For most of her life, Maria never planned to leave Mexico behind.
Her husband had become a U.S. citizen after originally obtaining status through the amnesty program, but Maria continued living in Mexico. She visited the United States regularly and respected the terms of her visa.
Over time, however, the needs of the people she loved began pulling her back and forth across the border.
Maria’s son became a permanent resident and moved to the United States. When he began struggling with his mental health, Maria came to help support him. At the same time, her husband was undergoing treatment for problems with his eyesight.
Then, Maria’s mother became ill in Mexico.
Maria returned home to care for her mother before she passed away. Afterward, she traveled back to the United States to continue helping her son. But this time, her return was different.
At the border, Maria was questioned about whether she was actually living in the United States. The experience left her concerned that if she returned to Mexico again, she might not be allowed back into the country to be with her husband and son.
Maria found herself in a difficult position. The people she loved were on both sides of the border, but traveling between them no longer felt certain.
That was when Catholic Charities Immigration Services became part of her journey.
Fionna Mejia Gatica, an immigration attorney with Immigration Services, helped Maria pursue permanent residence. Her case was filed in December 2025 and Maria attended her interview in June 2026.
As she waited for a decision, another family crisis unfolded.
Maria’s sister became very sick in Mexico. Maria asked about obtaining permission to travel while her permanent residence application was pending, but the permission likely would not arrive in time. Leaving the United States without it could also jeopardize her pending case.
Maria made the difficult decision to stay.
Her sister passed away in July. Maria was unable to return to Mexico to bury her.
Two weeks later, Maria received the news she had been waiting for: her permanent residence had been approved.
For Fionna, Maria’s story was about much more than an immigration application.
“What stands out to me is that she was never trying to leave Mexico behind. She was trying to care for family on both sides of the border, but her immigration situation repeatedly forced her to choose where she could be,” Fionna shared.
Permanent residence now gives Maria something she had gone without during some of her family’s most difficult moments: greater freedom to be present for the people she loves without facing the same uncertainty about whether she will be able to return to her husband and son in the United States.
“Now, as a permanent resident, she hopefully will not have to make that choice again,” Fionna said.
For Maria, the approval came after months of waiting and after a loss that could not be undone. But it also marked a new chapter—one in which caring for family on one side of the border does not have to mean risking separation from family on the other.
Catholic Charities Immigration Services serves more than 1,500 people each year, with a 94% approval rate for cases. To learn more about Immigration Legal Services or to support our mission, visit: ccdenver.org/immigration.
Maria’s name has been changed to protect her identity.