A dream honeymoon cruise turned into a nightmare for desperately young Ely couple by immigration agents in San Diego.
Josh and LLiza Hedges were disembarking from their honeymoon cruise from Long Beach to Baja California.
On July 9th the ship returned to the port of Long Beach and the newlyweds disembarked for shore, elated about their trip, and eager to drive 9 hours home to tell us about their cruise, wrote father Alan Hedges on the gofundme website.
However, while checking our daughter-in-law’s Russian passport which of course has her maiden name, Immigration officers asked if she and our son had been married. My son responded, “Yes. Two days before we boarded the ship. We told you about it when you checked her passport as we boarded.” Hedges related.
If the younger Hedges had been less exuberant or truthful they may have well been waved through customs without trouble and would be happily starting their new life together in Ely.
Unfortunately that was not the case.
“Our son had previously spoken with someone at US Citizen and Immigration Services (uscis.gov) to ensure all the paperwork was in order and that he was doing everything correctly. During Thursday’s ordeal and interrogation an ICE officer called and spoke to the individual my son had spoken with to corroborate his story, which was confirmed. However, they stated he had received the wrong information.” Alan Hedges wrote. “Our sweet eighteen year-old daughter-in-law was apprehended by immigration officials. Both she and our son were interrogated for several hours before the officers determined she was in the country illegally, guilty of “unlawful presence”. ICE explained that as soon as she was married her tourist visa became invalid because she didn’t state she was getting married when she entered the country two weeks earlier with her Mother. Her limited English undoubtedly contributed to the misunderstanding.
Josh was required to purchase a flight ticket (with wedding-gift money) for his bride, who was then deported. 6 days after their wedding, and only moments after ending what they thought was a dream honeymoon, she was escorted away from her new husband, with ICE officers at either arm, and loaded on a plane to Moscow. An Air Marshal sat next to her, I presume to insure she didn’t escape.”
The Hedges have set up a gofundme to defray the considerable expense of fighting the deportation.
“Any funds we receive will be used for legal costs, filing fees and transportation to reunite Liza and Josh. All unused funds will be donated to other gofundme endeavors. Thank you for taking the time to visit this site.” Alan Hedges added. “It is our intent to do everything we can reunite them as soon as possible.”
Unfortunately the Hedges case is not an isolated incident. While official complaints are very few and far between many recent immigrants have horror stories about receiving wrong and or contradictory instructions from immigration officials.
“No one complains because they are afraid it will affect their immigration or citizenship status,” explain on immigration attorney. “It is a real shame because these people are willing and able to do everything required of them and some get deported for following directions.”
