This is our second go-round. The first I601a was denied because I did show extreme hardship for the scenario of relocation, but DID NOT SHOW IT FOR THE SCENARIO OF SEPARATION. They made the comment that I "have 8 family members living in my town" so I assume that means they dont think I need my husband since I have family here. Please read. All feedback welcome... THANKS! Alee (THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT I HAVE TO GO BACK AND ADD IN THINGS SUCH AS MY PAY, ETC. I KNOW THEY SAY $0 AND i HAVE THAT PART IN RED ON MY WORD DOCUMENT SO I CAN GO BACK AND FILL IT IN...)
October 13, 2014
To Whom It May Concern:
I, NAME, a natural born citizen of the United States, am submitting this letter as evidence of Extreme Hardship to myself, for the I-601a Provisional Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility for my husband, NAME. I plead you to consider the following extreme hardships I would face if my husband is not allowed to return to the United States and we were separated or if I were to relocate to Mexico to be with him. I have 2 USC children that NAME helps to raise and takes care of them as if they were his own. I have joint custody of my youngest with his father. He is very close with NAME.
I. MEDICAL - NAME – HEALTH OF USC WIFE
A. POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME
I currently suffer from PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition in which a woman’s levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone are out of balance. This leads to the growth of ovarian cysts (benign masses on the ovaries). PCOS can cause problems with women’s menstrual cycle, fertility, cardiac function, and appearance. Women with PCOS have a higher risk of developing: hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, anxiety and depression, sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing periodically during sleep), endometrial cancer (cancer caused by thickening of the lining of the uterus), heart attack, diabetes, breast cancer. If you become pregnant, your doctor may refer you to a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. Women with PCOS have a higher rate of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, and premature delivery, and may need extra monitoring during pregnancy. In the case that I suffer any of these conditions that PCOS may lead to; it would be an extreme hardship for me to remain in the United States without XXXX here to care for me as he always done. I do not have anyone else who could care for me with out causing hardships to themselves and their family, making it difficult for anyone involved. I have no one else who is financially able or physically able to care for me besides my husband, XXXX. It would cause me an extreme hardship if my husband were to be in Mexico while I remained in the United States with my current health conditions. If I were to relocate to Mexico with him, I fear that my medical needs would not be met. I have described this more in detail further in my letter.
I have been taking the prescription METFORMIN for PCOS since January of 2013. Because of PCOS, I have Menorrhagia, Insulin Resistance and recurring Endometrial Polyps. I had surgery in April of 2012, and January of 2013 to remove recurring polyps and my doctor, Dr. Marie Lavoie stated that it is possible that the polyps could recur and I may have to have surgery again if that happens. In the event that I have surgery, I would not be able to drive or take care of myself and I would need my husband here in the United States to care for me as he has always previously done.
B. MIGRAINES
I suffer from Migraines, High Altitude Headaches/Migraines dating back to 1997. Because of the severity, I have had to go to the doctor or emergency room to get an injection because my migraine medicine prescribed by my doctor does not ease my pain. I depend on my husband when I have a migraine because I can not tolerate light or noise. I have to keep my eyes covered and can not drive myself when I need to go get an injection. It is debilitating and I cannot function when I have a migraine. These migraines cause sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. At times, I cannot do my job. I have had to lie on a couch at work with my eyes covered until my husband XXXX was able to come and pick me up and take me home. I work almost an hour from home, so I have no one who can just take me home. I depend fully on my husband in these situations. Sometimes I am nauseated and vomit due to the migraines which requires me to take medicines that make me drowsy and unable to drive. Some of the triggers that can cause my migraines are: alcohol, caffeine, aspartame, chocolate, too much or too little sleep, skipped meals, menstruation, fatigue, physical exertion, loud noises, weather changes, glare or flickering lights, perfumes, fumes, strong odors or high altitudes, and ESPECIALLY STRESS.
My doctor, Dr. XXXX, has prescribed KETOPROFEN to help control the severity of my migraines, and prescribed ONDANSETRON to help control the nausea and vomit.
In June of 2014 I was also given a new prescription, ISOMETH/APAP/DICHLOR to take for my migraines as well. My doctor provided a letter for you describing the severity of my migraines.
When I have been to Mexico, I have suffered high altitude headaches, which lead to migraines. I was taken to the medic there and they did nothing. They just sent me back to my mother-in-laws house. This is one reason why I fear that my medical needs will not be met if I were to relocate with XXXX. My migraines are debilitating and I can not imagine trying to live like that every day. I need my husband here in the United States to care for me because he is my caretaker. I have no way to get home if I have a migraine, or to get to the doctor or Emergency Room if my husband is not here in the United States to take care of me.
C. DEPRESSION
I currently suffer from depression due to this long, scary, invigorating immigration process. I am suffering from depression because I am filled with fear and anxiety. I am worried about losing my husband. I am worried about having to possibly move to Mexico if I want to be with him. I am worried about the extreme hardship that it will cause myself and my family and how it will tear us apart if that becomes a choice that I must make. All of these things make my depression worsen. Dr. XXXX prescribed CITALOPRAM to help with depression and anxiety. My doctor recently increased my depression medications from 20mg to 40 mg because the longer we are in this process the more depressed I become. The more stressed I become as well and stress is one of the triggers of my migraines and I can not function day to day. The stress also causes me insomnia and lack of sleep is a trigger for my migraines. Dr. XXXX prescribed CYCLOBENZAPRINE to help me sleep at night. I need my husband here in the United States with me because if XXXX were to go to Mexico and I remain in the United States, my health would decline. I would be overcome with worry and stress because I would not be able to pay my bills without XXXX’s financial help and I would not have anyone to care for me in my times of need, whether it be surgery or more common issues that I deal with such as severe depression and migraines. I would become even more depressed, which would cause lack of sleep and constant migraines that render me non-functional. I need XXXX in the United States to make sure that I am taken care of.
D. INFERTILITY
I have two children, ages 15 & 18 from previous relationships. My husband has stepped up as a father figure to my children ever since we started dating. He has helped me to raise them, and try to teach them the difference between right and wrong and how to be dependable members of society. I had my tubes tied in 2001.
My husband is the most amazing, wonderful man I have ever met in my life. The most wonderful gift I could ever give him would be a child of his own. I had a tubal reversal on December 19, 2013 so that XXXX and I may conceive a child together. Because I suffer from PCOS, as it can cause infertility, I am seeing a fertility specialist, Dr. XXXX. Dr. XXXX states in her letter that she provided me for this process that if I conceive I would be a “high risk obstetric patient and would be best served to receive the care I need here in the United States”.
XXXX and I have been trying to conceive a child together since February of 2014. Due to PCOS, I am suffering infertility issues. I am not having a menstrual cycle every month like I should and therefore we have not been able to successfully conceive.
My ObGyn/Fertility Specialist, Dr. XXXX prescribed a medicine called MEDROXYPROGESTERONE, also known as PROVERA to help induce a menstrual cycle. This medicine is a progestin used to treat certain menstrual problems (eg, abnormal bleeding, lack of menstrual period). She also prescribed me CLOMIPHENE CITRATE also known as CLOMID. This medicine is an ovulatory stimulant used to treat infertility in certain women to help achieve pregnancy. I have taken 2 Rounds of this medicine and if I am not pregnant on September 6, 2014, we will start a 3rd round of these medicines.
When I do become pregnant I will have an extremely high risk for pregnancy complications. As I stated previously, Women with PCOS have a higher rate of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, and premature delivery, and may need extra monitoring during pregnancy. Both of my other children were born prematurely. If I begin to have pregnancy complications, I will need immediate medical attention and XXXX will be solely responsible for my transportation and care. If I should become hospitalized XXXX will be needed to maintain our household and financial income. It is crucial that my husband remains in the United States to oversee my pregnancy care and that I remain in the United States and continue to benefit from the advanced healthcare system and the 100% medical insurance coverage provided by my employer. I feel that it is incomparable to the healthcare I would receive if I were to relocate to Mexico. I need my husband here in the United States to care for me.
In Mexico, my risk for complications would be increased dramatically. I would not be able to afford medical insurance. I will likely have to pay in advance before receiving any type of medical services. Given the employment opportunities and wages in Mexico, my husband and I will not be able to afford any medical treatment. The only other option would be to purchase private health insurance. Under the average Mexican annual salary of $12,850 (USD) purchasing health insurance would be a costly expense I would be unable to afford. Women without health insurance, who are likely to lack adequate prenatal care, are especially vulnerable. Furthermore, Mexico frequently experiences blood and vaccine shortages, which causes the delay or even cancellation of needed surgeries and transfusions. This reality would cause my husband and myself an inestimable anguish. We would have to give up our dream of beginning a family or move forward and risk the terminal illness and possible death of our unborn child due to contaminated blood transfusions. Mexico’s lack of a clean blood supply may pose a risk to my health and that of our unborn child. Additionally, sufficient preventative care will be impossible to obtain while living in Mexico without medical insurance. The health risks to me and the possible risks to or loss of our first baby because of this is terrifying and an extreme hardship that I would endure if XXXX’s I601a waiver is not granted.
Guerrero is the third lowest state in Mexico in regards to the right to health services. There are 1.4 doctors per thousand inhabitants (21st in nation, 31st in terms of hospital admissions) 19.3 children under one year old die per 1,000 live births. Guerrero is the first highest in Mexico in regards to the maternal mortality rate, for every 100,000 births there are 114.2 deaths. In Guerrero, 55.7% of female deaths in hospitals occur during pregnancy, childbirth or the postpartum period. (via sipaz.org/en/guerrero/facts-about-guerrero)
E. HEALTH CONCLUSION
I am currently taking 8 medicines daily that my employer provided insurance pays 100% of the cost for each month. My oldest son is taking 3 medicines daily that the insurance pays for.
Just in 2013 the medical costs for myself and my 2 children were $60,971.33 which has been paid for by my 100% medical insurance coverage that is provided by my employer. Also in 2013, our prescription costs were $4,851.77 which have also been covered by the insurance, with no out of pocket costs for myself. I hope that you will see the severity in the need of our continued medical treatment here in the United states just due to the amount of services my family needs. In 2014, I have not been to my health care provider as I should have been because I am planning on my husband to have his visa interview. I know that I will have to travel to Mexico with him to make sure that everything is in order. I have only missed one day of work this year until I recently had to take time off because the doctor office said I had to come in for a visit to get refills for my medicines. I am trying to save my time off of work for my husband’s visa interview.
Living in the United States provides greater odds of maintaining my health and exceptional 100% medical insurance coverage provided by my employer and English speaking doctors. Having the ability to communicate with my doctors is vital, without communication any situation medically could be serious to my health. My husband needs to remain in the United States to monitor my health. I need to remain in the United States because it is vital to have a healthcare provider that knows my medical history and current medical conditions, and that my husband remains here with me to assist in my healthcare.
In 2000, The World Health Organization (WHO) ranked the United States 37th in healthcare and went on to rank Mexico 61st. The healthcare system in the United States provides a higher level of care then care I would receive in Mexico. I was not able to find a more recent ranking.
II. FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON HUSBAND, XXXX’S ADDITIONAL MONTHLY INCOME
A. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
I depend on my husband XXXX financially. If XXXX was to return to Mexico, and I was to remain in the United States, I will be incapable of sustaining our household in his absence.
My income is $0 gross/$0 net per month. My husband’s income is $0 gross/$0 net per month. Our monthly bills are $00000 average. If my husband is not approved and must return to Mexico, my income after all bills are paid will be (negative) -$0000 and this is not including gas, other necessities and emergencies. I can not support two households alone, because with one income just my household alone would suffer. There are no jobs in Guerrero. The people live off of what they grow and my husband would not be able to help me financially if he were not here in the United States. We send what we can each month to my in-laws because they are in their late 70s and unable to work - usually between $100-$200 per month depending on what we can afford. We make sure that they have their necessities. Helping my in-laws would come to an end. The area XXXX is from there are no jobs and he would depend on me but I would not be able to support him because my household would already be suffering without his income.
I have several credit cards & loans with outstanding high balances: Child Support Arrears - $2,136, AccessOne Medcard - $731.62, Sears Card - $1,001.40, Credit One - $851.85, Angel Card - $359.86, First National – $311.39, Barclay - $1,373.35, One Main Financial - $5,617.62, Frost Arnett Company - $380.00, Optimum Outcomes - $1,987.76, Wells Fargo car loan $15,000 all totaling $29,759.63 in outstanding loans that I would not be able to be pay without my husband’s income.
I have joint custody of my youngest son, XXXX. I am ordered to pay $351 a month child support. I owe $2,136.00 in arrears because no child support was paid while we were in child support proceedings. We do have a home and cars that are paid for. If we move to Mexico, I will have to sell them and will lose money because we will not be able to sell them for their value. It is important that XXXX remains in the United States because he helps to make sure that my son is supported by helping me to make my child support payments as I should.
My parents could not help me at all financially because my father has been laid off since 2009 and only recently found a part time job. My mother’s job that she has had for 26 years recently announced that they will be closing their doors sometime between 2015 and 2017. My mom does not know how long her employment will last or what she is going to do once the business closes. They are struggling to meet their own bills, and they need to plan for their future in case my mom is not able to find other employment immediately.
I have no savings at this point and it would be very difficult to move to Mexico right away if XXXX were not able to return. If I had to choose to move to Mexico to be with my husband, it would be extremely hard to keep in touch with my family as phone calls to the US are very expensive, also flying home to visit my family would be nearly impossible because plane tickets are currently $600-$1,200 and going up all the time.
Child Support - $351 ($326 & $25 arrears)
Wells Fargo- $290 (6 YEAR CONTRACT)
Home Phone – RTMC – (ONE YEAR CONTRACT) - $110.80
Cell Phones – Verizon – (TWO YEAR CONTRACT) - $164
Car Insurance – Nationwide - $210
AccessOne Medcard - $25.00
Sears Card - $31.93
Angel Credit Card - $25.00
Credit One Bank Card - $851.85
First National Credit Card - $30.00
Barclay Credit Card - $41.92
One Main Financial (6 YEAR CONTRACT) - $178.79
Electricity – REMC - $188
In Laws Bills –unable to work - $100 - $200
Rebtel (Phone calls to family in Mexico) - $10
Netflix - $8.55
Optimum Outcomes - $1,987.76
Groceries/Monthly (not including other necessities & emergencies) - $730.86
OUTSTANDING BALANCE FOR LOANS/CREDIT = $29,759.63
TOTAL MONTHLY GROSS/NET INCOME –XXXX- $0 gross/$0 net
TOTAL MONTHLY GROSS/NET INCOME –XXXX- $0 gross/$0 net
TOTAL MONTHLY LIVING EXPENSES $0
INCOME DEFICIENT -$0 per month
(This income deficiency does not include the additional monthly expenses of food, household related shopping, emergencies and money I would send to support my husband if possible while he is living in Mexico).
If I stop making payments on my credit card/loan debt of $0 monthly I am still at an income deficiency of - $0 per month and I will ruin my credit and the ability for me to apply for a loan or buy a house or car in the future if my husband were to return. If my husband is given a 10 year ban, I will have to default on our monthly payments as many of our payments are under two or three year contracts and I cannot cancel them without paying substantial cancellation fees. I would lose my car because I would not be able to make the payment and I would have a “repossession” on my credit that I have worked so hard to build up. I would be left in financial ruin. Relocation would have adverse affects on my reputation as an accountable and responsible citizen. It would cause me to default on loans, possibly lose my home to the bank, lose my car, ruin my credit score that has allowed me to purchase the current home and car I own and make it impossible to purchase or rent another home in the future if we were to return to the United States after waiting out the 10 year ban.
In order for my husband to provide this adequate additional income it is mandatory that he is allowed to return to the United States to continue working at his employment. XXXX has shown to be reliable, honest, trustworthy, conscientious, hard working, very punctual and gets along well with his fellow workers. I believe that by granting him a pardon and a visa to be able to return to his job in the United States that he would be a great asset to our country. If he is granted an immediate return to the United States he will be able to return to work at Four Seasons Furniture and contribute as a hard-working citizen in today‘s society. This is a valuable opportunity that will only be available to him if his waiver is approved without delay. He will be employed and our combined income would allow us to pay our household bills and debt. XXXX, here in the United States, helps maintain our household financially. Living in the United States without my husband’s income or living in Mexico without the probability of maintaining a steady adequate income are both severe hardships I will endure. I can not do this without XXXX here in the United States with me.
B. PURCHASED UNITED STATES HOME IN 2009
I purchased my first home in 2009 for myself and my children. XXXX moved in with us in December of 2011, and we began our life together as a family. My future and my family’s future are exceptionally important to me. I firmly believe in planning for the future and made the decision to purchase our 1983 three bedroom, two full baths manufactured home. If XXXX is able to return to the United States we will have a secure financial investment that is paid off. It would be devastating if my hard work to provide a financial investment and a home for my family would be virtually worthless.
If I decided to leave the United States to uphold the bond of our marriage, I would be forced to terminate my career and sell our home for much less than it’s value. In the United States, I own a home and can provide a secure and safe environment for me and my family; this is a vast advantage that I will not have while living in Mexico.
II. LOSS OF CAREER
A. LOSS OF ESTABLISHED CAREER & PERSONAL SMALL BUSINESS
I began working at XXXX, a law firm, in December of 2009 and have been working for XXXX, XXXX and XXXX as a Receptionist and Interpreter now for nearly five years. I am the only employee in the office that is bi-lingual and I handle the matters of all of our Spanish speaking clients. If I were to move to Mexico to be with my husband, it would be difficult for me to find a job because although I speak Spanish, I do not speak enough to be able to work in a Mexican law firm, nor would I be qualified because I do not understand the laws of Mexico. The need for translations from English to Spanish would no longer be needed. I do speak, read, and write Spanish, but I am self taught. I do not feel as if I know enough to be able to go to Mexico and be able to live every day life. I would not know enough to be able to get a job there and make enough money to support myself, my children (there and here) and to support my in-laws.
My job has provided me with a steady, reliable income for the past four and a half years. My starting salary in 2009 was $20,800 per year and I currently earn $29,120 per year. If my husband and I were to live in Mexico, our standard of living would be drastically altered. Minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 an hour and in one 8 hour workday a person can earn $58.00 USD. In Guerrero, Mexico my husband and I could earn an inadequate amount of $67.29 MXN pesos in one day which equates to $5.1982 USD. This dramatic decrease in wages would cause severe destitution to my life and my husbands. I would lose the ability to earn what I do now or what we could earn in the United States. Currently, I make $14.00 per hour which is $6.75 an hour above and beyond North Carolina’s minimum wage, and even further beyond Mexico’s minimum wage. I have greater career prospects by remaining in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the hourly wage for a Receptionist ranges from $12.40 to $12.60 per hour, and that is not including bilingual receptionist, where the rate is higher. I also have 401k provided by my employer for my retirement. I would lose all of these benefits if I were to go to Mexico. In order to continue to have reasonable prospects of employment and an adequate standard of living for ourselves and our family, and our future children, my husband and I need to remain in the United States. In Mexico, without my current salary to rely upon, I would be subject to the extreme hardship of living in sub-standard conditions.
In August of 2013, I started my own small business “NAME OF BUSINESS” offering Notary Public and translation services. This business would be obsolete in Mexico as they would not need my services translating documents from Spanish to English. My notary public certification would not be valid in Mexico. I just renewed my Notary Public Certification. It is valid until 11/2/2019.
B. LOSS OF VALUABLE 100% MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE AND ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
In addition to a steady income, my employer provides me with a medical health insurance for myself and both of my children, a health savings reimbursement account, paid vacation time, paid holidays, Christmas bonuses and a 401K retirement plan of which XXXX will be designated as the primary beneficiary as soon as he gets his social security card. (He had to sign to allow me to put my mother’s name as the beneficiary because he does not have a social security number and just in case anything happened to me, I wanted to be sure there would not be a problem with my family getting the money due to his current legal status.)
I am obligated by the state of North Carolina to provide health insurance for my youngest son as part of the JOINT custody agreement. The medical health insurance account covers 100% of mine and my children’s personal out-of-pocket expenses for medical, dental, vision or prescription costs. If my husband is able to return to the United States he could be eligible for 100% medical health coverage under this reimbursement account at no charge to us. In the future when we are blessed with children together, they too will be added to this valuable health insurance at no charge. This is a tremendous benefit which is nearly impossible to find with other employers. This medical insurance and benefits requires me to be a full-time employee. If my husband is not able to return to the United States sustaining the required full-time hours will be difficult to maintain because of the sever depression that I will suffer in the absence of my husband, and due to stress a rise in the amount of migraines it could potentially cause me to suffer. Having the additional benefits such as paid vacation time and paid holidays are equally important because they allow me to spend time with my husband and family without the loss of income. This medical insurance coverage and benefits are vital for my well being and I will suffer extremely without them.
In Mexico, these are benefits that would not be available. I would have very little options for health insurance due to the extremely high cost. My only option would be to pay out-of-pocket for my health expenses if I were to become ill. The loss of medical insurance would force me to get less than adequate care. Also, I lack the ability to speak the native Spanish language. This would hinder my capability in finding employment and without having a career I will not be eligible for any type of benefits. Living in Mexico would take away the valuable 100% medical health insurance, benefits and health support system I have in the United States. Losing these benefits would be a tremendous hardship to me and my family’s future. By not having XXXX here in the United States my job would be put in jeopardy and my healthcare would be severely limited due to the loss of my insurance.
C. INABILITY TO LEGALLY WORK IN MEXICO
In Mexico, it would take months, if not years, for me to become eligible to work legally. Additionally I would have to learn the more of the Spanish language. To work legally I would need to get permission to reside in Mexico, and authorization to do paid work. Also, I would need to demonstrate that I have a job offer from a Mexican business or institute. I do not have a company to sponsor me which automatically makes me ineligible to work legally. Furthermore, my training as a Notary Public is only valid in the state of North Carolina, so I can not practice as a Notary in Mexico. Being a Notary Public requires a certification in the United States (for each individual state) and it cannot be transferred to Mexico. I am not capable of fulfilling the requirements for professional employment in Mexico. This situation results in an unusual hardship and attaining a job as a professional in Mexico would not be an option. The only other option would be to obtain a Temporary Resident visa. However, a requirement for this visa is for the applicant to prove they have sufficient funds to sustain themselves while in Mexico and/or a proven steady income. I would be placed in a different situation since to apply for a Temporary Resident visa I will need to have sufficient funds to sustain myself; in order to sustain myself, I will need to get a job in Mexico and in order to get a job in Mexico, I will need a visa. I can not have one without the other. Attaining a job in Mexico would be impossible. I would be unemployed and without the benefits I have in my current employment that I rely on, such as my health insurance.
D. LACK OF CAREER IN MEXICO DUE TO LANGUAGE BARRIER AND EFFECTS OF RE-ENTERING CAREER FIELD AFTER A LONG ABSENCE
If my husband is given a 10 year ban, I would be forced to abandon my career I have work so hard for in order to be with him. If I were to re-locate to Mexico, it would be impossible to work as a Receptionist or Office Assistant due to the language barrier, because although I do read, write and speak some Spanish, I am self taught. I would not know enough Spanish to be able to work in a place of business in Mexico. The lack of ability to practice a profession amounts to extreme or exceptional hardship, and that is the situation I will encounter by relocating to Mexico. Being unable to continue in the same type of work, and to know that my hard work and training would mean nothing, is an extreme hardship that would devastate me on a personal and professional level. If I were to leave for a period, I would not be able to use my training while gone because Mexico law is completely different. The inability to pursue my career for 10 years would cause an even greater hardship since upon returning to the United States because my skills, certificates, knowledge and experience would be lacking and outdated. I would be devastated to have to give up my current career and endure an extreme hardship in doing so.
III. PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS
A. UNITED STATES CITIZEN SON (STEPSON OF XXXX) JOINT CUSTODY WITH HIS BIOLOGICAL FATHER; CHILD SUPPORT AND MEDICAL INSURANCE OBLIGATIONS; FATHER WILL NOT PERMIT SON TO HAVE PASSPORT
I share joint custody of my youngest son, XXXX Davis, with his father. XXXX lives with us every other weekend and every other week in the summer. I am very close with my youngest XXXX. He and my husband, XXXX, are very close as well. My son is learning Spanish, and always tries to talk to my husband in Spanish trying to learn new things so that they can have conversations. When XXXX was 13 years old, he decided that he wanted to go live with his father. I did not agree because I feel like a child should be with his mother, but at the same time, I tried to understand and respect XXXX’s feelings. He told me that he was at an age where he needs his father. I understand this because although my husband is learning English and does speak a good amount, he does not know/understand enough to have a complete conversation without a little help from me, with our son about what teenage boys go through, so my son’s father and I agreed to joint custody and we let him go live with his father. My son’s father will not let him get a passport even to go visit Mexico. I wanted to take him to visit his grandparents there and his father said no. He has to sign for me to be able to get XXXX a passport and he wrote a letter stating that he will not allow him to have a passport at this time.
I am obligated by North Carolina Child Support Enforcement to pay $325 a month in child support for XXXX. I also pay $25 a month in arrears because nothing was paid while we were in court proceedings. I pay $351 a month total until the arrears of $2710 are paid and then my child support will drop down to $325 a month.
I am also obligated to maintain health insurance on XXXX. I currently receive insurance for myself and my children through my employer at additional costs to me. If I move to Mexico, I will lose the benefit of the insurance for my son and I will have to make enough to pay child support for my son. The average “good paying” job in Mexico is a little more than $5 a day. That is not near enough to pay my child support obligations and pay for our necessities in Mexico.
My parents, my children and I would all suffer extremely if the choice was made to go to Mexico if XXXX’s waiver were not approved. Both myself and my older son already suffer from depression and the move and losing our family structure would cause the depression to worsen. I believe it would also cause XXXX to be depressed if XXXX were to return to Mexico. XXXX lives with us every other weekend and every other week in the summer, but he is a huge part of our family. We can not wait until he comes on the weekends to spend time with us. Myself, his stepfather, his father and his stepmother all get along very well. Granted it took us time to get to that point, but we are a big family and we work very well together to meet XXXX’s needs, both financially and emotionally. A move to Mexico would destroy all that we have worked so hard for. If XXXX were to return to Mexico alone and I remained here in the United States, XXXX would suffer severely because of the close bond that he has with my husband. Myself and my older son’s depression would worsen. It is very scary to me because XXXX is the only real father figure my oldest son has ever had. It would be taking his father away from him. XXXX has already attempted to commit suicide due to his depression and PTSD. It would cause extreme hardship for me to have to care for my son alone if XXXX were not here to help me.
B. PLANS TO HAVE CHILDREN TOGETHER
I have two children, ages 15 & 18 from previous relationships. I had my tubes tied in 2001. My husband, XXXX, has no children of his own. On December 19, 2013 I had a tubal ligation reversal so that my husband and I can conceive a child together. I have been having problems with my menstrual cycle since January of this year. I have had several pregnancy tests at my doctor’s office that were all negative. My ObGyn, who is a Fertility Specialist, Dr. Marie-Lyn XXXX, prescribed a medicine called MEDROXYPROGESTERONE, also known as PROVERA to help induce a menstrual cycle. This medicine is a progestin used to treat certain menstrual problems (eg, abnormal bleeding, lack of menstrual period). She also prescribed me CLOMIPHENE CITRATE also known as CLOMID. This medicine is an ovulatory stimulant used to treat infertility in certain women to help achieve pregnancy. I have taken 3 Rounds of this medicine plus a trigger shot of OVIDREL to help me ovulate and if I am not pregnant on October 6, 2014, we will start a 4th round of fertility drugs, but will be switching to FEMARA and OVIDREL.
If that does not work after a couple of months, we have plans to try IUI. IUI is Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a form of assisted conception. During IUI, your doctor places washed, prepared sperm into your uterus (womb) and near to your egg at your time of ovulation. This procedure is often combined with fertility drugs to increase your chances of conceiving.
I have been through the tubal reversal. I am taking fertility drugs and I am willing and ready to go through Intrauterine Insemination to conceive a child with my husband. This is something we both desire and we will go to any lengths to achieve the miracle of having a child that is a part of both of us. I will be a high risk obstetric patient and need to remain in the United States so that my doctor can care for me in the event that I do have difficulties. I will need my husband here with me during that time and I will need him during my pregnancy as he will be my sole care provider. I need my husband here for emotional support as well as to be my care provider.
XXXX is going to be a great father to our child if God decides to bless us with one. We are doing everything we can to achieve pregnancy. We are both 36 years old and time is ticking. We do not have the time for my husband to wait out a 1o year ban to attempt to have a child. If he is not approved and I decide to relocate to Mexico to be with him, it would cause a great hardship to myself and my family here in the United States to have a grandchild, niece/nephew, or cousin that they would probably never get to meet. I also fear having my child in Mexico because 19.3 children under one year old die per 1,000 live births. Guerrero is the first highest in Mexico in regards to the maternal mortality rate, for every 100,000 births there are 114.2 deaths. In Guerrero, 55.7% of female deaths in hospitals occur during pregnancy, childbirth or the postpartum period.
Not having my husband here in the United States during my pregnancy and childbirth or having to have our child in Mexico would cause me an enormous amount of stress. An Article on WebMD states that if the stress becomes constant “… the effects on you and your baby could be lasting. When you’re stressed, your body goes into "fight or flight" mode, sending out a burst of cortisol and other stress hormones. These are the same hormones that surge when you are in danger. They prepare you to run by sending a blast of fuel to your muscles and making your heart pump faster. If you can deal with your stress and move on, your stress response will recede and your body will go back into balance. But "the kind of stress that’s really damaging is the kind that doesn’t let up," says Susan Andrews, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist and author of the book Stress Solutions for Pregnant Moms: How Breaking Free From Stress Can Boost Your Baby’s Potential. In fact, constant stress could alter your body’s stress management system, causing it to overreact and trigger an inflammatory response. Inflammation, in turn, has been linked to poorer pregnancy health and developmental problems in babies down the road.” The article also states “Chronic stress may also contribute to subtle differences in brain development that might lead to behavioral issues as the baby grows…”
Having a child outside of the United States would be an extreme hardship to me because of the high risk I will be at when I do conceive. I will need my doctor here in the United States who is familiar with me and my body, and can take the appropriate actions needed in the event that something happens during my pregnancy. I need my husband here in the United States with me to care for me when I do become pregnant. Because I am already at a high obstetric risk when I do become pregnant, not having my husband here with me would cause an enormous amount of stress that I fear could harm our unborn child. Also, the separation of myself and my husband would make it impossible for me to be able to raise our child without his or her father for 10 years. He would be a stranger to them. We need him here.
I understand that at the moment, a pregnancy is hypothetical, but our whole situation is hypothetical. Whether my husband is allowed to continue to live with me in the United States or we are separated and he goes to live in Mexico or if I relocate to Mexico with him. It is all hypothetical. I pray that you will see with the medical records that I have provided that XXXX and I are doing everything in our power to conceive a child together and will not stop until we achieve pregnancy. It is not hypothetical to us at all because we will have a child with the help of my doctor.
IV. LOSS OF CLOSE FAMILY TIES
A. ALL OF MY FAMILY LIVES IN THE UNITES STATES
I have one sister and both she and I have an incredible bond that we share with our parents and family. I am from a remarkably close family who are all natural born United States citizens. Although I have family nearby, I do not have anyone available to care for me if my husband is not allowed to return to the United States.
It would cause extreme sadness for my parents to have myself and one of their grandchildren to leave the country, as well as XXXX because he has became a part of their family. In addition to my husband, my family is my confidants, my life supporters and my strength. We have family gatherings anytime that we can get everyone together. I consider an important part of a marriage is interacting together with each others family. In the absence of my husband we will be unable to share these remarkable moments together. XXXX needs to remain in the United States to uphold the bond of our marriage by the memories that are made with my family. These family gatherings are extremely important to me, XXXX, and my family, and without the ability to share them together I will face despair that will also affect my entire family. This is the only time when we can all make arrangements to get together.
My parents can not help me financially because my mom has been their only income since 2009. My mom was just informed that Arrow International/Teleflex Medical, her employer for 26 years will be closing their doors and moving their operations to other countries sometime between 2015 and 2017. She usually works at least 6 days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day. My father who has been laid off since 2009, just found a job about 3 weeks ago. He is not available for me either. They have been struggling for years to pay their bills and now that my father does have a job, they are faced with the realization that my mom may not have at job at any given time so they need to save what they can to plan for that.
My aunt and uncle can not help me financially or take care of me if needed because they only live off of my uncle’s disability checks, which is not enough for them to live off of and they do not have a car. They have to get rides with people when they need to go somewhere.
My sister, XXXX, and her husband can not help me financially because her husband is the only one that works. They do not make enough to live on. They only have one car and my brother-in-law takes it to work everyday to his job which is at least 40 minutes away and sometimes he is gone for days at a time. My sister stays home with their daughter while her son goes to school.
My cousin, XXXX, and her husband can not help me because they have six kids. They have very hectic schedules and do not have the time to take me anywhere. Some of their kids are involved in sports, others have medical issues that keep them in hospitals/doctor’s offices. They also can not help me financially because they have the burden of supporting an 8 person household.
Although, I do have family that lives near me, I have no one to support me financially or physically. I need my husband here in the United States to take care of me and to help me financially. I fully depend on his support. My family supports me EMOTIONALLY and that is really all they can do. I love my family dearly and I know that if they could help me that they would, but the reality is that they can not. XXXX is the only person who I have that is available to care for me. None of my family members are financially stable enough to support me and my children. They all have their own issues in their own lives and can not be able to physically transport me to my appointments, take care of me after surgery, or even make sure that my kids and I are able to go to the grocery store. I depend on XXXX for all of that.
My parents have helped me so much with my children before my mom worked such long hours and before my dad returned to work. They are no longer able to help me like they used to be able to. When XXXX and I got married, my children became his priority. He is their stepfather and he treats them as if they were his own. XXXX and XXXX have became so close to XXXX and we would all suffer extremely if that father/son bond was broken.
My son attempted suicide in August of 2013 and has had a very rough time, and my family has been close and taken care of each other during this hard time. My son is on medication now and seeking therapy. My son’s doctor, Dr. Craig Smith, stated that XXXX suffers from PTSD with secondary depressive disorder, anxiety, depression and relationship dysfunction and that it would be detrimental if we were to move to Mexico without continuing his treatment and diagnosis due to the severity of his condition. He states that it would be entirely detrimental to have XXXX move from the United States to Mexico, and that living 128 miles from my ex husband, who perpetrated the violence and that this would exacerbate his posttraumatic stress symptoms. He feels that the treatment my son needs may not be available in Mexico, and he feels that it is a medical necessity for XXXX to not move to Mexico and start his treatment here immediately, which he has already begun. My parents have been a tremendous help to my son and I in dealing with his disorder and it would cause an extreme hardship not to be here in the United States to have that family structure and support.
It would be impossible for me to maintain the same relationship with my family if XXXX and I were to reside in Mexico. I would have to choose between spending the holidays with my family or with my husband. The expense of flying from Mexico City, Mexico (the closest airport to my husband) to my hometown, Asheboro North Carolina on average would cost me anywhere from $600 - $1,200 USD per roundtrip. This would be impossible with the average Mexican income of $5.20 USD per day (previously discussed in career section). It would take over 13 months of working 7 days a week in Mexico to afford a roundtrip plane ticket to visit my family, excluding living expenses. This would be an infeasible situation and would leave me apart from my family eternally. Living in the United States I have the support of my family and I am able to communicate fluently with every person around me. In Mexico, I would be isolated and limited to speaking with mostly just my husband. I would suffer from severe depression because of the closeness of my family and to not have that in Mexico would be very difficult for me. I need my husband here in the United States with me. He has a close bond with my family and that would be destroyed by relocation or separation. If I went to Mexico with XXXX, my family may not feel the same for him because he has taken me away from them and if I remain in the United States and he returns to Mexico, it will cause issues as well because they may blame my decline in health on XXXX. I want to protect the bonds that my family has.
B. NO FAMILY IN MEXICO - ISOLATION
I do not have any family living in Mexico, my entire family lives in the United States. If XXXX and I were to relocate to Mexico, I would be uprooted from the ties I have to my family here in the United States. It would be extremely traumatizing and dangerous for us to relocate to a foreign country like Mexico all alone. We would be deprived from our livelihood and displaced from the community we call home and have lived in. My knowledge of Mexico is as limited as my husbands. He has lived in the United States for almost 13 years. I would suffer complete isolation and I would have no direct family support. The mere thought of having to endure this is daunting. I count on my family for emotional support and they are an intricate part of my life. I would be extremely saddened and further disheartened if I could not see them on a regular basis, if at all. This is an enormous destitution I will face if I am to relocate to Mexico.
V. CONCERN FOR SAFETY IN MEXICO
A. FEAR OF DEATH IN MEXICO DUE TO THE CRIMINAL HISTORY, DISREGARD FOR THE LAW AND HISTORY OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR FROM MY EX HUSBAND
I was with my ex-husband, XXXX XXXX Salado Hernandez, for 8 years. He was an alcoholic. He mentally and physically abused me, cheated on me, and made me feel like I was worth nothing. I wanted to leave him, but he threatened to kill me. There were times when he held a knife up to my throat or threatened to cut my face with scissors so no one else would want me. I took pictures of the bruises he left on me, but he found them and beat me for saving them, so I have no proof. My family had no idea how horrible he was to me. There was a point when my parents would not let him in their house anymore because one of the girls he was cheating on me with came to my house and busted in my windows and doors. My parents do not condone cheating. My ex-husband was deported in 2009. I stayed with him for another 2 years. He kept telling me he was going to come back and I was scared of him. In early 2011, he did try to come back, but got caught in Arizona, and spent 3 months in jail in the Pinal County Jail. Because he was here in the United States and I knew he was going to be deported at the end of his 3 month sentence, some of my friends helped me look up North Carolina Divorce Forms online and I printed them, filled them out and went and filed for divorce. My divorce was final on August 30, 2011. I met my husband XXXX when I was separated from my ex-husband but ended up getting back together with my ex-husband because of the fear I had of him. Even when he was in Mexico after being deported, I still feared him. I STILL FEAR HIM! My heart is beating fast as I type this. My ex husband does have a criminal record, but it is under at least 3 different names, XXXX XXXX Salado Hernandez, XXXX Perez Hernandez (his brothers name), and XXXX Careno Romero (a fake name). I have included his criminal record. He has no regard for the law whatsoever. He has proven that with his extensive record.
I am extremely afraid of my ex-husband, XXXX. I fear for my life. He has threatened to kill me many times and has attempted to do so or make me think he was capable of doing so on several occasions. I have nightmares of him returning to the United States and harming my family. I have nightmares of him killing us all. And it is so vivid and feels so real that I hurt inside when I wake up. If I were to live in Mexico, he would only be a few hours from where I would be living. I am afraid that I would never make it back to the United States alive. I dream of him standing over me in my room sometimes, and then I can not sleep because I feel like he is really there. My primary care doctor, Dr. XXXX, prescribed me Cyclobenzaprine to help me sleep at night for this reason.
My ex-husband was so horrible to me. He beat me badly, sexually abused me, and tortured me. He was an alcoholic and when he drank, it was even worse. I do not even know where to start. In the beginning, things were not bad. He would leave and stay gone for hours and I did not know where he was. Later in the relationship hours turned into days.
XXXX would hit me with a belt and he would wrap the belt around his hand where the metal belt buckle would hit me. He only hit me from the neck down so that no one would know. One time he did choke me so bad that I had bruises on my neck but I wore a turtle neck to cover it up. That was the only time he went above the neck, although he did threaten to. He chased me with scissors one day and threatened to cut my face with them just because another man looked in my direction while we were in town. He told me that if “he could not have me, no one could” and that he would make my face “where no one would want me”.
XXXX, as most alcoholics are, was always worse after he drank. XXXX was the type of person that would drink all the alcohol there was and want to go get more even if he could not stand up. If there were 24 beers and he was alone, he would drink them all and then make me drive him to get more and then he would sexually abuse me with the bottles of beer once he drank them, or he would force me to have anal sex and it did not affect him that I screamed and cried in pain. He did things to me that I did not understand. He tried to put his whole hand inside of my vagina. He did not care that I was crying, or that he was hurting me. I tried fighting back, but he would just hit me harder. I thought about my kids in the other room. I tried not to let them hear. I tried not to let them know what a bad man he was or let them see how scared of him I was.
This is just a small fraction of what I went through with my ex-husband. My fear of him is real and it is something that I live with everyday. HE is the reason why my son is suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. If we move to Mexico we will be living about 128 miles from my abusive ex husband and I have a fear that he will find us and hurt us or even kill us. This is a fear that I live with even here in the United States because I am afraid he will come back here because he has tried before. But the fear is even greater in Mexico because he could do something to hurt us and get away with it in Mexico. I understand that this is not a traditional hardship but I pray will all of my being that you will see the severity of this hardship and approve my husband’s I601a waiver so I do not have to make the decision whether relocate to Mexico to be with my husband and possibly place my family in danger if my ex husband were to find out we were there.
B. PHYSICAL SAFETY AS AN AMERICAN UNITED STATES CITIZEN
As a young United States Citizen female with freckled, very fair skin, blue eyes and blonde hair, I would constantly feel uneasy being in a country where I would easily be a target of many crimes including kidnapping, theft and rape. The dangers I face and will continue to face while living in Mexico are insurmountable. In Mexico, I will face significant, potentially life threatening risks to my personal safety to be with my husband.
According to the United States Department of Travel website, crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and is often violent. Specifically for Guerrero, where I would have to relocate to:”Guerrero: Acapulco, Ixtapa, Taxco and Zihuatanejo are major cities/travel destinations in Guerrero - Defer non-essential travel to the northwestern and southern portions of the state (the area west and south of the town of Arcelia on the border with Estado de Mexico in the north and west and south of the town of Tlapa near the border with Oaxaca), except for the cities of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Ixtapa. In those cities, you should exercise caution and stay within tourist areas. You should also exercise caution and travel only during daylight hours on toll highway ("cuota") 95D between Mexico City and Acapulco.” The warning continues with…”You should also exercise caution in the northern region of Guerrero (the area north of the town of Arcelia on the border with Estado de Mexico in the north and north and east of the town of Tlapa near the border with Oaxaca). The state of Guerrero was the most violent state in Mexico through the first 10 months of 2013, with 1,718 homicides and 205 reported cases of kidnapping, according to the Mexican Secretariado Ejecutivo Nacional de Seguridad Publica. Self-defense groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Armed members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks, and although not considered hostile to foreigners or tourists, are suspicious of outsiders and should be considered volatile and unpredictable. ”
Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to the high crime rate. The United States government also warns its citizens, especially women when traveling or living in Mexico to travel with a companion at all times and to never be out alone at night. Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at alarming rates. The crime in Mexico and increased security warnings for American U.S. citizens only continues to increase. After living in the United States for 13 years, my husband’s knowledge of Mexico is limited and without an adequate understanding of the dangers in Mexico we would both be put in extremely vulnerable situations. The one person I have to depend on for my personal safety would be my husband and even he is vulnerable himself. Our lives would mainly depend on staying indoors in the security of the place we would be staying and limiting our visits into town to avoid risking our personal safety. In Mexico, I would be in constant danger, always having to be on guard and both my husband and I are unprepared to handle a dangerous criminal or situation. The language barrier would once again be a grave disadvantage if my personal safety was compromised. I would not be able to communicate with the criminal, staff at a hospital and it would be impossible to report a crime accurately. The thought of this is distressing.
My personal safety is something that I often take for granted in the United States. I live in an extremely safe town and feel secure in my surroundings. If I should ever feel unsafe, my mother and father live in the house in front of mine. They would be right there should a situation arise. My security and safety would be further assured with the presence of my husband. Even in the United States young woman can be targeted in acts of crime. With the knowledge that my husband also lives in our home with me here in the United States I feel my safety will be dramatically increased. My safety is something I take very seriously as I should, and I request you take into consideration once more that I am an young very fair skinned, freckle-faced American citizen that will be directly targeted in Mexico. This is a potentially life-threatening situation that I will encounter if my husband is not able to return to the United States.
VI. CHARACTER STATEMENT
XXXX and I met in 2007, working at Four Seasons Furniture, where he is currently still employed. We started dating on October 6, 2011 and were married the following year on June 1, 2012. I was a victim of domestic violence for 8 years. XXXX’s friendship helped me through that time and with his kindness and generosity XXXX won my heart. He has shown me how to trust again, and how to love again. XXXX showed me how to let someone love me and let go of my fear. XXXX is one of the most dependable, hardworking, caring, honest and peace-loving person that I have ever met.
XXXX is a family man, who loves to work and provide for his family. XXXX spends his free time with his family and his two dogs, Nacho and Zion. We love to go to theme parks as a family, or go to the zoo or go to the movies. We like to plan family outings to the lake, or fishing or to visit with family. Our family is very close. XXXX and I attend church regularly at Seagrove Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP. XXXX only misses services at the Kingdom Hall when he has to take care of me when I am sick. I suffer from severe migraines and they cause nausea and vomiting and he will not leave me when I am sick.
XXXX has taken care of me after three surgeries. He is always very caring and makes sure that I have everything I need. His family is his first priority.
XXXX has never been arrested or been charged or convicted of any crime with the exception of one traffic violation since he came to the United States in 2001.
My family would suffer extreme emotional hardship if XXXX’s I601a waiver were not to be approved. XXXX is our rock. He is the foundation that holds this family together. He takes care of me in my sickness and he is an upstanding part of the community that would do anything that he can to help anyone who needs it.
XXXX is a good man; he is my best friend, and he is a wonderful father for my two sons. He will be an incredible father in the future when we are able to have a child of our own. He is always willing to lend a hand when a friend or family member needs help. I have seen him give money to those in need and help my own parents on a continuous basis. My husband’s current immigration status causes him pain and embarrassment. A helpful, supportive, hardworking, honest man and loving husband has replaced the young boy that came to the United States almost 13 years ago hoping to provide for his family.
XXXX is an asset to this country, as a law abiding, God loving citizen who has strong community ties. He is a good example of the kind of man I want my two teenage sons to grow up to be. I pray that you will consider his good moral character and his love and respect for this country in your decision.
VII. SPECIAL FACTORS
A. ADJUSTMENT TO LIVING CONDITIONS IN GUERRERO, MEXICO
I have visited my husband’s family in Guerrero. There is one livable house on the property. His parent’s house is mostly concrete and brick and by US standards it would not be considered finished. It does have a roof and electricity, but it is very primitive, no running water, or water heater. The kitchen area and the dining area is out in the open. The walls of the house are made from tree branches and stucco. They are covered with thatched roofs (made out of straw). The floors are mostly dirt, but some have cement. There are no doors to the kitchen or dining area. There are no doors on the bathroom/shower room but they do have sheets covering the doorway.
To go to the bathroom, they have the bottom part of a toilet, with no seat and you have to take a bucket of water with you to make it flush, there is a trashcan next to the toilet for you to put your used toilet paper in because you can not flush it. The “shower” is a concrete room with a large trash can full of water that you have to use a bowl or cup to dump the water on yourself to bathe and there is a drain the floor. If you want hot water, you have to heat water in a pan and pour it into the large trash can. You never get to bathe with HOT water because by the time you get enough water heated to bathe it is almost cold again. For washing clothes, and washing dishes, they have cement “sinks” that they put rain water in and use soap to clean the dishes and then rinse with the rain water as well. They do use bottled water for cooking. They cook with fire on these platforms that look like they are made out of clay. They do have a stove, but no oven.
To get water to bathe, cook, clean with my father in law has to load these large blue containers onto a mule and go down to a water hole to bring the water back to the house to wash dishes and bathe, because they do not have running water in the area of Guerrero where we would have to live.
My in-laws have very little income to no income and it would be very hard for them to have another family living in their house with them. The drinking water is separated between potable (this is purchased by the family) and un-potable water, which is stored in concrete containers or rain jugs (big barrels to catch rain waiter.) My brother-in-law and his family have a house behind my in-law’s home. There is no hot water or hot water heater in any of the homes, so the sanitary conditions are poor. My sister in laws home is a little further up the mountain and is built onto the side of a huge rock, which serves as one of the walls to her home.
While I was there I had to be taken to the medics for a migraine that was caused due to the high altitudes there. The doctor only took my vital signs and sent me back to the house. I was miserable. They did nothing to help ease the pain. This is where the concern of my history of migraines comes in because they are so bad.
I was bitten by a lot by the mosquitoes. I had to sleep every night with a net over my bed so that I would not be bitten as bad, and if the net happened to come up I would be covered in bites the next morning. We had to sleep with nets over us because the mosquitoes are so bad. One night my sons net came loose while he was sleeping and they ate him up. He had bites all over him. My youngest son, XXXX has an allergy to mosquito bites and it concerns me very much for him to possibly have to live in these conditions if his father allowed him to visit.
This area is rural and remote, very far from any city. It is at least 30-45 minutes down an extremely long dirt road. I