Sandra&#039;s Story

For any parent, the thought of not being able to live in the same house, let alone country as their young child is an unimaginable scenario. For Sandra, this was a daily, nightmarish reality. Sandra, who was born in the United States, moved back to her family’s native city of Fresnillo, Mexico when she was just four years old. Sandra spent most of her childhood and young adult life in Mexico, eventually marrying and welcoming two daughters, Jazmin and Eileen. However, Sandra says her life in Mexico was not an easy one, she was entangled in an unhealthy marriage, leading her to get a divorce.

“I was in a very toxic marriage with my ex-husband,” Sandra said. “I felt alone and hopeless for the future.” In 2018, Sandra decided she wanted to make a change and moved back to the United States to give herself and her children a better life, one full of opportunity and possibilities. However, there was one major setback, while she was a natural-born American citizen, her two daughters were not. This would mean that for Sandra’s daughters to live in the United States with her, they would need to be granted permanent legal status by the United States Government, which can be a lengthy and expensive process.

“When I came to the States, I had to leave my two children in Mexico,” Sandra said. “I was also pregnant with my third child, so I was able to stay with my ex-husband’s family, but I still had very little support.”

Sandra, who had limited financial means at the time, says hiring a private immigration lawyer was out of her realm of possibilities. “A lot of lawyers want to charge you so much money and there was no way I could afford it,” Sandra said. “I just wanted to have my kids in the States with me as soon as possible, but I did not have any money to hire a lawyer.”

Although Sandra was discouraged, she was not going to give up hope on getting her children to the United States. She started investigating and discovered Catholic Charities through a distant relative. In desperate need of guidance and support, Sandra set up an appointment with Yessenia Baquera, immigration, and Hispanic services specialist. “When I first came to Catholic Charities, there was so much going on in my life,” Sandra said. “I knew I was in America; I knew I wanted to make something of my life, but I was lost without my kids.”

Over the course of several months, Baquera and Sandra worked through the process of getting her two daughters’ permanent legal status. Amid, this long, grueling process Sandra received devastating news from her family in Mexico. Her youngest daughter, Eileen, 6, had passed away unexpectedly due to complications from undiagnosed juvenile diabetes. Losing her daughter under such tragic, unexpected circumstances was a heartbreak Sandra never expected. “In the midst of the process of getting my kids to be able to live with me in the states, I was dealing with the death of my youngest daughter, it was so hard,” Sandra said.

“While I was incredibly heartbroken and devastated, I was grateful I at least had the chance to see her after she passed and give her one last hug and one last kiss. There are people who can not even go back to there countries when a family member passes away.”

This mindset of gratitude is what carried Sandra through her darkest days after Eileen’s passing, as she still had her eldest daughter, Jazmin to fight for. A few months after Eileen’s untimely death, Jazmin was granted Permanent Legal Status by the United States Government and was able to live with her mother in the United States. While Sandra says it was bittersweet that Eileen was not able to come back to the U.S. with her sister, she was incredibly thankful to be reunited with Jazmin in the same country. “I went back to Mexico to bring back one daughter when it should have been two,” Sandra said. “Through everything I do, I try my best to be positive. I still have two other kids that need me.”

Through all the adversities Sandra has faced, one thing has remained constant, her abiding and unconditional love for her children. “Everything I make in my life, every decision I make, is all for them,” Sandra said. “The foundation I built here in America is all going to be for their future.”

Baquera says that Sandra’s strength and resilience throughout this process speak to the greater mission of Catholic Charities’ immigration program.

“Sandra is a mother who wants her children to be safe and have a good life, as any parent would. She went through a long and trying journey to try to get her two daughters to the United States of America. A country she was born in,” Baquera said. “Our Immigration Services at Catholic Charities aided Sandra’s family journey. We interviewed, researched, filled forms, along with other tasks to try to get two young children to reunite with their mother. These services provide support in navigating, educating, and supporting families through this process.”

Sandra expressed that if it were not for the guidance and support she received from Baquera and Catholic Charities immigration program, she would not have the life she does today “If it were not for Catholic Charities, I would not have my kids with me,” Sandra said. “If I were not able to get my kid’s I would not be here.”

Since receiving support through Catholic Charities, Sandra is living with her two children in Junction City and working full time to support her family. She is grateful she can give her children the opportunities and life she was deprived of. “I have always had a difficult life, but my kids are what bring me hope,” Sandra said. “Catholic Charities cared about me as a person, and it is because of them that I have my family back.”