[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 17 (Monday, January 29, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1285-S1286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 416. A bill for the relief of Denes Fulop and Gyorgyi Fulop; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I offer today a private immigration 
relief bill to provide lawful permanent residence status to Denes and 
Gyorgyi Fulop, Hungarian nationals who have lived in California for 
more than 20 years. The Fulops are the parents of six U.S. citizen 
children. Today, they face deportation having exhausted all 
administrative remedies under our immigration system.
  The Fulop's story is a compelling one and one which I believe merits 
Congress' consideration for humanitarian relief.
  The most poignant tragedy to affect this family occurred in May of 
2000, when the Fulops eldest child, Robert ``Bobby'' Fulop, an 
accomplished 15 year-old teenager, died suddenly of a heart aneurism. 
Bobby was considered the shining star of his family.
  That same year their six-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, was diagnosed 
with moderate pulmonary stenosis, a potentially life-threatening heart 
condition and a frightening situation similar to Bobby's. Not long ago, 
she successfully underwent heart surgery, but. requires medical 
supervision to ensure her good health.
  The Fulop's youngest child, Matthew, was born seven weeks premature. 
He subsequently underwent several kidney surgeries and is still being 
closely monitored by physicians.
  Compounding these tragedies is the fact that today the Fulops face 
deportation. They face deportation, in part, because in 1995 the family 
traveled to Hungary and remained there for more than 90 days.
  Under the pre-1996 immigration law, prior to the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, their stay in Hungary 
would not have been a factor in their immigration case and they would 
have been eligible for adjustment of status to lawful permanent 
residents.
  Indeed, in 1996, Mr. and Mrs. Fulop applied to the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service (INS) for permanent resident status. Due to 
large backlogs, the INS did not interview them until 1998. By the time 
their applications were considered, the new 1996 immigration law had 
taken effect. Given their one-time 90 day trip outside the United 
States, they were statutorily ineligible for relief pursuant to the 
cancellation of removal provisions of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act.
  One cannot help but conclude that had the INS acted on the Fulop's 
application for relief from deportation in a timelier manner, they 
would have qualified for suspension of deportation under the pre-1996 
law, given that they were long-term residents of the United States with 
U.S. citizen children and many positive factors in their favor.
  The irony of this situation is that the Fulops were gone from the 
United States for nearly five months in 1995 because they traveled to 
Hungary to help Mr. Fulop's brother build his home. Mr. Fulop's brother 
is handicapped and they went to help remodel his home.
  The Fulops are good and decent people. Mr. Fulop is a masonry 
contractor and the owner and president of his own construction 
company--Sumeg International. He has owned this business for 12 years 
and currently has three full-time employees.
  The couple is active in their church and community. As Pastor Peter 
Petrovic of the Apostolic Christian Church of San Diego says in his 
letter of support, ``[t]he family is an exceptional asset to their 
community.'' Mrs. Fulop has served as a Sunday school teacher and 
volunteers regularly at Heritage K-8 Charter School in Escondido. Mrs. 
Morris, a Heritage K-8 Charter School faculty member says in her letter 
of support that Mrs. Fulop is ``. . . a valuable asset to our school 
and community.''
  This is a tragic situation. Essentially, as happened to many families 
under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act 
of 1996, the rules of the game were changed in the middle. When the 
Fulops applied for relief from deportation they were eligible for 
suspension of deportation. By the time the INS got around to their 
application, nearly three years later, they were no longer eligible and 
in fact suspension of deportation as a form of relief ceased to exist.
  The Fulops today have been in the United States since the early 
1980s. Most harmful is the effect that their deportation will have on 
the children, all of whom were born here and who range from three years 
old to 19 years of age. Their eldest, Dennis, is a 4.0 honor student at 
Palomar Community College. His sister, Linda, has a 3.8 grade point 
average, is an honor student in high school, and is also taking one 
class at Palomar Community College.
  It is my hope that Congress sees fit to provide an opportunity for 
this family to remain together in the United States given their many 
years here, the profound sadness they have already experienced and the 
harm that would come from their deportation to their six U.S. citizen 
children.
  I ask unanimous consent that the three letters of community support 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                        Apostolic Christian Church


                                                 of San Diego,

                                 Escondido, CA, December 28, 2006.
     Re The Denes Fulop Family.

       To Whom It May Concern: My family and I have known Denes 
     and Joy Fulop for many year. They have been members in good 
     standing in our church for approximately 20 years. Denes has 
     served the congregation faithfully in many capacities. He was 
     a building committee member during the construction of our 
     church 10 years ago. He also served as church treasurer for 
     four years and Sunday School Superintendent for many years. 
     Presently he is a member on the board of trustees.
       Joy Fulop was a building sub-committee member during the 
     construction of the church and also served for a few years as 
     a Sunday school teacher. Joy is a devoted and committed 
     homemaker, and a wonderful example of a loving mother and 
     wife. Their three younger children, Elizabeth, Sarah and 
     Abigail are actively involved in Sunday school and in various 
     youth group activities. The two oldest, Denny and Linda, are 
     also active in the church. Linda is currently a Sunday school 
     teacher for 2nd to 5th grade children. Linda and Denny are 
     very diligent and excellent students in High School and 
     College and are outstanding citizens.
       The family is an exceptional asset to their community. 
     Denes has been self-employed for many years and is a 
     knowledgeable and

[[Page S1286]]

     successful contractor. Their family has never depended on any 
     government aid, but rather contributes and shares their 
     blessings with others. Denes, Joy, and their six children are 
     truly an asset to our church and community.
       Should you have any further questions, please don't 
     hesitate to contact me.
           Respectfully submitted,
                                                   Peter Petrovic,
     Pastor.
                                  ____

                                                December 29, 2006.
       To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of this letter is to 
     describe our relationship with the Fulop family over the five 
     years when they became our neighbors.
       Dennis Fulop, a contractor, appears to be a very hard 
     working man, carrying out the responsibilities of owning his 
     business plus carrying out responsibilities at home for his 
     wife and six children. I've come to know that Joy, Mrs. 
     Fulop, spends every free minute taking care of the family, 
     home, and involving herself in church and school activities. 
     We have found them to be excellent neighbors, kind, 
     thoughtful, and ready to carry out any favor we may have.
       The six children have been wonderful to see grow up over 
     the last several years. They excel in school, are well-
     mannered, church going, involved in church ministry, and very 
     polite on every occasion.
       Our family finds itself fortunate to have a congenial and 
     honest family living next door. It is rare to find such a 
     quality family.
           Sincerely yours,
     Elizabeth Brandstater Shaw.
                                  ____



                                  R. Rimmer Construction Inc.,

                                     Cardiff, CA, January 3, 2007.
       To Whom It May Concern:
       The purpose of this letter is to describe my relationship 
     with Dennis Fulop whom I have known for approximately twenty-
     four years.
       As a building contractor in the San Diego area I have been 
     fortunate to have worked with Dennis for most of those years. 
     He has constructed nearly all of the foundations for the room 
     additions and new houses that I have built. Dennis has also 
     constructed most of the driveways, sidewalks, retaining 
     walls, fireplaces and masonry on my projects. He has also 
     attended to much of my finish grading, drainage and backhoe 
     construction needs.
       Dennis has long been an invaluable member of my 
     construction ``team``. He is very knowledgeable in nearly all 
     construction matters. He has always been very reliable and 
     responsible in meeting deadlines and upholding high standards 
     of construction quality.
       Dennis is also a very successful small business owner. He 
     has his own credit accounts with all of the necessary 
     construction suppliers and to my knowledge has always paid 
     his bills in a timely manner. In fact, I have never been 
     contacted or liened by any of his suppliers to date. Dennis 
     is also very proficient at managing and providing work for 
     his employees.
       Dennis' wife Joy is a dedicated wife and mother to their 
     six children. She is also actively involved in their church, 
     the Apostolic Christian Church of Escendido.
       I am thankful to know the Fulops on a personal level as 
     well. They have graciously invited me and my family to 
     several family and holiday festivities over the years. We 
     always look forward to getting together with the Fulops and 
     other members of their church.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Ron Rimmer,
                            President, R. Rimmer Construction Inc.
                                 ______