Thread: Woman's Dream Of Citizenship Turns Into Nightmare

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Woman's Dream Of Citizenship Turns Into Nightmare
Jerome Faces Deportation For Allegedly Lying On Application

POSTED: 3:50 pm PDT June 22, 2005
UPDATED: 4:42 pm PDT June 22, 2005

SAN DIEGO -- A Spring Valley mother of three hoping for U.S. citizenship says a simple mistake on her application could get get her deported to the Philippines , 10News reported.

Loida Jerome told 10News she needs a miracle to keep from being deported.

According to 10News, Jerome, who was raised in the Philippines, was forced into an arranged marriage. However, the marriage quickly fell apart and she moved to Hong Kong, which is where she met the man of her dreams, Paul Jerome, a sailor based in San Diego.

In the mid-1990s, immigration officials discovered Loida Jerome never divorced her first husband -- something she didn't mention on her citizenship application.

"They told us point blank she is going to to be deported," Paul Jerome said.

She was accused of lying and asked to leave the country, 10News reported.

"I haven't been sleeping for how many nights now. I haven't been eating," Loida Jerome told 10News.

The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement told 10News Loida Jerome was given the opportunity to leave voluntarily in 1998. She then got a five-year extension.

Since 2003, when she got her final deportation order, she has been living in the United States illegally. The Jeromes claim they got bad legal advice.

Loida Jerome turned herself in to officials Wednesday.

"It's heartbreaking for a mother to leave her three children," Paul Jerome said.

According to 10News, Loida Jerome was forced to leave her three sons behind after she was taken into custody and sent to the federal jail, where she awaits deportation.

"All they know is their mommy will be gone ... The little ones have no idea," Paul Jerome said.

Paul Jerome will now take care of the children. But, he told 10News he is afraid he will be called to active duty later this year, and the kids who are home-schooled will suffer.

"She's the primary care giver to our children," Paul Jerome said.

If Loida Jerome is deported, which could happen within a week, she will try to get a working visa in Canada where the family can reunite.

It all sounds pretty sad but I have a feeling there is more to the story. Why didn't she get the divorce finalized in the past 5 years? Or is it the fact that she lied and that is unforgivable? There is probably more to the story. The immigration department is really messed up though. Many of the little people working in these government bureaucracy's get on a power trip when they can control others lives.

I'm not worried about this lady.

This does not seem like "rational immigration" to me.

This is why you don't let them in to the country to begin with.

Deport her. She can take her kids and husband with her can't she?

Whatever.

Who cares?

Not us. We're done with all these "sob stories".

IT STOPS NOW!!!

GO ICE!!!!

Hey Judy, if you marry and have children with someone from another country You should be allowed to bring them into the U.S. The immigration system needs a big overhaul and the border needs to be completely secured but we can allow some immigration.

Don't so get carried away.

You are right Watch Dog!! But you may have missed the stories about the marriages involving Americans who married for "love" and the foreign nationals who married for "entry" into the United States. Apparently this is a huge problem which does not only affect the individual American marrying in good faith but the United States. There has to be some procedures to protect Americans involved in these marriages from marriage fraud and American Society from the responsibility of the posterity produced by these marriages.

There are already many laws that govern all of these things. They just are not being enforced. ICE was actually doing it's job under the law and I was excited to see that!!

I did not mean to go overboard and imply that no one would ever be allowed entry into the United States again....but it has to stop now so the problems with the system can be worked out....and then resume when they have been.

At least...that is my feeling at this point in time after all we have learned!

Thanks for the chance to make a clarification!!

In the mid-1990s, immigration officials discovered Loida Jerome never divorced her first husband -- something she didn't mention on her citizenship application.

In other, less than PC terms, ....she flat out LIED!

Waving bye-bye is an internationally recognized gesture that needs no interpretation.

greyparrot, indeedy she doodied!!

And ICE needs to deport her immediately...that lying about love and marriage and husbands all over the world.....now that just plain gets my dander up!!