Deportation Prevention Advice

[paragraphs]

Reaching out to my flist here--anyone have any ideas?

My daughter's best friend Courtney's family took in a friend of their son's. His mother died, and his father abandoned him--sent him on a bus to Courtney's mom (who had moved from Las Vegas to Minnesota, but when they lived in Las Vegas the boy mostly lived with them).

The kid just turned 16. Turns out, he would've had to have been adopted at 15...which Courtney's mom VERY much wants. They were unable to accomplish that before his birthday thanks primarily to his father (who now can't be found), and now he is facing deportation to the Philipines.

He is 16. He has no family here but Courtney's, he has no family there. And, he is gay.

Any advice on how to keep him here would be appreciated. He has a lawyer and they are trying to do anything and everything they can but our government thinks it is more important to send a 16-year-old gay young man with no family or skills to a country he hasn't been to since he was a child.

Thanks flist--I have no idea how this kid can be saved and he is terrified, beyond terrified. I am heartsick for them all.

Comments

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

they need to create or recreate a paper trail that proves how long the kid has been with them. Picture with dates and school records proving that the child was with them for an extended period of time. Also their senator and congressman/representative needs to be contacted PRONTO! The sooner this kid's name and situation is in front of them and their staff, the better the chances for the child to stay. Abandonment can be used to their advantage esp. if they can prove that they tried to reach the father.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I have sent that along too.

[alba17.livejournal.com]

I would second this. Sometimes people in Congress do help people with immigration problems. Rare, but worth a shot.

[tavella.livejournal.com]

And Minnesota has a couple of good senators, so there's a decent chance of getting action out of them.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am even passing this along--EVERYTHING is helpful. If you have a suggestion for which would be good...please let us know. I'm in Texas. (the family used to live here, but I have never met the boy)

[steeldreams.livejournal.com]

This. This is how my family was able to bring my oldest uncle to live with the rest of us in the states. (All of his siblings were born state-side.) But it was only with the help of our congressmen/reps that it happened. (Neat sideline: my family has a letter from the President at the time, issuing a special executive order allowing for my uncle to immigrate even though he had passed the certain age limit.)