Wife of Juan Cruz is in Labor - She is a U.S. Citizen, He was sent to Mexico

Juan Cruz came to the U.S. when he was 4. He is undocumented. He has been deported and his wife is about to give birth.

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CONTACTS:
For info on access to Tanya (the soon to be mother) Karen (Tanya’s cousin): 415 670 0451
For legal background on the case: family’s attorney: Jason Marachi: 415 566-3526; jmarachi@aol.com or Mark Silverman (415) 305-8217 from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center


PREGNANT U.S. CITIZEN WIFE IS IN LABOR: HER HUSBAND WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE U.S. IN EARLY AUGUST
Broken immigration system force young husband to leave the country weeks before his wife gives birth to their United States citizen child

What: Juan Cruz was forced to leave for Mexico on about August 11, leaving his U.S. citizen wife here.
On September 11, 2007, Tanya (his wife) went to the hospital and was told to return home until the contractions increase. She will be returning to the hospital in the evening of September 11th or early September 12th.

Access to Tanya and her family: We will be sending out updated press releases. For media outlets who would like possible interview access with Tanya and/or her family, plase call Karen, Tanya’s cousin, phone number listed above.

Future press conference – date TBA: We will be holding a press conference with Tanya, her baby, family, and supporters once Tanya is ready to do so.

Today, should be a joyful and exciting time for U.S. citizen Tanya Cruz’ young family. Tanya and her husband, Juan, will be having a baby – probably within the next 24 hours. Unfortunately, Tanya and Juan will not be together for this birth -- it separated, each in a different country, divided by a broken immigration system that allows families like this one to be torn apart.

“It’s unfair,” says Tanya. “The divorce rate is so high, especially for young people. Here we are starting a family and it’s being separated, not because of us, but because of the way immigration laws are.”

Although Tanya is a U.S. citizen, Juan is not. He was brought to the United States from Mexico by his parents when he was four years old. The couple is applying to obtain permission for Juan to immigrate legally as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. However, Juan’s parents had previously filed an application for themselves and Juan based on bad legal advice from an attorney who has since resigned from the State Bar. When this application failed, Juan and his parents were given until August 13 to voluntarily leave the country. Juan left the United States on August 11 by plane to Mexico, just about one month before his wife will give birth to their child. During his baby’s first months of life, Juan will be in Mexico, waiting to get an interview at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez so that he can return to the U.S. The family has been told that the process can take longer than six months.

“I can’t be there for my son’s birth,” says Juan. “I’m going to miss out on the first three to four months, even a year of his life. I feel useless not helping my wife in any way,” Juan stated.

This terrible example of the flaws in our immigration system prompted Tanya Cruz, el Comité de Padres Unidos, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and other supporters of this young family to bring this issue to the attention of the public. These supporters are also requesting that the immigration and consular authorities hold Juan’s interview as soon as possible, and are doing a letter writing campaign to California’s two U.S. Senators, asking for assistance. ##

previously posted on Immigration Prof Blog

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2007/09/ilrc-complains-.html