[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 17 (Monday, January 29, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1289-S1290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 420. A bill for the relief of Jacqueline W. Coats; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I offer today private relief 
legislation to provide lawful permanent residence status to Jacqueline 
Coats, a 26-year old widow currently living in San Francisco.
  Mrs. Coats came to the U.S. in 2001 from Kenya on a student visa to 
study Mass Communications at San Jose State University. Her visa status 
lapsed in 2003, and the Department of Homeland Security began 
deportation proceedings against her.
  Mrs. Coats married Marlin Coats on April 17, 2006, after dating for 
several years. The couple was happily married and planning to start a 
family when, on May 13, Mr. Coats tragically died in a heroic attempt 
to save two young boys from drowning.
  The couple had been on a Mother's Day outing at Ocean Beach with some 
of Mr. Coats' nephews when they heard cries for help. Having worked as 
a lifeguard in the past, Mr. Coats instinctively dove into the water. 
The two children were saved with the help of a rescue crew, but Mr. 
Coats, caught in a riptide, died. Mrs. Coats received a medal honoring 
her husband.
  Four days before Mr. Coats' death, the couple prepared and signed an 
application for a green card at their attorney's office. Unfortunately 
the petition was not filed until after his death, rendering it invalid. 
Mrs. Coats currently has a hearing before an immigration judge in San 
Francisco on August 24, but her attorney has informed my staff that she 
has no relief available to her and will be ordered deported.
  Mrs. Coats, devastated by the loss of her husband, is now caught in a 
battle for her right to stay in America. At a recent news conference 
with her lawyer, Thip Ark, she explained of her situation, ``I feel 
like I have nothing to live for. I have nothing to go home to . . . 
I've been here four years . . . It would be like starting a new life.''
  Ms. Ark explains that Mrs. Coats is extremely close with her late 
husband's family, with whom she lives in San Leandro, CA. Mrs. Coats 
has said that her husband's large family has become her own. Ramona 
Burton of San Francisco, one of Marlin Coats' seven brothers and 
sisters explains, ``She spent her first American Christmas with us, her 
first American Thanksgiving . . . I can't imagine looking around and 
not seeing her there. She needs to be there.''
  The San Francisco and Bay Area community is rallying strong support 
for Mrs. Coats. The San Francisco chapters of the NAACP, the San 
Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the San Francisco Police 
Department, have all

[[Page S1290]]

passed resolutions in support of Mrs. Coats' right to remain in the 
country.
  Unfortunately, if this private relief bill is not approved, this 
young woman, and the Coats family, will face yet another disorienting 
and heartbreaking tragedy. Mrs. Coats will be deported to Kenya, a 
country she has not lived in since she was 21. In her time of grieving, 
she will be forced to leave her home, her job with AC Transit, her new 
family, and everything she has known for the past 5 years.
  I cannot think of a compelling reason why the United States should 
not allow this young widow to continue the green card process. Had her 
husband lived, Mrs. Coats would have filed the papers without 
difficulty. It was because of her husband's selfless and heroic act 
that Mrs. Coats must now struggle to remain in the country. As one 
concerned California constituent wrote to me, ``If ever there was a 
case where common fairness, morality and decency should reign over 
legal technicalities, this is it. We, as a country, need to reward 
heroism and good.''
  I believe that we can reward the late Mr. Coats for his noble actions 
by granting his wife citizenship. It is what he intended for her. It 
can even be argued that a green card for his wife was one of his dying 
wishes, as the papers were signed just 4 days prior to his death.
  For these reasons, I offer this private relief immigration bill and 
ask my colleagues to support it on behalf of Mrs. Coats.
  I also ask unanimous consent that two letters of support be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Dear Judge,
       This woman's husband sacrificed his life to save mine! They 
     didn't get any type of award, or gift instead they got more 
     of a punishment. Marlon Coates died and the wife is now a 
     widow, when they just got married, she deserves some mercy, 
     and a little consideration for her. She should stay in the 
     country, she just got here she has bonded with Marlon's 
     family, she gotten to know everyone. Please let her stay she 
     really deserves it please!!
       My Name is Chance Goss I'm 11 Love to design and go on 
     roller coasters, paint, do art. I think it means compassion I 
     think its heroic and wonderful. The incident made me think 
     before doing don't!!!
                                  ____

       Life is a very precious thing. When lost, it is very 
     nostalgic to everyone. Not only is it a tragic thing, but it 
     also affects the people around that are still living. I'm 
     greatly traumatized by this whole quandary.
       There happens to be a fine line between deaths by a bullet 
     through the head of various thugs than deaths of heroes.
       They don't hurt the same. People are saved everyday and you 
     must wonder why Marlon? He transpired to be loved by 
     everyone. He was a former lifeguard, and he saw my brother 
     out in the water.
       A real hero will do what Marlon did. He ran to the bone-
     chilling river, knowing that he might breathe his last 
     breath. He knew that he might not be able to save him. He 
     knew that might be the last time he saw his wife again.
       He took this into account and dove into the water.
       His wife is now crying, because she may face deportation 
     after losing the only love in her life other than God. You 
     must ask yourselves, is this fair? Marlon was her ticket in 
     this country and he has deceased.
       There should be no question of whether she should stay or 
     not! She will never see him again. But emotionally they are 
     still together, because in my mind, marriage is not until 
     death do us part! His soul is still with her, in her heart, 
     Let me conclude with me saying let her stay!!!
       With God and Jesus giving you hope,
       Nate Ewing--Adria's son
                                 ______