Bloggerlife.blog

Today’s blog

Lynn Murphy Mark

An immigration encounter

Yesterday morning I found myself at the headquarters of Anxiety Central, Inc., also known as the waiting room of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS. I’ve written about this waiting room before. It is a large room with people waiting to learn their fate as it regards their immigration status. 

Upon arrival at the building at 1222 Spruce Street downtown, I park and have to remind myself every time how to register for a parking space on my phone app. I’m getting better and each time the process seems simpler. Yesterday was bitter cold, so before I got into the building my sinuses were freezing and aching. Then there is a nice guard with a gun who makes sure that I have an ID and am not carrying guns, pepper spray, knives or other harmful items. Off comes my coat, badge, watch, purse and paper file and another armed guy scans my stuff before I have to be wanded because I have pretend knees.

I was already worried about my client getting here safely because the roads were icy and a bit slick. Sure enough, I got a call from her daughter saying they were running late due to a slow-down from an accident. By that time I was up in the waiting room and it was almost 8:00, our appointed time. Our officer came out to get us and I explained to him that the client was delayed. He is a laid back guy, for which I am grateful. He asked if he could talk to me about the case before they arrived. That’s unusual, so I was all ears. 

Here’s the mystery I have encountered before – some of the paperwork that I submit in a sealed Fedex envelope occasionally disappears from sight and the officer in Saint Louis does not have everything I originally sent in. This represents a delay in the outcome. He kindly told me what he was missing. Thankfully I have a copy back at the office and ultimately my client will get her Green Card. I used to get annoyed about this, but then I read once about the literally millions of pages that USCIS people handle. So now I accept it as an inevitable part of doing business with such a huge bureaucracy. 

Next to me was an African American lady who had brought her mom in for mom’s citizenship interview. She was not allowed to go in with her, but the officer, another kind person, assured them both that she would go slow. She and mom disappeared through the frosted glass door into the heart of the place. 

I can’t help myself so I started a conversation. Turns out my seatmate is originally from Cameroon and has become a citizen herself. She told me that many of her family members happen to live in a war zone in Cameroon and the folks here in the USA are understandably worried sick about them. Her mother still has two children living there. 

Before long, the lady asked me what I think about all the layoffs and dustups happening in the Federal government. I thought that was brave, asking a bit of a loaded question of a total stranger. She watched my face carefully as I told her that I was shocked on a daily basis by what is going on. Then we were off and running.

Like so many of us, she does not comprehend the depth of cruelty involved in firing people on the spot. What about their mortgages, their family’s needs, their professional careers carelessly thrown away through an email? We commiserated. I told her that every time I go to a Citizenship ceremony, I urge my clients to register to vote once they are sworn in as citizens. 

Then she confessed. She said she had her Green Card for a long time and her kids kept encouraging her to become a citizen and she kept brushing them off. To my surprise and delight she told me that when 47 was in his first term she decided that it was her civic responsibility to become a citizen! She has exercised her right to vote ever since. Both of us talked about how completely baffling 47 and president musk’s actions are. Well, not truly baffling because project 2025 spelled them out last year before the election. What is baffling is the lack of response from Congress to challenge any of these harmful acts.

My clients were still delayed, so my new friend and I sat in comfortable anxiety for her mother’s experience. When the door opened, the officer gave us a thumbs up and mom came out wearing a huge smile. Hugs were exchanged and tears flowed between them. I am always in awe of this really, really big deal in someone’s life. 

I’ll have to write about my client another time. But according to the officer, she will ultimately get her Green Card once I send in what he is missing. That is always good news.