Legal status for some immigrants not as clear as they thought

Published: 2006-07-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- To a roomful of faith-oriented advocates for immigration reform, Marie Gonzalez and the Rev. Edward Neepaye presented two faces demonstrating the problems faced by millions of immigrants. Gonzalez, 20, came legally to the United States from Costa Rica with her parents at the age of 5. She excelled at school and sports, got scholarships to college and intends to become a lawyer. Her parents held good jobs in Jefferson City, Mo., and they were following the steps they were told would put them on track to become citizens. Rev. Neepaye, a Pentecostal minister, fled Liberia in 2003, fearing for his life after his outreach to child soldiers in the country's civil war attracted unwelcome attention from the government-backed forces that held the children. He arrived in the United States hoping his connections here and his dramatic story meant he would readily be granted political asylum. Speaking July 12 at an interfaith migration conference in Washington, the two explained how, despite taking what they thought were the appropriate steps, they became embroiled in the complexities of immigration law they never imagined would affect them.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .