Family Fights for Permanent Residency
|  Video
|
| Amanda Tetlak |
| 9/11/2009 |
 |
| After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security added stricter guidelines for entering and exiting the country. For one Canadian man, who lives in Elgin with his family, getting a green card has not only been difficult, but also stressful. Bradley Hands met his wife Mona, who is an Elgin native, pheasant hunting in North Dakota. They`ve been married for 20 years, 17 of them spent in Canada. When the family decided to buy a restaurant in Elgin two years ago, Bradley began working feverishly to get permanent residency, but so far has been unsuccessful. The Hands family loves living in Elgin and running the town`s cafe` "Reiny`s Drive-in." "I do believe the Lord brought us here," Bradley says. Since Bradley`s wife Mona was born in the United States, their four children under the age of 18 were able to gain citizenship. But for Ontario native Bradley, with two denials, and thousands of dollars invested in getting a green card, deportation papers may be in his future. "I don`t want to leave Elgin, North Dakota," Bradley says. "I want to stay here, but if this thing doesn`t go through, we`re forced. Myself and six citizens of the U.S. Are forced to leave this country." "We have every intention to stay," says Mona. "We want to put all our kids through the same high school, however immigration depends on whether we can stay or not." Not only does the family want to stay, but loyal customers like Ron Clapsaddle want them to stay, too. "They`re good people and they have good food and they want to be here," he says. "Everybody here wants them here." Bradley says the September 11th terrorist attacks added new requirements to getting a green card, and more hoops to jump through. "If your i`s aren`t dotted and your t`s aren`t crossed, they`ll make it rough," he says. In his case, the Department of Homeland Security says Bradley isn`t proving the family has enough assets to support him in case of an emergency. He disagrees and says it`s just a matter of filling out the paper-work just right, something he`s hired a lawyer to do. "I`m trying to go by the law and by the book and we`re an honest Christian family, and we`re just trying to run a business and make a living here," Bradley says. He`s hoping for the sake of his family`s secure future in Elgin, North Dakota, that the next piece of mail will be happy news. The family`s lawyer says Bradley has a chance to fix his problems and get his green card. She adds since September 11th many federal agencies have changed policies and continually change policies frequently making it difficult for people to keep up with requirements. |
© 2009 KMOT-TV
Home | News | Weather | Sports | Webcast | Morning News | Programming | Primetime Rewind | Advertising & Sales | About Us
Community Connection | Movies | Contests & Promotions | Search | Links | Contact Us | Site Map | Follow us on: Facebook
Sister Stations: KFYR TV in Bismarck, KUMV in Williston, KQCD in Dickinson
