ORDINARY CASE BRINGS EXTRAORDINARY JOY
by Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.

Last Sunday, I was at my office, going through the Saturday mail, when I came across an approval notice from INS for one of my client's adjustment of status. Although it was the weekend, I figured that my client would not mind a call from me to let her know about the status of her case.

At first, my client was surprised to receive a telephone call from me on a Sunday morning. Her immediate statement to me was, "Is there bad news about my case?"

I then stated to her, Congratulations, INS has approved your case. You are now a greencard holder!" For the next minute, all I could hear on the other end of the phone line was screams and shouts of joy. My client kept repeating, "Thank you Lord, thank you Lord. I've been praying for this moment!"

When I told her that the INS approved her adjustment of status (or greencard) without requiring an in-person interview, this brought about a new round of screams and shouts of joy by my client. She kept saying how she could not find the words to express her joy. She was numb and in total shock. My client then started sobbing, saying that for over nine years she had been illegal in America, always living in fear of being caught or deported. She felt like a prisoner.

In fact, I remembered just a few months ago, she called, in tears, saying how her brother had just died, and she wanted to go home to the Philippines for the funeral. I had to tell her, at that time, that she could not leave the U.S., or she would be unable to return to the U.S. for at least ten years because of a new law that bars people from returning to the U.S., if they had been out of status over one year. I remember she kept begging and pleading with me, over and over again, telling me how important it was for her to go home. But, I kept telling her that I was putting her safety and best interests first. Even though I wasn't telling her what she wanted to hear, I was really looking after her. She told me at that time that she was putting her faith and trust in me, and, therefore, would listen to me and not go home.

With the approval of her adjustment of status, she could now go home. My client also relayed that, by coincidence, her mother was in the U.S. visiting her. Now, she would be able to go back with her mother, and visit the Philippines (and, of course, the grave of her brother).

No matter how many times I am able to help people with their cases, it still brings to me my own personal sense of joy and accomplishment, to see what a dramatic change in the person's life comes about by their becoming "legal". This woman's prolonged shouts and screams of happiness show that "ordinary" cases can bring about "extraordinary" joy.

I know that there are so many other people out there who are in the same situation as my client. They are in the U.S. illegally, but desperately hoping and waiting for a way to become legal. To all of you, I encourage you not to give up, but, instead, find the strength to hang in there and achieve your goals. I hope that, someday soon, you, too, will be able to scream and shout with joy over becoming "legal" in America.