Last Friday, January 25, President Donald trump has agreed to three weeks to open the government, including the immigration courts, while members of Congress continue negotiations on the construction of the wall.
But for the longest shutdown in U.S. history could not pass in vain. Closures have not only resulted in thousands of canceled court hearings, but also caused turmoil and confusion among those who are waiting for this response period for its request.
«My wife tried to overcome this nightmare of waiting,» said Alfredo Valdes, who along with his wife Claudia at the beginning of January was to become legal residents of the United States.
40-year-old native of Mexico was waiting for this day for almost 25 years. His father, a naturalized U.S. citizen, had first applied for a green card for his son in 1994, a few years after it was illegally brought into the country. But the annual limit on the number of green cards available to Mexicans, has led to a more than 20-year wait.
Alfredo and Claudia each year to pay over $1300 for the renewal of work permits. The man works as an assistant electrician and work in construction, and his wife engaged in the delivery and packaging in the food warehouse. They have two sons 13 and 18 years.
But now because of the shutdown may take another couple of years before they get their green card.
«It’s a bit depressing,’ said Alfredo. Is not what we expected.»
Across the country more than 800 thousand cases are pending in immigration court (the most in California, 146 thousand). Each week of the shutdown to this figure was added 20 thousand cases, which was postponed indefinitely. By January 11, only in California was abolished more than 9 thousand legal cases.
Moreover, about 300 of the nearly 400 immigration judges were sent on unpaid leave, said Ashley Tabaddor — President of the volunteer organization National Assn. of Immigration Judges.
According to Tabaddor, most likely, the majority of immigrants, whose trials were moved, have to go to the end of the queue, and this can cause a delay of two to four years. She believes that for some immigrants it can cause irreparable harm.
«Those with the best business and who is willing to go forward, will suffer, says Tabaddor. — Memories and witnesses disappear, children grow up, and parents die of old age.»
