Obtaining Legal Citizen Status to a Should-Be-Citizen

[Mr_Flores_Hernandez]

At first, forgive me for the strange title as I was not sure how to describe the following situation. Also, I would like to point out that this is a question I have that is not for my personal family, but rather some other family that I know. I wish to help this family by finding the right information so that they can possibly take some legal action for this.

So I do not reveal the identity of this family I will be referring to the person of interest as Maria. The story starts with Maria's mom, a US Citizen who is daughter of Latin American immigrants. Maria's mom had several kids born here in the US, but at some time moved to the Latin American country of her parents. She had a child (this is Maria, the woman I want to help) there which she frequently adandoned with her own parents. Since Maria was abandoned there with her grandparents, she was raised in that Latin American contry and started a family there. Later on, Maria decided to move to America (I'm assuming as an illegal immigrant, although technically she should be a US citizen) to seek out her mom. Because Maria wanted to have the great opportunities of being an American citizen for her children she decided to hire a lawyer, go through the necessary paperwork so that Maria's mom could simply approve and sign some papers. HOWEVER, Maria's mom refused to sign UNLESS Maria and her family bought her a house.

That's the summary of it, I don't want to get to detailed unless it's necessary. I find it really unfair however, that someone's legal status can be held up like that, by someone who abandoned their daughter in another country like that. It is Maria's birthright from a US citizen, that she should also be a US citizen. The American opportunity for her and her children is not something that should be ransomed with.

I ask for guidance, in how to deal with this situation. I don't want to have to tell her to pay for some consultation if there is not a possiblity that something could be done about this. I really want to be sure that there is someone out there that could help this family. Point me in yhe right direction if I'm not in the right place to ask this question. Thank you

[pontevecchio]

Maybe this will help

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Acquisition-US-Citizenship-Child-Born-Abroad.html

In the age of Trump and everything going on, I would ask her to seek legal guidance. Maybe the firm of Murthy has lawyers who also speak Spanish and that may be the way to go.

Maybe "Catholic Charities" will have some way for her to get legal guidance.

[JoeF]

I assume she was not born in the US. The only thing I could think of that may help would be affidavits from relatives.