NOONG isang linggo ay aking tinalakay ang pagkuha ng green card sa pamamagitan ng VAWA self-petition. Kahit ang batas ay tinatawag na Violence Against Women Act, ang VAWA ay naaangkop din sa lalaking asawa na biktima ng domestikong karahasan sa kamay ng kanyang asawang US citizen (USC) o lawful permanent resident (LPR). Ang dayuhan ay maaaring mag-VAWA self-petition kung kanyang maipapakita na siya ay may good faith marriage sa asawang USC/LPR, at noong kasal, siya ay napailalim sa mga pang-aabuso o kalupitan sa kamay ng USC/LPR. Kinakailangan ding ipakita ng dayuhan na sila ng USC/LPR ay nagsama bilang mag-asawa. Bukod dito, kinakailangan ipakita ng dayuhang asawa ng USC/LPR na siya ay may good moral character.
Kung ang dayuhang self-petitioner ay nakagawa ng mga kilos na labag sa batas, ito ay masamang sumasalamin sa kanyang moral character. Hindi kinakailangan na ang self-petitioner ay nahatulan na nagkasala sa mga paglabag sa batas – kapag may matibay na ebidensya laban sa kanya, maaaring sabihin na may pagkukulang sa kanyang good moral character. Ang good moral character ay sinusuri sa bawat isang kaso at isinasaalang-alang ang Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) at pamantayan ng karaniwang mamamayan ng komunidad. Ang mga katibayan ng good moral character ay ang sinumpaang salaysay ng self-petitioner na may kasamang local police clearance at mga background check mula sa mga tinirahan ng petitioner ng tatlong taon bago i-file ang VAWA Petition. Susuriin ng USCIS ang lahat ng katibayan na may kaugnayan sa VAWA petition, ngunit ang burden of proof ay nasa self-petitioner na ipakita na siya ay eligible para sa immigration benefit sa ilalim ng VAWA.
Sa isang kasong napagdesisyonan ng Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), ang VAWA self-petitioner ay nahatulan na sa pagkakasalang hindi pagbabayad ng child support sa kanyang panganay na anak sa dating karelasyon. Ayon sa mga talaan ng kaso, ang self-petitioner ay hindi nagbayad ng court-ordered child support ng mahigit na walong taon para sa kanyang anak. Ayon sa petitioner, siya ay tumigil sa pagbabayad ng child support dahil nawalan siya ng trabaho. Ngunit sa talaan ng kaso, makikita na siya ay mag mga sulat galing sa mga kasama sa trabaho at siya rin ay nag-file ng tax returns. Ang ibig sabihin nito ay tumigil ang VAWA self-petitioner sa pagbabayad ng child support noong siya ay nawalan ng trabaho. Ngunit noong siya ay magkatrabaho ulit, hindi niya ipinagpatuloy ang pagbabayad ng child support. Sa katunayan, nagbayad lamang ulit siya ng child support noong malaman niya na mayroon na siyang warrant of arrest. Walang binigay na dahilan ang petitioner kung bakit hindi niya ipinagpatuloy ang pagbabayad ng court-ordered child support noong siya ay nagkatrabaho na. Wala rin siyang binigay na dahilan kung bakit hindi na lang siya bumalik sa korte upang baguhin ang kanyang child support obligations noong wala siyang pera at trabaho at wala silang kasunduan ng ina ng kanyang panganay na anak. Ayon sa AAO, ang paghatol sa kanya sa pagkakasala na di pagbabayad ng court-ordered child support, and ang talaan ng hindi niya pagbabayad ng child support ay nagpapakita ng kilos na mas mababa sa karaniwang mamamayan ng komunidad, at ang mga ito ay masamang sumasalamin sa kanyang moral character. Samakatuwid, ang self-petitioner ay ineligible sa mga immigration benefit ng VAWA, dahil hindi niya napatunayan na siya ay may good moral character.
The immigrant provisions of VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) provide legal remedies that permit victims of domestic violence to legalize their status independent of their US citizen (USC) or lawful permanent resident (LPR) spouse-abuser. Despite the name “Women” in Violence Against Women Act, VAWA applies to all victims of domestic violence, irrespective of gender. The spouse of the USC or LPR may self-petition for immigrant classification if he or she demonstrates that he or she entered into the marriage with the USC/LPR in good faith and that during the marriage, he or she was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty perpetrated by his or her spouse. Among other requirements, the self-petitioner must show that he or she is a person of good moral character.
A self-petitioner who has committed unlawful acts that adversely reflect upon his or moral character, regardless of whether the petitioner was convicted of those acts, will be found to lack good moral character unless the self-petitioner establishes extenuating circumstances. The petitioner’s claim of good moral character will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and the standards of the average citizen in the community. Primary evidence of the self-petitioner’s good moral character is his or her affidavit, which should be accompanied by local police clearances or state-issued criminal background checks from each of the petitioner’s residences during the three years before the petition was filed. USCIS shall consider any evidence relevant to the VAWA petition; the burden of proof is on the petitioner to show eligibility by preponderance of evidence.
In a case decided by the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), the VAWA self-petitioner was convicted and sentenced for not paying his child support obligations for his eldest child from a previous relationship. The record indicated that petitioner failed to pay court-ordered child support for over 8 years for his child. Although he explains that he stopped paying because of loss of income, the records of the case include letters from his employers and business associates, as well as tax returns filed during this 8-year period. He only resumed paying child support when he learned that a warrant had been issued for him. The petitioner provided no explanation for why he did not resume making payments once he obtained employment, or why he did not return to court to modify his child support obligations when he had no means to pay and could not come up with an agreement with his child’s mother. The AAO held that petitioner’s conviction for child support and his history of not paying court-ordered child support demonstrate conduct that falls below the average citizen in the community, and constitute acts which adversely reflect upon his moral character. Thus, he is ineligible for VAWA classification because he has not demonstrated his good moral character as required by the INA.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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