SUNACRW formally reaffirmed its commitment to assist Pedro and Salva Servano in their quest for citizenship when it passed a resolution calling upon our elected officials to intervene on their behalf.

Factual Sources

http://dailyitem.com/x691277300/Specter-reviews-case-for-Servanos

http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x691278402/Servano-attorney-hopes-to-rebound-in-court

http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x546127871/Despite-immigration-limbo-life-better-for-Filipinos

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/us/12naturalize.html?pagewanted=all#

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312021,00.html

http://articles.philly.com/2007-11-27/news/25224262_1_immigration-officials-filipino-immigrantsfilipino-couple

http://www.manilamaildc.net/2007/12/21/servanos-get-60-day-reprieve/

Pedro and Salvacion Servano

Over the past several years, the immigration act has become a wedge issue with political issues. There are those who are abusing those rules, and those who have sought the proper channels and seem to be caught in catch 22 in the system.  One case involves the Servano family of Selinsgrove, PA. It had received national attention throughout 2007 when then U.S.  Senator Arlen Spector advocated for their cause. The Servano family continues in legal limbo to this day. See attached, “The Servano Story . . . “

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion applied for visas for the United States of America in 1978, while they were still single individuals, and

WHEREAS, during the waiting time and visa process Pedro and Salvacion Servano married in 1980, and

WHEREAS, Salvacion was granted a visa in 1982 and legally came to the USA, and

WHEREAS, in 1984 Pedro was granted a visa and joined his wife Salvacion in the USA, and

WHEREAS, Pedro earned a degree as a medical doctor and Salvacion earned a degree as a nurse. They have been working in America and paying taxes. Pedro has been providing medical care to Americans, including those on Medicare, which other doctors would not accept. Pedro has worked at Geisinger Medical Center for 17 years. Salvacion is currently working part-time at Grayson Assisted Living Center and operating a family store in Sunbury, and

WHEREAS, they purchased homes and established successful businesses in America and have four children who were raised in America and are natural born U.S. citizens. Their children Shappine is 28 and works in Philadelpia; Steven is 26 and a sophomore student at Howard Taft Law School in Santa Ana, CA; Peter is 19 and taking courses for Physical Therapy at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County, MD; and Phoebe is 17 and a senior at Selinsgrove High School, and

WHEREAS, in 1990 Pedro and Salvacion Servano applied for US citizenship and were notified by an immigration official that their visa application listed them as single. They were accused of lying and misrepresenting their marital status and dismissed, and

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion Servano have not broken any laws, and

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion Servano have followed the procedure to obtain rightful legal status in the U.S. and the hope of citizenship in that they waited the time involved and were apart for two years as one was granted access before the other, and

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion have given back to the United States of America through their professions and businesses, and

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion have raised their children to be proud Americans and to be involved in community and civic activities as part of their patriotic duty, and

WHEREAS, Pedro and Salvacion have lived their lives in limbo for the past 21 years, not sure what is going to happen to them or if they will be separated from their family, and

WE RESOLVE THAT, consideration be given to Pedro and Salvacion Servano due to the complexity and uniqueness of their case.

WE RESOLVE THAT, there was no intention to misrepresent their marital status and commend this couple for taking marriage vows and their strong commitment to each other.

WE RESOLVE THAT, copies of this resolution be submitted to members of Pennsylvania’s delegation to the U.S. House and Senate.

WE RESOLVE THAT, a bill be presented from the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States of America that will provide Pedro and Salvacion Servano U.S. citizenship.

The SUN Area Council of Republican Women traveled to Harrisburg on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 and toured PA Federation of Republican Women headquarters where they had a light lunch and then attended the Right to Work hearings; seeing our State Representatives in action.

If you get the chance, we encourage to attend bill hearings.  Although it is not something we would want to do everyday it was very interesting to view and see how the process works.