Keeping Mr. Edward Jerome Bell (Cabanlit) In The U.S.

January 21, 2006

Mrs. Angela Bridgett Bell

I write this letter to you today, hoping that somewhere, someone can offer me some help. My husband was born in The Philippine in 1963. When he was 9 months old he was adopted by two U.S. citizens. He was legally adopted, and has been here in the U.S. since 1963. He does not read, write, or speak Tagalog. When he was in his youth, he fell in with a 'bad crowd' and got into doing some things he should not have done.

He didn't know he was adopted not until he was sixteen. He regrets the mistakes he has made, and he's serving time for those mistakes, but he has paid his debt to society. I feel very deep in my heart that he has been rehabilitated and he knows the right path to take.

Now as he is reaching the end of his prison sentence he is going to be deported back to the Philippine if we can't prove he is a U.S. citizen behind he will leave a heartbroken family: three sons, five step-children that he loves as his own, uncles and aunts and cousin, as well as myself a wife that is deeply in love with her husband.

The heartbreak of him going to prison was hard enough, but now to lose him across an ocean for a period exceeding his prison sentence is absolutely devastating! I am watching the man I love, get deported back to a country, where he doesn't know anyone nor does he speak their language. If he is deported, they will be sending him to a foreign country America is all he knows. I have an 11 year old son who has Diabetes that loves him he is waiting for his daddy to come home.

I lost my mother in December of 2004 and my husband lost his adopted mother in May 2005 she was sick over my husband being deported. So many would probably be quick to say "Who cares? He broke the law, and he's getting what he deserves." But how many upstanding, law-abiding citizens have had someone close to them someone that they love, that has messed up somewhere along the way.

A son, a daughter, a brother, or a sister- who maybe broke the law, or got involved with drugs, or some other type of negative behavior? It's really easy not to care until it's someone close to you someone that YOU LOVE! Then it becomes a different story. In writing this letter, I am hoping to find an ear that will listen, and hopefully be able to help.

In addition, I hope to bring forward others who may share my pain, so that we may come together and with the strong voice of unity, perhaps we can bring forth CHANGE! Something must be done to stop what is happening, right here in our own country!

These new laws are not fair or just!! Families are being ripped apart. It is both devastating and heartbreaking. In fact, it's downright shameful. Just the mention of the INS fills me with anger and disgust. This has become a nightmare for all of us. Is their any one in office that cares about being just and keeping the families together?

Every day we are living with an unspeakable pain and fear that we will never see each other again. A happy family is on the verge of destruction, not due to natural disaster, but due to the new immigration law. The United States is a humane society that respects human rights and strong family values.

I do not believe, and cannot believe, that it will allow an inhumane thing such as forcing a wife to be separated from a husband, and the children to be separated from a father to happen. I wish you can help me so my husband can stay in the United States with me and his children.

My husband has been released from Prison October 4, 2005. He has been at the Processing Center waiting to be deported.

Please support this petition. Mrs. Angela Bell angiebell20042005@yahoo.com