Most of our Texas readers know how important it is to have the proper immigration or citizenship papers when you need to get things done in this country. Not having the proper paperwork can make things like getting a job or getting a place to live very difficult. It might surprise some of our readers to know that even some people who were born in the United States might not have the documentation they need to prove they are citizens of the country.
A recent story in the news discusses the case of a young woman who is unable to get a drivers' license, attend school, get a job or otherwise live as a productive adult. She was born in the country, but because of choices her parents made, she can't prove that. Her parents never got a birth certificate or Social Security number for her. They homeschooled her and didn't ever take her a hospital, so she doesn't even have school records or medical records.
In the most recent turn of events, her parents are refusing to help her get what she needs to get proper documentation. She can apply for a delayed birth certificate, but still needs to produce three documents that verify her age and her citizenship. Without the help of her parents, the 19-year-old seems to be stuck in a place where she seemingly doesn't exist.
This kind of nightmare is something that nobody in the country should have to go through. If you are fighting to get the documentation you need for your immigration case, you might find that you are running in circles. Working with someone familiar with immigration cases might help you to explore your options for getting what you need.
Source: Yahoo! News, "Alecia Pennington can't prove she's an American - or even exists. What would you do?" Samantha Laine, Feb. 13, 2015