Georgia Senator's wife gets green card

[Kathryn41 3,205]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwi...wxthompson.html

Senator's wife is awarded residency

By SHELIA M. POOLE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 06/30/07

Good news sometimes comes in the most indistinct packages.

It took hours for Sascha Thompson to realize the plain white envelope on her kitchen counter contained the words that would end months of restless nights: "Welcome to the United States."

(photo)

A wedding photo of Georgia state senator Curt Thompson (right) and his wife, Sascha Thompson on their wedding day April 22, 2006.

The envelope from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency also contained her green card, a document giving her permanent legal residency.

"I feel good," said Thompson, the Colombian-born wife of state Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Norcross). "I'm relieved because it's been seven months and the whole process has been frustrating. At some point, I was telling my husband and attorney that I can just go to Colombia and wait there. But they said, 'No, Sascha, you can't do it.' "

Last year, federal immigration officials threatened to deport Thompson, 27. But a federal judge threw out the deportation order after hearing evidence that she was the victim of paperwork errors by a notario. In some Latin American nations, notario publicos are respected members of the legal community, somewhere between lawyers and judges. But in the United States, they do not have the same legal standing.

The problem occurred after Thompson went to the notario to help her with paperwork on her student visa.

But, without her knowledge, the notario filed an application for political asylum and used his own address, according to attorney Charles Kuck, who represented her.

As a result, she missed an appointment with immigration officials and, subsequently, with the courts. Missing the first meeting put the deportation process in motion, although the Thompsons had filed new paperwork after their wedding seeking permanent residency.

But unlike the many people who are deported each year, Thompson's case received national and international attention.

Her husband, a Democrat who represents parts of Gwinnett and DeKalb counties, has spoken out on behalf of immigrants. His district also is home to many immigrants and he describes himself as a strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform.

Since her ordeal began, Thompson said she has worked with an organization that deals with domestic violence in the Latino community and has interned in the congressional office of Rep. Hank Johnson, a DeKalb County Democrat.

"It's a big relief, obviously, to have that behind us," said Curt Thompson, who married Sascha Herrera in April 2006. Unfortunately, he said, stories like theirs are not uncommon "because the [immigration] system is so broken."

He said the couple received the support of their friends and also "hundreds" of hate e-mails from other people.

"I was used to talking about how the immigration system was broken, not living it," he said.

But there is one small matter still hanging.

Thompson said the green card is issued in her family name, Herrera. But to change it means submitting more paperwork and, for now, that's something Thompson just can't stomach.

"I'm just going to have to be Herrera," she said. "We need to relax and not have anything pending with immigration."