Dianne Feinstein: “I am offering today, legislation that would provide permanent residency to Suchada Kwong, a recently widowed young…”

“I am offering today, legislation that would provide permanent residency to Suchada Kwong, a recently widowed young mother of a U.S. citizen child who faces the devastation of being separated from her child and family here in the United States. Suchada Kwong's U.S. citizen husband, Jimmy Kwong, was tragically killed in an automobile accident in June of 1996, leaving a 3-month-old U.S.-born son and his 29-year-old bride. Because current law does not allow Suchada to adjust her status to permanent residency without her husband, Suchada now faces deportation. Suchada and Jimmy Kwong met in Bangkok, Thailand, through a mutual friend in 1993. He communicated with her frequently by phone and visited her every time he was in Bangkok. They fell in love and were married in September 1995, and Suchada gave birth to Ryan Stephen Kwong in May 1996. Suchada was supposed to have her INS interview on August 15, 1996. However, Jimmy was killed in an accident in June, less than 3 weeks after his son was born and 2 months short of the INS interview. Now, because the petitioner is deceased, Suchada is ineligible to adjust her status.”