In this episode of the Alejandra Campos Podcast, attorney Alejandra Campos welcomes two Campos Law Firm clients who just received their green cards: María de Jesús Martínez Hernández and Dulce María Jaime Castillo.
Both waited decades. Both succeeded through a petition filed by a U.S. citizen child. And both have the same message for anyone still hesitating: don’t let fear decide for you.
María de Jesús: A 37-Year Wait
María de Jesús came to the United States when she was five years old. It took 37 years before she could hold her green card. Attorney Campos says it plainly: she is one of the clients who has waited the longest in the firm’s history.
Her case was moving forward with another law firm, through a family petition filed by her U.S. citizen son. Near the end of the process, a letter arrived from immigration: a notice of intent to deny with 30 days to respond and submit more evidence.
“I got a little nervous. As I read that it was an intent to deny, that they were almost denying me, and that they gave me a month to answer…”
She called her previous firm and was told they would get back to her. She didn’t wait. A friend gave her Campos Law Firm’s number, and that same day she had her appointment, signed her contract, and the team started working on the response.
Why immigration wanted to deny her case
According to Attorney Campos, immigration was trying to show that María de Jesús lacked good moral character because of an incident from many years ago involving her ex-husband. The risk wasn’t only losing the green card: a denial could open the door to removal proceedings.
Campos Law Firm answered with evidence of a lifetime in the country: her taxes, her U.S. citizen children, her family in the United States, and a legal brief asking immigration to weigh the totality of the circumstances, not one isolated event, before denying a U.S. citizen son the right to petition for his mother.
They also had to answer another argument: her entry without a visa. “My parents brought me here when I was five,” María de Jesús recalls. A child that age doesn’t decide how she enters a country.
If you received a request for evidence (RFE) or a notice of intent to deny (NOID), the deadline runs from the date on the letter. Don’t wait for your attorney to call you back: get legal advice right away.
“I’m in shock”
“After 37 years, honestly, I’m in shock. I’m surprised.”
Her first plan with her green card is to travel to her home country, a place she barely remembers because she left as a little girl. Attorney Campos sums it up: “You were locked inside this country for 37 years.”
The U Visa That Took Years
Before her son turned 21, María de Jesús had applied for a U visa, a protection for victims of certain crimes committed in the United States who reported the crime and cooperated with police. She filed in 2014, and her case took years.
Attorney Campos explains that timelines for this visa look very different today: in her experience, decisions are arriving in about 22 months. You may qualify if you were the victim of crimes such as:
- Domestic violence
- Sexual assault or abuse, rape, or attempted rape
- Attempted murder
- Kidnapping or attempted kidnapping
While her petition was pending, María de Jesús also had her immigration receipt notice, which, according to Attorney Campos, gave her some support if she had ever been detained.
A pending U visa petition does not by itself stop a deportation. Processing times change. If you were the victim of a crime, talk to an immigration attorney before making any decision.
Dulce María: 26 Years Without Seeing Her Parents
Dulce María Jaime Castillo is from Namiquipa, Chihuahua. She arrived in 2000 on a tourist visa, just on vacation, to visit family in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. She liked the country, stayed, started working, and her first daughter was born here.
That daughter is the one who petitioned for her. As soon as she turned 21, Dulce María came in for a consultation. Her package was filed in October 2025, and her green card arrived on August 11, 2026.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it so soon. Things went very smoothly.”
The same-day trip
In 26 years she hadn’t been able to see her parents, because they never got a visa to visit. The same day she received her green card, she left for her hometown without telling anyone.
“The drive felt endless, but thank God I was able to see them again.”
She stayed less than a week and came back to work. When she returned to the United States, she says, nobody asked her any questions. Attorney Campos points to her as an example for those who are afraid to travel: keeping a clean record, with no pending court cases or legal problems, is what matters most.
Before leaving the country as a green card holder, check with an attorney whether anything in your history could cause problems when you return.
How she made it without papers
Dulce María worked for 26 years without a work permit and raised children who are now professionals. Today she works in photography, video, makeup, hairstyling, and decorations for parties and quinceañeras. Her formula was simple:
“You have to walk the straight line. The key is to behave, help others, and do good work.”
Her next goal is to bring her parents. Since only U.S. citizens age 21 or older can petition for their parents, Dulce María’s next step is citizenship, which green card holders can usually apply for after five years.
The Message for Those Who Are Afraid
Attorney Campos hears every day from people who qualify to fix their status but don’t apply out of fear: “I’d rather wait until this administration is over.” Both guests give the same answer.
“Don’t wait one more day. Fear only exists in your head. If you have to do it afraid, do it anyway. Take the leap.”
Attorney Campos adds a key point: if another attorney told you no, get a second consultation. Laws change, every case is different, and the answer you got before may have been about something other than what could work for you today.
If you have a U.S. citizen child who has turned 21, were the victim of a crime in the United States, or received a letter from immigration you don’t understand, talking to an attorney in time can change the outcome of your case.
👉 If you need legal support, contact us at +1 (844) 922-6767. At Campos Law Firm, consultations are FREE.
