Luz Ayala, 35 years of age, was granted legal residence by a Judge on October 14, 2003. She just gave birth to her fourth United States born daughter on January 6, 2004, the day of the Epiphany. By all accounts, she should be rejoicing but her joy has been cut short by a cruel twist in the immigration laws.

Immigration Judge granted her case in October of last year but because of a technicality, did not grant her husband’s case who must leave the United States by February 11 unless the Department of Homeland Security allows him to remain with his family. Her husband, Jaime Leyva, is a 40 year old hard working man who has paid taxes since he arrived in the U.

He now has to leave the United States by February 11, 2004. It may be years before Luz can bring her husband back legally because of the backlogs in the petitions of permanent residents for their spouses. She and her four daughters, Karina, 12 years of age; Gabriela, 10 years of age Vanessa, 5 years of age and Kimberly America, 22 days old will now have to fend for themselves and most likely will have to resort to federal or state aid to survive.Luz and Jaime, her husband, have been in the United States for more than 17 years. They entered the U.

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