ABikerSailor
Diamond Member
Death stymies soldier son's bid to get mother green card
Thursday, February 25, 2010
By this time last year, Eugenia Galdos son had this February planned.
The 25-year-old Army sergeant, Christian Bueno-Galdos, would come home to Paterson on leave from his second tour of duty in Iraq, his mother finally would have legal immigration status, and together theyd take a trip to their native Peru, for the annual Carnival.
Instead, Christian Bueno-Galdos body lies at the Totowa Cemetery. And immigration officials have not yet decided on his 2008 application seeking U.S. permanent residency for his mother, who could face deportation.
Galdos was one of five soldiers killed last May by a distraught fellow trooper who opened fire on them at a medical clinic at Camp Liberty in Iraq.
"I go to his grave at least every other day," said Galdos, who is 54, dresses in black, and has a black ribbon hanging on the door to her apartment. "I keep his grave clear, neat, whether its clearing away the snow or placing flowers. Sometimes I feel a gnawing unrest, and my husband says Its because you must visit his grave today. Go to the cemetery, that is what is making you anxious. "
"It is important to visit him," Galdos said, in Spanish, in her neatly furnished apartment on Columbia Avenue, adorned with pictures of Christian in his Army uniform. "This is the biggest reason why I want to stay in this country, which Christian loved so much."
The Bueno-Galdos family came about 20 years ago, joining the tens of thousands of other Peruvians who have settled in Paterson over the years. Years later, when Galdos applied for permanent residency, she was denied and ordered deported. The rest of the family had obtained their immigration documents, Galdos said, and Galdos held out hope that she, too, would be able to do so.
Christian, who decided in high school to enlist in the Army, made it a mission to help his mother gain her residency. In late 2008, after Christian submitted the petition on behalf of his mother, an immigration judge dismissed the deportation order and accepted her sons application, Galdos said.
"Everything seemed to be moving along," she said.
But after Christian died, the residency process stalled, said his father, Carlos Bueno. In a meeting with immigration authorities, the couple said, officials brought up the old deportation order. Since then, immigration officials have told the family, as well as aides to Sen. Bob Menendez, to whom the family turned for help, that they are still looking into the case.
Asked to comment on the Paterson mothers application, immigration officials would not discuss the details of Galdos case, citing confidentiality.
Carlos Bueno, who is 59 and says his health has declined dramatically since the death of his son, says he understands that immigration officials have their own priorities and a job to do.
But, he asked, "How can this situation be seen solely through legal technicalities? Why dont they see a mother who wants to go to the grave of her son, who wants to always be with him, at least that way? One of my sons last, strongest wishes was to help his mother get her legal residency. Wed like to see finished what Christian started."
Galdos almost had decided to send her youngest sons body back to Peru to be buried.
But the more she thought about it, the more it became clear that this country had to be her sons final resting place.
"This was truly his country," she said. "Yes, he loved Peru, but as more of a place to visit. This was home, this was the country he said hed give his life up for defending, if it came to that."
His parents look at letters top Army officials sent to them, telling them what an asset Christian was to the military. The letters tell the parents how respected Christian was among his peers.
One official wrote that in his more than 20 years in the military, hed never seen such an outpouring of love as he had at a memorial for Christian in Iraq.
"This family has been through enough," said Jack Fanous, executive director of G.I. Go Fund, a Newark-based, non-profit advocacy group for veterans. Group members have accompanied the family on visits to the immigration office in Newark and to Menendezs office. "For their son to give his life for this country, and for us to show this mother the door is unacceptable. This familys price of admission has been paid above and beyond what we ask."
NorthJersey.com: Dead soldier?s mom still fighting to stay in U.S.
The really sad thing is that this soldier was killed by the dude who snapped off line at the clinic in Baghdad. He had already made US citizen, and was sponsoring his mother.
They were almost home free when he was killed senselessly.
I think this woman should be allowed to stay, she's done more for this country than most.