Speed naturalization for vets and their families

Andy Jimenez returned to the Dominican Republic. He went home to pray.

It was 2007, and his son, Army Staff Sgt. Alex Jimenez, was missing in Iraq. While Alex’s fellow soldiers were methodically searching for him overmiles and miles of terrain south of Baghdad, Andy was in the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, seeking the intercession of the Blessed Mother. Seeking a miracle.

1,600 miles away in New York City, something shocking was happening: Alex’s wife was being

Sen. Jake Ashby of Castleton represents the 43rd state Senate District. Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz of Queens represents the 39th Assembly District.

deported.

The hardship waiver that would have saved Yaderlin Jimenez from being forced out of the country was contingent on her husband’s survival, piling inhumane uncertainty on top of unspeakable worry.

Fourteen months after Alex was captured, his family received the worst news imaginable. Sgt. Jimenez had made the ultimate sacrifice for the country he loved.

Following widespread media attention and public outcry, a federal judge provided Mrs. Jimenez a reprieve. In the decade since, federal guidance has shifted, allowing undocumented family members to adjudicate their immigration status without leaving the country. However, the process remains complex, costly, and rife with bureaucratic hurdles.

We want to change that in New York state. We believe the loved ones of heroes willing to put their lives on the line for this country deserve immeasurably better. That’s why we’ve sponsored bipartisan legislation creating the Alex R. Jimenez New York State Military Immigrant Family Legacy Program within the state’s Division of Veterans’ Services.

Program coordinators would work with veterans and their families to expedite the naturalization process. They’d serve as red-tape cutting liaisons between military, state and federal partners. They would push officials

at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for results, ensure compliance with military and state regulations and generate research materials highlighting the needs of immigrant service members.

Their work would send a strong message to the country: New Yorkers know that all service members and their loved ones are part of the American family. We can help them on their path to citizenship.

Last year, we teamed up to pass this bill with unanimous support in the Assembly. This year, we’re fighting to get it on the governor’s desk by partnering with our colleague and friend, Sen. Nathalia Fernandez.

We encourage New York state’s entire congressional delegation to pursue immigration reform efforts with a big heart, an open mind and a willingness to compromise. In the meantime, we’ll be working hard to honor Staff Sgt. Alex Jimenez’s legacy of service, courage and patriotism.