My nanny disappears in NYC

[nanny10025]

NO ABUSIVE RESPONSES PLEASE. Please reply if you have anything constructive to say. This is serious.

I am a US ctizen visiting the US on holiday with my toddlers. We do not currently live in the US.

I brought my maid along on this holiday to help me out with my 2 toddlers. Her tourist visa issued by the US embassy overseas clearly states that she is our personal employee overseas.

My maid who is in her 30-s has been working with me for 3 yrs, by all accounts she was happy with us. She is illiterate but street smart, doesnt know much English but can definitely get by. She was to go back to her home country on vacation to see her kids in October. I never thought she would ever do this, I trusted her.

A few days after we arrived into the US, we went on a trip to NYC where she gave us the slip and disappeared. After we reached home we realised she had stolen US$ 1100 cash. At the time she disappeared she carried just the cash, her overseas cell phone and her passport copy which she always maintatined with her

I made a Missing Persons report as well as a police report of the theft. Additionally I informed the embassy of the country to which she belongs.

Her sister in law who continues to work with us overseas mentioned to me that a few months ago, she (i.e my maid who disappeared) recd a call frm a male relative and may have been lured by him to pursue the American dream.

I managed to get this mans telephone number in NYC and called him, I also called the lady with whom he lives. The lady who he lives with abused me and threatened to sue me if I called again. The man admitted that my maid had called him up, he didnt say he called her. As predicted he said he knew nothing.

I told him that I wd drop all charges if he helped me get my maid to travel back out of the US with me. However I told him if he did not, obviously I wd press charges against my maid on the theft issue. And if she violated an immigration law (either when her 6 months are up her or if she started working illegally) then the cops as well as the immigtration dept wd be after him as her only relative in the US.

I tried to make him understand that there was no reason for him to jeopardize his own situation with the cops and the immigration department. (he is a green card holder, and I suspect his wife overstayed her visa and subsequently got amnesty)

He said correctly that he comitted no crime in receiving and making calls. But he did say he would call me back in 3 days time with some information.

I dont know what to do, I will be surprised if this man actually does help me, he will claim he doent know anything at all. He was probably just buying time. I am distraught, my holiday has turned into a nightmare.

PLEASE ADVISE ME. I called this man hoping for an amicable solution. I feel the US immigration laws may well protect my maid rather than me. I simply want her to legally leave this country and I will not press charges

Yes she entered the US legally but the visa was obtained by me for her as our domestic helper/maid to travel with me and my children. The purpose was specific. In fact her viisa clearly says personal employee of Mr XYZ.

If she abandons the purpose for which she was here, doesnt that give us any recourse? We dont want to keep her ofcourse but we'd like to send her back to her own home country. After which she is welcome to visit the US again and overstay her visa or do whatever else she pleases - but on her own steam and not ours.

 

[letsien]

Legally there is nothing you can do to have your maid return back 2 your country with you. She entered legally and was given a temporary visa to stay. If she chooses to over stay her welcome she is automatically subject to deportation. All you can do is file charges against her where she did you wrong and that pretty much it. Even if you report her to immigrastion they are not going to do any about it coz they know at some point the law will catch up with her.

Just try to enjoy your vacation with your family and hope that she will come to her right senses.

 

[nanny10025]

thanks for your reply, yes she entered legally but the visa was obtained by us for her as our domestic helper/maid to travel with us. The purpose was specific. In fact her viisa clearly says personal employee of Mr XYZ.

Doesnt that give us any recourse? We dont want to keep her ofcourse but we'd like to send her back to her own home country. after which she is welcome to visit the US again and overstay her visa or do whatever else she pleases - but on her own steam and not ours.

 

[bengaltiger]

Even though she worked for you for 3 yrs she obviously wanted more for herself and one can really not blame her for the pursuit of happiness and the American Dream. Although her visa is based on your employment she still has free will to do whatever she wants. People do this all the time. I am a travel agent and I have had literally dozens of people disappearing on me in the middle of a trip. They got their visas based on my group travel programme and then poof! they were gone. This happened to me in Europe and in the US. Scotland Yard did call me in London once when a Bangladeshi man disappeared but no one called me when an entire Chinese family disappeared in Switzerland and in the past 17 yrs I have had quite few Russians and Eastern European people disappearing on me in Florida but no one has ever called me from Immigration!

My friend had a bizarre experience when she applied for a visa for a nanny from Eastern Europe. It took her more than a year and $5000 fees to the agency. When they went to pick her up at the airport they saw her walk off with an entirely different family probably because they were paying her more. I am told this is quite common in the nanny world here.

I am sure no one is going to blame you for her actions so you should put your anger aside and consider it as a life experience. Look at the positive side, at least the time she did spend with you she was good to your children.