[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 2, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 449. A bill for the relief of Joseph Gabra and Sharon Kamel; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today, I am reintroducing private 
relief legislation on behalf of Joseph Gabra and Sharon Kamel, a couple 
living with their family in Camarillo, California.
  Joseph and Sharon are nationals of Egypt who fled their home country 
over twelve years ago after being targeted for their religious 
involvement in the Christian Coptic Church in Egypt. They became 
involved with this church during the 1990s, Joseph as an accountant and 
project coordinator helping to build community facilities and Sharon as 
the church's training director in human resources.
  Unfortunately, Joseph and Sharon were also subjected to threats and 
abuse. Joseph was jailed repeatedly because of his involvement with the 
church. Sharon's family members were violently targeted, including her 
cousin who was murdered and her brother whose business was firebombed. 
When Sharon became pregnant with her first child, she was threatened by 
a member of a different religious organization against raising her 
child in a non-Muslim faith.
  Joseph and Sharon came to the United States legally seeking refuge in 
November 1998. They immediately notified authorities of their intent to 
seek protection in the United States, filing for political asylum in 
May 1999.
  However, Joseph, who has a speech impediment, had difficulty 
communicating why he was afraid to return to Egypt, and one year later 
their asylum application was denied because they could not adequately 
establish that they were victims of persecution. Joseph and Sharon 
pursued the appropriate means for appealing this decision, to no avail.
  It should be noted that sometime later Sharon's brother applied for 
asylum in the United States. He, too, applied on the basis of 
persecution he and his family faced in Egypt, but his application was 
approved and he was granted this status in the United States.
  There are no other avenues for Joseph and Sharon to pursue relief 
here in the United States. If they are deported, they will be forced 
back to a country where they sincerely fear for their safety.
  Since arriving in the United States more than twelve years ago, 
Joseph and Sharon have built a family here, including four children who 
are United States citizens: Jessica, age 12, Rebecca, age 11, Rafael, 
age 10, and Veronica, age 6. Jessica, Rebecca, and Rafael attend school 
in California and maintain good grades. Veronica is attending 
kindergarten at Camarillo Heights Elementary School.
  Joseph and Sharon worked hard to achieve financial security for their 
children, and they created a meaningful place for their family in 
California. Both earned college degrees in Egypt. Joseph, who has his 
Certified Public Accountant license, has been working in the accounting 
department for a technology company in California.
  Joseph also volunteers for his son's Boy Scout Troop, and has 
expressed interest in pursuing opportunities as an Arabic language 
expert here in the United States. Joseph and Sharon carry strong 
support from friends, co-workers, members of their local church, and 
other Californians who attest to their good character and community 
contributions.
  I am concerned that the entire family would face serious and 
unwarranted hardships if forced to relocate to Egypt. For Jessica, 
Rebecca, Rafael, and Veronica, the only home they know is in the United 
States. It is quite possible these four American children would face 
discrimination or worse in Egypt on account of their religion, as was 
the experience of many of their family members.
  Joseph and Sharon have made a compelling plea to remain in the United 
States. These parents emphasize their commitment to supporting their 
children and making a healthy and productive place for them to grow up 
in California. I believe this family deserves that opportunity.
  I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this private relief bill 
on behalf of Joseph Gabra and Sharon Kamel.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 449

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, for the purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
     (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), Joseph Gabra and Sharon Kamel shall 
     each be deemed to have been lawfully admitted to, and 
     remained in, the United States, and shall be eligible for 
     adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted 
     for permanent residence under section 245 of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) upon filing an 
     application for such adjustment of status.
       (b) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsection (a) shall 
     apply only if the application for adjustment of status is 
     filed with appropriate fees not later than 2 years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon the granting 
     of permanent resident status to Joseph Gabra and Sharon 
     Kamel, the Secretary of State shall instruct the proper 
     officer to reduce by 2, during the current or subsequent 
     fiscal year, the total number of immigrant visas that are 
     made available to natives of the country of birth of Joseph 
     Gabra and Sharon Kamel under section 203(a) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)), or, if 
     applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that are made 
     available to natives to the country of birth of Joseph Gabra 
     and Sharon Kamel under section 202(e) of that Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1152(e)).
       (d) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the 
     purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 
     2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest 
     statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' 
     for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
     Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, 
     provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
     vote on passage.
                                 ______