Child custody cases involving divorced parents still living in Hernando County can be complicated; imagine how much more so they can be when they stretch across borders. While parents involved in custody disputes may be legally obligated to stay put until their cases are settled, that may not stop some of them from fleeing with their kids. The further they flee, the more difficult it may be for the parents who remain behind to get their kids back. Suddenly, child custody issues may be intertwined with immigration laws, which may only serve to further complicate matters.
This fact is on full display in the case of a Brazilian woman currently living in New Jersey. Her troubles with her estranged partner began with a domestic dispute in early 2016. The man was placed under a temporary restraining order, but also allowed to see the couple’s two sons soon after. Rather than returning them to their mother, he fled with the boys to Brazil. He then left them in the care of his mother and returned to the U.S., where he was arrested while crossing the border.
Still not a legal resident of the U.S., the woman has been approved for a U-visa for helping authorities with the prosecution of her partner’s case. Further complicating matters is the fact her youngest son was not born in America. He was recently granted humanitarian parole so he could return to the country. The woman must now wait for a friend to go retrieve the boys from Brazil, given that she cannot leave the country due to her pending visa application.
One can only imagine the complexities a case of this nature presents. Those needing help dealing with such matters may be wise to seek the services of an experienced family law attorney.
Source: Asbury Park Press “Ocean Twp. mother clears immigration hurdle to rescue sons in Brazil” Solis, Steph, Oct. 19, 2017