A DREAMer's story: FALDEF Client, John Quidilla

Hi my name is John Quidilla. I live here in Plano, Texas with my family.

I moved to here in March 1999 with my family for my father’s work with a Visa. I finished middle school, high school, and started college here.  On July 20, 2008 my father passed away.  Along with this my family’s Green card process was stopped. My mom and siblings were able to retain their legal status, but my application for a student Visa was denied. My family and I thought it would be best for me to finish college here and go from there.

In November of 2011 I was picked up by I.C.E. early morning at my home. I was detained and taken to a detention center to be questioned. I waited in a holding cell for a couple of hours but was released on bail and allowed to go home later that day.

My mom searched for lawyers and found FALDEF. She called them to ask for help and they agreed to work on my case. After 3 court dates, President Obama’s executive order and 8 months after filing for DACA, I finally get my Employment Authorization card.

Thanks to the help and support of FALDEF, Phil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Texas, friends and family that I am still here today.

Tayo Ay May Mga Karapatan | We Have Rights - a film by Diane Paragas

DACA approved through PATH for DREAMS initiative

"The PATH for DREAMS program at the Philippine Consulate helped me in my application process. FALDEF was definitely a great choice in helping me fill out my application forms for DACA.

I'm very blessed to have found an organization that not only provides pro bono services to

assist me in my situation but also a place where the officers are very understanding, helpful, 

friendly, and supportive. Thank you for the great services that you consistently and graciously 

provide for the people in need. I would recommend your services to anyone who needs it." ~ S. M.

FALDEF short documentary excerpt directed by Diane Paragas

( An excerpt from the FALDEF short documentary directed by Diane Paragas of Civilian Studios)

Over the course of the last three months Diane Paragas has been documenting candid interviews from FALDEF clients and Board Members. What started out as a public service announcement, has turned into a short documentary. A short preview will be shown today and the final product will be premiered at the "Night of Hope" benefit dinner on March 1.

            

Diane Paragas is an award-winning documentary film director and commercial director.  Her films have appeared on Showtime, BET, Discovery, MTV, Bravo and PBS. Paragas started her career in advertising then went on to work at MTV and for Discovery Asia.  Ms Paragas is also the founder and owner of NYC based Civilian Studios. She has directed award winning commercials for Fortune 500 companies and is repped by the prestigious Rascal Films. In 2012, Ms Paragas produced and directed the feature documentary Brooklyn Boheme which premiered in February on SHOWTIME networks. The documentary which was co-directed and co-produced with Nelson George celebrates the post-civil rights artistic movement of Fort Greene Brooklyn and features Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Rosie Perez and Saul Williams to name a few. Diane is a supporter of FALDEF and has lent her talent by offering to do a short documentary about the organization. She is currently working on her first feature film Yellow Rose.



The Tonog Family: NJ couple's deportation stopped, a new beginning

(Rica and Gideon Tonog with their daughter)

We were blessed with FALDEF's intervention in our legal battle.  Atty. Mallonga gave us hope and was able to develop a thoughtful, effective and thorough plan to address our problem. He took time to understand our fears, concerns and answered our legal questions.  He was a good listener, committed to help us, compassionate and accompanied us in all our court hearings which achieved our objectives and resolved our deportation order. 

With Atty. Mallonga's recommendation to involve our Filipino-American Community in Ocean County, we were able to stay. We are at peace as we  continue to hope for a better future. We also became the voice of our kababayans who are also having immigration problems.  We are grateful to FALDEF and its members for giving us hope and courage to our immigration concerns.

To our kababayans who may be in a similar situation, there is hope – thanks to the services unselfishly provided by competent professionals who comprise this noble organization - FALDEF.

~ Gideon and Rica Tonog

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John Quidilla, Texas DREAMer deportation case closed

I was picked up by ICE on the way to classes and was held at the detention center at Dallas, Texas. I was released on bail when my brother in law and sister came to pick me up.  I have faced many obstacles in my life, but nothing quite like this. I was worried, scared, and lost in words to say when I got home and talked to my mother face to face. She was frantically looking for someone that could help me and found FALDEF as the number one search result from Google. My mother got a hold of Atty. Merit Salud at first and then talked to Atty. J.T. Mallonga. My mother and I talked to both of them to see if they were able to help us seeing that they were in New Jersey and we were in Plano, an area of Texas that they have never heard of before. We eventually got a call back from them and received good news that they were able to help us.

From that day on FALDEF has given me hope that I would be able to live my life normally day by day. They have given me a chance to fulfill my dreams and goals that would have been otherwise missed. I know that they have given it their all on helping me win my case and without them I wouldn’t be here today. They have brought the “New York way” to Texas and helped me stay with my family and friends.  They have given me the opportunity to care for my young brother and be a father figure for him, see him grow and help my family.

I thank Atty. Mallonga and Atty. Salud, all the people at FALDEF, and their supporters for all of their hard work for me and the other DREAMERS out there without them I don’t know where I’d be.

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