KidSide Newsletter June 2022
Immigration Issues in Separation and Divorce Proceedings
by Laura F. Kelley, Esq. – Laura@LFKimmigration.com
Immigration through marriage is one of the most popular ways of immigrating to the United States, and in general, it’s one of the easiest. Marriage-based immigration processes require that the couple demonstrate a bona fide relationship and the US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident petitioner must have sufficient resources to support his/her spouse.
US citizens can even bring a foreign-born fiancé in the United States prior to marriage for 90 days. But as we all know, relationships are hard work and not all marriages last. This article seeks to answer what happens in marriage-based immigration cases in the event of separation and divorce proceedings.
Unaccompanied Children
By Jennifer Anzardo Valdes, Esq., Americans For Immigrant Justice
janzardo@aijustice.org Elizabeth Anon, Esq., His House Children’s Home, lanon@hhch.org
Unaccompanied children are undocumented immigrant children under the age of 18 who lack lawful status in the United States and come without a parent or legal guardian. Within the past decade, the number of unaccompanied children crossing the border has increased. Some of the children are asylum seekers fleeing wars, gangs, or persecution in their home countries, while others are victims of sex or labor trafficking. Children also migrate for economic opportunities, or to join parents or other relatives already living in the United States.
Although unaccompanied children come to the United States from all over the world, most unaccompanied minors are from Central America. According to the Office of Refugee and Resettlement in Fiscal Year 2021, 47% of unaccompanied children were from Guatemala, 32% from Honduras, 13% from El Salvador (the Northern Triangle countries), and 8% from other countries. In the same year, 66% of unaccompanied minors were male and the other 44% were females. 33% of unaccompanied minors are 17 years old, 39% are 15 to 16 years old, 13% are 13 to 14 years old, and 16% are infants to 12 years old.
Save The Date
Your Donations At Work
I was referred to Family Forensic Services (FFS) for Extended Co-Parenting. The services were provided virtually and were entirely free, which was very helpful to me. I am a single mother, who works from home. With school being out for the summer and a little one under the age of 4, the telehealth sessions were extremely convenient. I did not have to make childcare arrangements, because I could schedule the sessions at a time that was mutually convenient for me and my co-parent. I am very appreciative to KidSide, Miami for funding the services provided to me. I am in the middle of a Court case, and there are lots of expenses right now. I do not receive financial support from anyone. This was such a great resource to me because I could not have afforded it. I have never heard of KidSide or Family Forensic Services before, but I will be sharing the good word.
My therapist was very humble, sincere, and diligent. She was very capable and qualified to conduct the sessions and was able to address the complex issues we brought up in the sessions. My co-parent and I were not always easy! Our therapist was great at facilitating the conversation and allowing both parties to speak. She was also great at observing our interactions and making helpful suggestions that are in our child’s best interests. I expressed appreciation to her in our final session. She was so great. I do not want her to feel that her role in our lives was so minor. She is making a difference; KidSide is making a difference one family at a time.
New Partnership Opportunities
Thanks To Our Best Friends
Pals
Helenann Shapiro
Hon. Stanford Blake
Maritza Estevez-Pazos
Dana Cahn
Andrea Steinacker
Best Buds
Robert Dennis
Michelle & Spencer Multack
Aileen Fernandez Mesa
Regina Zelonker
Cecilia Armenteros
Bestie
Adelmis Bohigas Naderpour
Anastasia Garcia
Marck Joseph
Erica Whittler
Robert Kohlman
Patricia Young
Through our Best Friends Amplifying Impact program we are able to fund free therapy to families in need. No child should be on a waiting list to see their parent or to receive counseling services due to financial difficulties. KidSide is funding the supervision of several skilled doctoral level psychology clinicians to provide these services.
Welcome Our New Board Members
We want to take some time to welcome KidSide’s newest board members to our board, Lilian Gonzalez, Janelle Fernandez, and Cassandra Ferrer. Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to KidSide.
Thanks To Our Partners
Thank you to all of our existing partners for their continued support of KidSide. We also want to welcome our newest Gold partner, Naderpour and Associates, P.A., as well as Adelmis Bohigas-Naderpour, P.A., who joined as Silver partner.
For more information, please reach out to Adelmis Bohigas-Naderpour, Esq., Executive Board Chair of KidSide at abnaderpour@abnlawgroup.com
Support the work of Family Court Services by donating to KidSide!
KidSide, Inc.
14261 SW 120 Street #103-552
Miami, FL 33186
Telephone: (305) 908.1126
Email: marian@kidsidemiami.org