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

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 417. A bill for the relief of Claudia Marquez Rico; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am offering today private relief 
legislation to provide lawful permanent residence status to Claudia 
Marquez Rico, a Mexican national living in Redwood City, CA.
  Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Claudia was brought to the United States by 
her parents 16 years ago. Claudia was just 6 years old at the time. She 
has two younger brothers, Jose and Omar, who came to America with her, 
and a sister, Maribel, who was born in California and is a U.S. 
Citizen. America is the only home they know.
  Six years ago that home was visited by tragedy. As Mr. and Mrs. 
Marquez were driving to work early on the morning of October 4, 2000, 
they were both killed in a horrible traffic accident when their car 
collided with a truck on an isolated rural road.
  The children went to live with their aunt and uncle, Hortencia and 
Patricio Alcala. The Alcalas are a generous and loving couple. They are 
U.S. citizens with two children of their own. They took the Marquez 
children in and did all they could to comfort them in their grief. They 
supervised their schooling, and made sure they received the counseling 
they needed, too. The family is active in their parish at Buen Pastor 
Catholic Church, and Patricio Alcala serves as a youth soccer coach. In 
2001, the Alcalas were appointed the legal guardians of the Marquez 
children.
  Sadly, the Marquez family received bad legal representation. At the 
time of their parents' death, Claudia and Jose were minors, and 
qualified for special immigrant juvenile status. This category was 
enacted by Congress to protect children like them from the hardship 
that would result from deportation under such extraordinary 
circumstances, when a State court deems them to be dependents due to 
abuse, abandonment or neglect. Today, their younger brother Omar is on 
track to lawful permanent residence status as a special immigrant 
juvenile. Unfortunately, the family's previous lawyer failed to secure 
this relief for Claudia, and she has now reached the age of majority 
without having resolved her immigration status.
  I should note that their former lawyer, Walter Pineda, is currently 
answering charges on 29 counts of professional incompetence and 5 
counts of moral turpitude for mishandling immigration cases and appears 
on his way to being disbarred.
  I am offering legislation on Claudia's behalf because I believe that, 
without it, this family would endure an immense and unfair hardship. 
Indeed, without this legislation, this family will not remain a family 
for much longer.
  Despite the adversity they encountered, Claudia and Jose finished 
school and now work together in a pet grooming store in Redwood City, 
where Claudia is the store manager. They support themselves, and they 
are dedicated to their community and devoted to their family. In fact, 
last year Claudia became the legal guardian of her 14-year-old sister 
Maribel, who lives with her and Jose at their home in Redwood City. 
Omar, now 17 years old, continues to live with the Alcalas so as not to 
interrupt his studies at Aragon High School in San Mateo. Again, 
Maribel is a U.S. citizen, and Omar is eligible for a green card.

  Claudia has no close relatives in Mexico. She has never visited 
Mexico, and she was so young when she was brought to America that she 
has no memories of it. How can we expect her to start a new life there 
now?
  It would be a grave injustice to add to this family's misfortune by 
tearing these siblings apart. This is a close family, and they have 
come to rely on each other heavily in the absence of their deceased 
parents. This bill will prevent the added tragedy of another wrenching 
separation.
  Given these extraordinary and unique facts, I ask my colleagues to 
support this private relief bill on behalf of Claudia Rico.
                                 ______