Jeff-n-Jana

Craig,

Since you have not yet proposed, she is not a fiance but she is a "friend".

I know it's overly simplistic - but everytime I see it on TV I go "OK, what are you waiting for... they're all right there!!!"

Probably afraid of being sued for "racial profiling" or something. I have thought the same thing though.

Jay,

I am sorry you, Ben, and your kitty have had to go through that. Your posts have been a source of inspiration and insight for many of us here at VJ. I say stay with your friend Em until you are in your own place. And congrats on your GC. All the best to you.

Jeff

I wish I could just not go to work whenever I wanted to do somethjing else like go to an event. Guess that's what I get for being a citizen.

Just a brief update today on Jana's detainment.

She had the rescheduled phone interview the San Francisco INS office on Thursday that lasted over 2 hours. They used the judges chambers this time. Guess it has more privacy than the intake office where they tried to do it last time.

Jana will be meeting with an attorney today to try and figure out what the heck is going on with all of this. The lady from the SF office mentioned to Jana that her attorney can and will request a bond hearing for her. Hopefully they will allow it and we can get her released from Tacoma.

And with all this happening, Jana is telling me that she is sorry for putting me through this. Can you believe it? She's worried about what this is doing to me and she is the one locked up. My sweet scumpi sure is a trooper.

Jeff

I went up to Tacoma this weekend to visit with Jana. She is doing well considering the circumstances she is in. She was scheduled for another phone interview with someone from the San Francisco office at 1030 today. When they called to start the interview Jana was placed in the intake office where a number of other detainees were also at. Apparently the lady from the SF office who called for the interview decided that it was not adequate privacy for the interview, and they are now going to reschedule it for another date. Other than the obvious downside of not having the interview done today, there is also the fact that there is a possibility that after the interview a bond can be posted to get Jana released until such time as a full hearing is scheduled. I guess like everything else in this process, patience is a virtue. But it sure does suck having Jana locked up. I will keep you all informed.

Jeff

I met some college guys from Colorado while I was staying in Playa Giron and diving the Bay of Pigs. They got there by going through Mexico since Mexico was not doing passport checks on people leaving the country. And I was there doing research on "non-US ships" that sink to the ocean floor and their impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

With a dual citizenship your husband could feasibly travel on his non-US passport once he is out of the country, but why risk it would be my question.

Jeff

Happy VJ anniversary Dean. All my and Jana's best wishes to you and Sanita.

Jeff

in this dog-friendly town, animal feces make up nearly 4 percent of residential waste, or 6,500 tons a year

WOW! That's a lot of s#%t.

I had a good chat with Jana on the phone today. Got some clarifications on what the heck is going on with her too. In addition to the request for a hearing on her denied entry, there was a phone call some time back on the 16th that I was not aware of. Jana was involved in a phone interview with an INS officer from the San Francisco office for a preliminary determination of eligibility for a refugee/asylum status. He said it appeared she may qualify. So, on the 17th she informed the folks in the Portland Detention Office and they in turn sent her to Tacoma that evening.

I spoke with my Legal Insurance provider also, and not surprising, there is no coverage available since we are not married. Jana said she has the names of several immigration attorneys in Tacoma who she can talk with and that I should not worry about that.

And thanks for the tips Melissa. Although I have spent most of the past 15 years in a maximum security Forensic Psychiatric setting, and am familiar with some of what is happening with her as far as being incarcerated and what may or may not be allowed. It does not seem to make any of what she is going through any easier though.

Bless you all here at VJ for the support and advice you share not only with me, but with everyone who comes here.

Jeff

That is great news. I am so happy for you. Plenty to do getting a new house. Take pictures for us.

Jeff

Jana said that she has requested a hearing on her denied entry and deportation process, and that she would be held in the Detention Center in Tacoma until the hearing date (which is unknown at this time).

Jeff

Just an update of sorts on Jana and her situation. I received a short call from her during a break in her being processed at the INS NW Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. She was transported there last night sometime. Unfortunately we were unable to talk for only a few minutes so I have no idea what's going on now. I am planning on driving up to see her if I can get approval to do so. I will keep you all updated when I hear anything.

Jeff

Congrats on the wedding. The pictures are great.

Jeff

I really think she must be hearing something wrongly, but then again, I'm assuming that this was a simple case of suspected immigrant intent and nothing else. If she made a material misrepresentation to a CBP officer, that would probably get her a ban of some sort. But if she was telling the truth the whole time and was only denied on the basis of suspected immigrant intent, she's not subject to a ban and can come back with whatever visa you two decide to file for.

That's the part you need to get straightened out, I would think.

I am going on the same assumption that she is being denied on suspected immigration intent. I just cannot see Jana not being honest with the CBP folks. Jana has been here to visit me twice on tourism visa's already, and knows to be honest when answering any questions they ask her. Hopefully she will be able to call me again today and I can inquire further about this whole ban thing.

Jeff

Jana may not be fully understanding the things they are telling her. Even though Jana's English is excellent in my opinion, it gets worse when she is stressed out. And there are no interpreter services being offered to her as near as I can tell (She has not mentioned one). She has already misunderstood the CBP folks asking her about filing a refugee status, so she may be misunderstanding others as well. She has said she was being banned from entry for 5 years which just seems wrong to me.

Jeff

Welcome back. And hello from the Silverton area.

Jeff

Actually there really is nothing to talk to an immigration attorney about... She was denied entry due to the INA 214B provision that states that all entering aliens have immigrant intent and it is the burden of the alien to prove otherwise. As she could not provide enough evidence in the opinion of the CBP officer to overcome this provision, she was denied admission into the US. She will be held in detention until the next available flight to a location where they know she will be allowed to enter because she cannot be admitted to the US. If that next available flight is the next Lufthansa flight out, then that's the flight they'll put her on.

The fact that they are housing her in the DO during the day and at a jail at night is standard procedure as the USCIS does not have detention facilities that can accomodate overnight guests around the country. Most DO's have contracts with local jails to house their detainees during the night as they have no facilities to accomodate overnight detainees. Detroit has the same relationship with several county jails.

I understand that entry denial was a risk that we were taking when she bought her ticket. Is the 5 year ban standard procedure as well? That seems a bit harsh if it is.

Jeff

After a few collect calls from Jana, and a few calls to friends in various places, I have a few more details. The administrative review was to be for a refugee status that one of the CBP folks asked her about. She did not know what that was. I have explained it to her and she is refusing the review and should be on a flight to Frankfurt on Friday. The CBP in Portland contracts beds with the Columbia County jail is why she is wearing an inmate uniform and gets to wear handcuffs for her transports back and forth every day. I do have legal insurance through my employer, and will definitely be talking to an immigration attorney about this whole mess. I will keep you updated. Thank you all for the insights and support during a difficult time. The people here at VJ rock!

Jeff

That blows!!! Where exactly is she 'being held' until Friday???

I have made some calls and found out what is currently going on with Jana, and where she is. I even got a message to her and a collect call from her.

Jana is being held at the CBP detention center at the Portland airport during the day, and is held at the Columbia County jail in St Helens at night.

When Jana called me today I learned a few things. Apparently a second CBP officer was involved in her interview yesterday was not happy with her answers and declared that she was trying to enter the US with the intent to immigrate. As near as we can tell, he used the fact that we had applied for the K-1 visa as his proof. The fact that Jana and I had put the K-1 on hold and had the packet sent back to USCIS in Nebraska was not seen as being important.

Jana said she has requested some sort of administrative review of her case, and that she was granted her request. The problem is that she has to be "held" until then. And they told her this morning it will be anywhere from 3 days to 3 months before that interview/review will happen.

Is any of this a normal thing to have happen? I am still a bit stunned over all of this.

Jeff

I agree , that's a long time for her to be "held" before sending her back. I know there is nothing we can do about it, and to happen at all is terrible. But to happen on Valentine's Day really sucked.

Jeff

I just got home from the Portland airport where they denied Jana entry on her multi-visit tourism visa. Although we both knew there was a posssibility of it happening, after her 2 prior visits, we were not expecting it. And to happen on Valentine's Day made it worse.

I was interviewed by one of the CBP officers and at the end of the interview he told me to wait and Jana would be out in a few minutes. 30 minutes later I am being told by a Luthansa representative that Jana has been denied entry, will be held until Friday when she will be sent back to Romania, and that she will be given an opportunity to call me sometime before Friday. What a mess

Jeff

There's an easy way to tell. The difference between a MerMaid and a MerMan is that the Mermaid has ten digits and the MerMan has an extra one.