On the recordMarch 2, 2011
I come to the floor to reintroduce private relief legislation on behalf of Jacqueline Coats, a widow living in the San Francisco Bay Area. I rise today to ask my colleagues to support this legislation in the 112th Congress, which would provide Jacqueline with the extraordinary relief I believe she deserves. Jacqueline came to the United States from Kenya in 2001 on a student visa to study Mass Communications at San Jose State University. In January 2002, based on the advice she received from a college advisor, Jacqueline attempted to transfer to City College of San Francisco, which required her to file for reinstatement. However, the request for reinstatement was denied in October 2002, and Jacqueline's immigration status lapsed the following year. Jacqueline married Marlin Coats, an American citizen, on April 17, 2006, at San Francisco City Hall. But not even a month after the marriage, on May 13, 2006, Jacqueline's husband died while heroically attempting to save two boys from drowning at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. The sudden and unexpected loss of her husband devastated Jacqueline.
