The other day I was at wits end. Being a mom and working from home is not easy, especially when you depend on an income in pesos. Then I met Yolanda, an incredible woman who has been through more than I can ever imagine.

I want to share her story with you. Yolanda met her husband in 1998. They had a baby together in 2001 and were married in 2002. Together they have five children. They immediately began to get his papers in order. As luck would have it, the law that allows spouses of American citizens to get their residency was brought to an end in August of 2001.

Four years later, Immigration had finally processed all of her husband’s paperwork. They were then sent to Juarez for the final interview. He was denied his residency for having been in the United States illegally. Because he has an American wife and children, he was able to appeal the decision, which he did on August 15, 2006. That was almost a year ago. If a year passes, they will have to go back to Juarez and pay all of the expensive fees again. Yolanda is struggling to get by. It would be devastating to have to repay the application fees because the Consulate is backed up.

Yolanda has now been separated from her husband for 9 months 2 weeks and three days. From one day to the next, she became a “single” mom with five kids to raise on her own. She currently depends on welfare and medical benefits just to get by. She had to refinance her home. She suffers bouts of depression and panic attacks. Her kids have suffered the trauma of having their daddy suddenly taken away from them. This is not something that is easy to explain to a child. Yolanda was set to graduate from college this year but had to give that up as well.

She is an American citizen. She has the right to fall in love with, marry and start a family with whomever she chooses. She, her husband and their kids are now being punished for trying to do the right thing. There is something horribly wrong with a system that breaks apart families and ostracizes its own citizens. Yolanda is not alone. There are so many people who are suffering because of unjust immigration laws.

As you all know by now, this a topic that doesn’t let me sleep at night. I recently received an email from American Families United. I am posting its content in the following blog entry. This is the time to react. This is the time to take responsibility for our country’s decisions. Do your part and sign the petition if you haven’t already. Contact your senators. Families like Yolanda’s are in desperate need of immediate immigration reform.

Source: The Decatur Daily