Rep. Israel Announces Victory in His International Effort to Reunite Terminally Ill Mother and Daughter

REP. ISRAEL ANNOUNCES VICTORY IN HIS INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO REUNITE TERMINALLY ILL MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Rep. Israel Helps Local Family Realize Final Wishes of Woman Stricken with Brain Cancer

Huntington, NY - On Wednesday, Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) announced he overcame countless obstacles to reunite a terminally ill mother with her 16 year-old daughter, whom she has supported financially, but has not seen in fifteen years. Rep. Israel was originally contacted on March 28, 2006 by Central Islip resident, Michael Maccaro, a U.S. citizen, who called seeking assistance for his dying wife, Alicia Garcia Maccaro. According to Mr. Maccaro, two weeks ago, his wife mustered the will to tell him that her final wish was to bring her daughter, Johanna, to the U.S. to see her daughter before she dies. Ms. Maccaro, who left her native El Salvador in 1991 to make a better life for her family in the U.S., is currently battling the advanced stages of brain cancer with a life expectancy of weeks to a few months.

"I'm delighted to have fulfilled Alicia's final wishes to see her 16 year-old daughter, Johanna, after so many years," Israel said. "Due to the unique circumstances of this case, I'm pleased my office was able to help Alicia achieve not only her dream of seeing her daughter for the last time, but knowing that her daughter will have the freedom to make a new life for herself in the United States."

Congressman Israel met briefly with the daughter and ailing mother to present Alicia Maccaro with documentation that her paper work has finally been settled and that she has now achieved legal status. Additionally, Congressman Israel passed word that Johanna is now legally eligible to stay in the United States permanently if she so chooses. Both mother and daughter had applications pending for legal status in the U.S. at various stages in the review process, likely many months, if not years, away from a formal decision.

With persistence and a great deal of determination - based on the unique circumstances of the case- Congressman Israel coordinated the efforts of the various sub-agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, the El Salvadorian government through the office of the Vice Consular de El Salvador on Long Island and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to ultimately fulfill Ms. Maccaro's final wish. Johanna arrived Tuesday at JFK airport in New York and the sixteen-year-old saw her mother for the first time in fifteen years.

http://www.house.gov/israel/news/041206-mccaro.htm