Michael, from Haiti, came to Just Neighbors in August 2010 from a homeless shelter.  He was well educated, very personable, and spoke with no trace of an accent.  He suffered from significant health problems.

We explained to Michael that the earthquake in Haiti eight months earlier allowed him to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S., which would authorize him to work and remain here lawfully as long as Immigration continued to accord Haiti that status.  However, Michael insisted that he had entered the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident when his father petitioned for him years ago, but that he had lost his green card at some point during his homelessness.  He simply had no proof whatsoever that he had ever had a green card. 

Jhonathan's photo on his employment authorization document, or work permit, shows a wide-eyed, curious face.  His hair juts out at all angles in thick black strands.  This card serves as his only photo identification in the U.S. and gives Jhonathan permission to work here, at least from Immigration's perspective.  The face in the photo is one of innocence, but Jhonathan has already endured a dramatic life.  He has been separated from his family for half his life, with uncertainty about his future status in the U.S.  But Just Neighbors and others have been able to intervene, helping to bring about a happy and permanent reunion with his parents here in the U.S.  Jhonathan is three years old.