In August 2017 47-year-old Maria Mendoza-Sanchez and her husband sent from the United States to Mexico after they spent 15 years to receive legal status in Oakland (CA). But November 30 — more than a year after deportation, the woman won an appeal to return to the U.S. to reunite with their 4 children.
«This is amazing, — she told the San Francisco Chronicle. — I could hardly believe it.»
The first person she told the news, was the children left in California:
«I told them to Wake up, asked to gather in one room and said, «Mom’s coming home.» They were very happy.»
And all began so. In 1994 Maria with the oldest child came to California, where was her husband on a tourist visa. In the US they had three more children who automatically became citizens of the country.
“This is amazing. … I could barely believe it”: Maria Mendoza-Sanchez got a call Friday morning saying her visa had been approved. She plans to pick up the paperwork Monday. And a week or two later, she’ll be back in the Bay Area.
Read more: https://t.co/MKVuoRuEV8 pic.twitter.com/Dye8LnQMqh
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) December 1, 2018
Being undocumented, the woman received permission to work in the early 2000-ies, and studied and worked to become a nurse, specializing in Oncology. Since 2002, Maria and her husband had applied for legal status in the United States. But in 2013, the judge made the decision not in favor of the spouses.
However, during the Barack Obama they were given two more one-year stay period, and then the government sent all the forces on the deportation of criminals, but allowed the couple to remain in the United States.
The situation changed after the coming to power of Donald trump. Under the new immigration policy in August 2017, the couple was forced to move to Mexico and left the younger children in the care of the eldest daughter.
This is what deportation looks like. Maria Mendoza-Sanchez & her husband deported Weds., despite no criminal record. pic.twitter.com/N3iWyCWV85
— Gabe #DreamActNow Ortíz (@TUSK81) October 20, 2017
Her case attracted the attention of political leaders, and her colleagues from the Highland Hospital held a protest against her deportation. And the hospital asked her to get a visa H-1B, claiming that Maria is qualified for the job. In the end, this year the nurse has won the lottery to obtain a work H-1B visa sponsored by Highland Hospital.
The woman was also supported by democratic Senator from California Dianne Feinstein. After the news about the return of Mary, the politician said that he had met with the woman and maintained close contact with her children over the last year. According to Feinstein, she was glad that Maria got a visa, given her work as a nurse and the importance of the reunification of her family.
«It’s kind of judgment and compassion, in which our immigration system desperately needs more,» said Feinstein.
According to Maria, she did not expect that so quickly get an answer, because just last week at the Consulate told her that the final decision will be made in about a month.
«I think because of the pressure (politicians and the public) they expedited the process,» said her immigration lawyer Kamiel ‘ Becker.
Maria said that after the reunification with the children, she plans to return to work at the hospital and try to get a visa for my husband.
