The
Martinez's other U.S. citizen daughter, Karla, is 19 years old and
attends San Francisco City College. The Martinez family attempted to legalize their status through
several channels. In 2001, Jose's sister, who has legal status, petitioned for Jose to
get a green card. However, the current green card backlog for siblings
from Mexico is very long, and it will be many years before Jose will be
eligible to legalize his status though his sister. In 2002, the Martinez family applied for political asylum. Their
application was denied. An immigration judge denied their subsequent
application for cancellation of removal. Finally, Daniel Scherotter, the executive chef and owner of Palio
D'Asti, petitioned for an employment-based green card for Jose based
upon his unique skills as a chef. Jose's petition was approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. However, before he will be
eligible for a green card, he must apply for a hardship waiver, which
cannot be guaranteed. The Martinez family has become an integral part of their community in
California. They are active in their faith community.
Keywords matched
immigration Immigration green card