What is happening is breaking my heart...My mother, who has been a US Citizen for the past forty years, sponsored her sister twenty-five years ago. After fifteen years of waiting, her sister (my aunt) arrived in the US.
My aunt spoke very little English (and I should mention is of below-average intelligence) and one day, in the library, a voting advocate approached her and asked her if she would like to vote. My aunt didn't understand but told her that she was a green-card-holder, not a citizen. The woman informed her that it was no problem and proceeded to fill out the voter registration card for her. She checked off that she was a U.S. citizen. She had my aunt sign it and she mailed it out for her.
Additionally, this woman informed my aunt that if she was looking for a job, she could find good work as a poll worker, guarding the door/helping put up signs, etc. My aunt agreed and this woman somehow got her involved with working at the polls.
When she worked at the polls, some of the poll workers would encourage her to vote. One worker even said to her, "You should just do it to test out the machines."
Subsquently, my aunt applied for citizenship. When asked if she had ever voted, she replied, "Yes." Her citizenship was denied. We didn't get the letter in time to file for an appeal but the letter basically states that she was found to claiming to be a U.S. citizen, that she voted illegally and that she is not morally sound enough to become a citizen. She can reapply if she becomes eligible under provisions made to the Law.
Her letter of denial was issued a little over a month ago. We have not received a Notice to Appear as of yet. My questions are:
a) How long does it take for a NTA to come? If it didn't accompany the denial letter, does this mean that it might not come at all?
b) Her green card expires next year. Will applying for a green card renewal trigger removal proceedings?
c) Relief from renewal is offered to legal permanent residents only if they have resided here for five years legally (she has), have been physically present in the USA for seven years (she has but she voted within two years of first arriving so the "stop-time" condition might have come into play) and have not been convicted of an aggravated felony (not sure if unlawful voting is an aggravated felony).
We are beside ourselves on what to do. We have no family left in her country. She has a husband and 13 year old son who are going through the citizenship process now.
Our family will be broken as a result of this. What to do?
My aunt spoke very little English (and I should mention is of below-average intelligence) and one day, in the library, a voting advocate approached her and asked her if she would like to vote. My aunt didn't understand but told her that she was a green-card-holder, not a citizen. The woman informed her that it was no problem and proceeded to fill out the voter registration card for her. She checked off that she was a U.S. citizen. She had my aunt sign it and she mailed it out for her.
Additionally, this woman informed my aunt that if she was looking for a job, she could find good work as a poll worker, guarding the door/helping put up signs, etc. My aunt agreed and this woman somehow got her involved with working at the polls.
When she worked at the polls, some of the poll workers would encourage her to vote. One worker even said to her, "You should just do it to test out the machines."
Subsquently, my aunt applied for citizenship. When asked if she had ever voted, she replied, "Yes." Her citizenship was denied. We didn't get the letter in time to file for an appeal but the letter basically states that she was found to claiming to be a U.S. citizen, that she voted illegally and that she is not morally sound enough to become a citizen. She can reapply if she becomes eligible under provisions made to the Law.
Her letter of denial was issued a little over a month ago. We have not received a Notice to Appear as of yet. My questions are:
a) How long does it take for a NTA to come? If it didn't accompany the denial letter, does this mean that it might not come at all?
b) Her green card expires next year. Will applying for a green card renewal trigger removal proceedings?
c) Relief from renewal is offered to legal permanent residents only if they have resided here for five years legally (she has), have been physically present in the USA for seven years (she has but she voted within two years of first arriving so the "stop-time" condition might have come into play) and have not been convicted of an aggravated felony (not sure if unlawful voting is an aggravated felony).
We are beside ourselves on what to do. We have no family left in her country. She has a husband and 13 year old son who are going through the citizenship process now.
Our family will be broken as a result of this. What to do?