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Justice shouldn't depend on a bank balance: Lucía's family reunification petition

A family reunification petition deadline is approaching and Lucía cannot afford the lawyer.

🇲🇽 Mexico2,227 views
Lucía T. Galindo
Email verifiedPhoto verified
San Cristóbal de las Casas
I'm facing a family reunification petition. My hearing is scheduled for January, and the filing fees and the lawyer's retainer come to $1,000. I have been told by three legal-aid offices that their waiting list is longer than my deadline. I have all of my paperwork ready, and my caseworker at San Cristóbal de las Casas Welcome Centre has confirmed that my case is valid. If I miss the deadline I could lose my right to stay with my family and my job. My children were born here and this is the only home they know. I'll share any non-sensitive updates as the case moves along. The money goes to the immigration attorney's trust account and the court filing office. I'll upload receipts with sensitive details removed. Where the $1,000 goes: • Attorney retainer: $800 • Filing and biometrics fees: $105 • Certified translations and document copies: $55 • Court-appointed interpreter and travel: $40 Thank you for reading my story.

Updates from Lucía

  1. Thank you all. We're at 69% now ($686). I'm honestly stunned. we've booked the dates and paid the deposit.

  2. We're at 53% thanks to 10 of you. I met with the attorney and confirmed the amounts. More news soon.

  3. Thank you all. We're at 20% now ($200). I'm honestly stunned. I made the first payment toward attorney retainer.

  • Rowena M. Alcantara 🇵🇭 · $250
  • Gloria K. Hill 🇬🇧 · $250
  • Tunde Chukwuemeka Adeyemi 🇳🇬 · $100
  • Sneha T. Kurup 🇮🇳 · $75
  • Aarti K. Mittal 🇮🇳 · $60

    “Sending love. Hope this covers a bit of it. - Agra”

  • Kavindi Wickramasinghe 🇱🇰 · $50

    “Rooting for you. I'm in Dehiwala, thinking of you.”

  • Anonymous 🇦🇷 · $41
  • Eyob Kebede Tilahun 🇪🇹 · $30
  • Paisley S. Wallace 🇺🇸 · $30
  • Anonymous 🇵🇰 · $30

    “Thought of Lucía all day after reading this. - Sukkur”

  • Angel K. Arnold 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Adalynn N. Mills 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Elias T. Carter 🇺🇸 · $25

    “Be well. Thought of Lucía all day after reading this.”

  • Hendrik P. Mahlangu 🇿🇦 · $25
  • Alberto F. Guzmán 🇺🇸 · $20

    “God bless. - Kansas City”

  • Harold J. Marquez 🇺🇸 · $20
  • Noriko Fumiko Fujiwara 🇯🇵 · $20
  • Rhea R. Mercado 🇵🇭 · $20
  • Nikhil G. Nanda 🇺🇸 · $20
  • Shilpa K. Mishra 🇮🇳 · $10

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  • So sorry you're going through this. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. We lost years of savings to something like this so I get it.

    • Can I help in a way that isn't money? I'm near San Cristóbal de las Casas!

      • Lucía T. GalindoOwnerAnswerPhoto verified

        Thank you. If you're in San Cristóbal de las Casas I'll say if something practical comes up. For now sharing this is great. It helps to be asked.

    • Good luck. Your post was clear and honest. Greetings from Nashik

      • wishing you peace. Hope this works out for you. I'll check back for the next update. Love from București.

        • reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. Love from Phuket.

          • Sending strength. I've been in a tough spot myself and it does get easier. My husband and I read this together. All the best

            • I hope things turn around soon. I went through something like this 12 years ago and strangers helped me out.

              • Keep going. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. Wish I lived closer to Nagpur so I could bring a meal.

                • Wishing you peace. It takes guts to ask. Well done. My sister had a similar thing happen so this one hit home.

                  • Wishing you peace, Lucía. Shared this with my family. Read this on the bus and kept thinking about it all day. Love from Toronto.

                    • So sorry you're going through this, Lucía. Shared it with a few friends. Greetings from Iloilo City.

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