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Happy Green Card Day

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Green CardMonday’s mail brought our first refugee, “F”,  his Green Card.  We’re thrilled!

The refugees the Guardian Group helps are on the path to citizenship as soon as they get into the country.  They are allowed to work as soon as they arrive, and they are allowed to apply for permanent resident status and get a Green Card one year after their arrival.  They are also allowed to apply for citizenship five years after their arrival.

So, this week’s delivery of our 24-year-old Iranian’s Green Card was not a surprise. But, it was a relief and gratifying.

The man has had identity problems caused by “helpful” bureaucracy in Turkey, and the US in understandably cautious about anyone who comes from Iran.  We didn’t know what could go wrong with our client, but the his application for a card was pending for almost a year.  Several other of our refugee clients who arrived after “F” received their Green Cards months ago, very soon after they submitted their application.

But, now he has the Green Card in hand.  And, we are delighted.

Refugee Starts Blog

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Junior Mayema

Junior Mayema on this first day in San Francisco

The Guardian Group’s most recently arrived refugee is an activist.  Unlike the other men we’re helping, Junior is open with his identity and story.

The other asylum seekers, asylees, and refugees we’ve met have had concerns about revealing their identity.  Some are not out to their family and friends back in their home country. Others fear reprisal against their families if the family’s neighbors found out that one of the children is gay.  And, some simply want privacy.

Junior Mayema, on the other hand, gains strength from sharing his identity and story. He is articulate and intelligent, and he quickly gets animated when he talks about human rights.

Earlier today Junior started a new blog and created his first posts.  “The Story of My Life in Three Major Articles” is particularly courageous.  And, that entry’s link to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ article on Junior is both chilling and inspiring.

We are going to follow Junior’s blog!

A Refugee Would Like to Live in San Francisco

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This week we were contacted by the Jewish Family and Children Services of the East Bay asking if we could support another refugee, if they can find housing for him in the City of San Francisco.

The man is coming from Africa (the Congo?) in a couple weeks, and has expressed a desire to live in San Francisco.

Our folks are happy to welcome this new person, take him to Social Security and the other offices.

The big question is can we find housing?  If you know of any space available for 8 months for minimal rent ($200 or $250/month), please contact us!

We would very much like to help another refugee now!

Bureaucracy Works! Tunisian Gets His Green Card. Russian Given Asylum!

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Two of the Guardian Group’s clients received great official news in the past week.

  • Our Tunisian asylee received his Green Card in the mail last Friday.  He is a permanent US Resident and on the path to citizenship!

    Our friend received official asylum status in October, 2012, and he was eligible to apply for a Green Card after a year.  He received his medical check ups and submitted the Green Card paperwork as soon as he could.

    Finally, last week he received the official document!

    Congratulations!

  • The 29-year-old Russian man who had been told by the Immigration Judge that he would be given asylum if he cleared his background check received official asylum status this Monday.

    Whew!

    He now has a two-year immigration document, permanent eligibility to work, and can apply for his Green Card in September, 2015.

    Yea!!!

We are very happy!

Russian Asylum Seeker Gets Permission to Work

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The young man seeking asylum from persecution in Russia received permission to work in the United States on Friday.

He is waiting for final granting of asylum, which would also allow him to work.  But, it has been 180 days since he applied for asylum, and US law provides that people who have been waiting like him can receive permission to work.  (See more information from NoLo Press.)

We will be going to the Social Security office with him on Monday to apply for a Social Security number.