years. Obviously we're thrilled. It's like this enormous weight has been lifted off our shoulders.

My friend, Debra, married a Polish guy a couple years ago. She's 14 years older than him but there's no doubt in my mind that they're a "real" couple. He's lovingly taken on her two children; one of them has severe autism. Unfortunately, Immigration didn't believe them and he was deported to Poland last week. The official who conducted their interview, a thick-accented Hatian woman, sneered, "Do you think we're stupid? We see what you are trying to do here."

We have a friend who is here illegally from Mexico. He is a hard worker, a sought-after artisan, in fact. In an effort to "do it legally" he filed the requisite paperwork to get a work permit and green card. That was 11 years ago. Meanwhile, he waits. He's never accepted a dime of assistance from anyone and, yes, sends money back home to support his extended family.

There's just something so wrong about all of this.

[Alandria]

Wow, you're right, something does seem wrong about that. Yay for David though! Sit back, relax and enjoy that world being lifted :)

[Mango8260]

Congrats hun..your right. xoxo mango xoxo

[NatureJunkie]

I'm relieved for both you and David, Ruth, and congratulations. It's ironic that the government has put you and other couples like you through the ringer to have you prove you're a "real" couple (meaning, I suppose, that you married for love), when meanwhile millions of native-born Americans are married to each other in loveless marriages.

[flophousepoodle]

Way to go! The video worked!

[SydTheSkeptic]

Aw man- well, congratulations RUTH!!!!!!

but that just really sucks about your friends. Will she take her family to Poland, do ya think?

[JustAnotherUserName]

@Syd, they can't even take that poor girl to McDonalds. They've never gone out for dinner as a family or taken a vacation together. I highly doubt she'd go to Poland. This is, effectively, the end of their relationship, courtesy of US Immigration.

@Daniel, heck no....! When we were crossing the channel back into England and the border patrol guy saw my American passport and David referred to me as his wife, the guy apologized for not being able to give me "all the benefits of being British" on the spot, but gave told me where to go to get NHS and other benefits!

@everyone else...thanks for your good wishes :-)