With the laws and regulations that have taken effect recently in the United States, it is now harder than ever to obtain citizenship for immigrants, even after living here for 13 years.
Sara Hamdi, a 19-year-old Sinclair Community College student, knows this struggle as much as anyone.
For three years her family has been fighting for their mother, Fatiha Elgharib, to remain in the United States and receive citizenship.
Hamdi’s family moved to the U.S. from Morocco when she was five years old with a legal visa. They have followed all of the proper procedures to gain citizenship since being here, according to Hamdi.
“My family has always done the right thing by going to the immigration office every month, paying taxes and doing the necessary paperwork to stay,” she said.
Hamdi said the deportation process was set in motion when immigration officers came knocking on their door after her mother didn’t appear on a court date. The letter for her to appear had been sent to an old address.
“On June 27, officers came knocking on the door saying that they sent a letter for (my mother) to appear in court on June 14. The process is that when you have to appear in front of them, they are to send a letter and notify your lawyer,” she said. “They didn’t notify our lawyer and they sent it to the wrong address when they had the right one on file. Nobody knew she had a court date because we most definitely would have went.”
While Elgharib spent five months in jail in 2007, Hamdi took over taking care of her three siblings and the house while trying to keep herself together in her personal life and at school.
“When she was gone I was like the second mom. I was a junior in high school and took care of all three kids, including myself and the house,” she said. “She is losing hope right now but I don’t want her to because that puts a strain on me. I almost failed my junior year having to do all of that.”
Hamdi said last year when her mother was about to board a plane to be deported back to Morocco, U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio granted her a one year pass to complete the necessary paperwork to stay.
“My mother went on May 4 to visit the officers again and they said that regardless of what she does it’s the law that she has to go back,” she said. “They gave her another date in August to see what they were going to do with her.”
Hamdi said her mothers appeal has been denied but there is still one in her brother’s name saying that Elgharib is his primary caregiver. The boy is a special needs child and Hamdi’s family is still hoping his case will win in their favor.
In the meantime Elgharib’s attorney, George Katchmer, is trying to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, if the family can raise enough money, Hamdi said.
“I planned a fundraiser and we are planning more events to raise money to hopefully take the case to Supreme Court where the lawyer wants to fight it,” she said. “It’s $40,000 to pay the lawyer and he wants $20,000 upfront before he starts doing anything.”
With her mother being unable to work, her father is taking care of the household expenses and Hamdi’s education. They are relying on fundraisers and donations to raise the money needed.
“We are planning on hopefully getting a car wash set up in Englewood to raise more money,” she said. “We also have a website set up that tells my mom’s story and to get support.”
Dayton Daily News has covered the story extensively for the past three years and while the Hamdi’s received support from the coverage, they also experienced some hurtful comments from people who don’t support the family.
Hamdi said she stays quiet at school because she doesn’t want to risk anything, but she is going to continue to fight for her mother no matter what.
“I pay for this and I value my education so I don’t want to risk anything that will get me kicked out of school,” she said. “But I am not going to stop fighting. I refuse to let them take my mom away from us especially considering the fact we haven’t done anything wrong. In my family when you do something wrong we are going to fess up to it. I know a lot of people say that but in my family we honestly do.”
Service Box
To make a donation to the Hamdi family or give support go to www.helpthehamdis.webs.com or call Denise Hamdi at 937-430-3855, or Sara Hamdi at 937-838-3746.