We, the undersigned members of the FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY, and American friends of Filipinos in the U.S., respectfully support John Quidilla in his application for Deferred Action/Stay of Removal from a final Order of Deportation. We earnestly request that action on the John’s case be deferred for humanitarian reasons because his forced departure will cause irreparable damage to his mother, and three siblings (all of whom are either U.S. Citizens or Legal Residents), as well as the community that he serves. 

John Quidilla is a Philippine national resident of Plano, Texas and has been living in the United States for more than 12 years since 1999. John finished high school in the U.S. and recently acquired a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Arts and Technology from the University of Texas in Dallas. He has three siblings, namely Jamila, Jemima , Joshua and his mother Naomi . The entire family of John are legal residents. John did not enter the U.S. illegally. His father, Nelson Quidilla, an exceptional engineer who held an L1 Visa, succumbed to sickness and died in 2008, leaving John a major part of the responsibility for caring for his younger siblings. 

What makes John worthy of Deferred Action Status/Stay of Removal are the following facts in his favor; First, his more than ten (10) years of residency in the U.S.; Second, the presence of strong family ties and ties to the U.S., as he has no close relations in the Philippines; John’s two siblings Jemima (permanent U.S. resident) and Joshua (U.S. Citizen) and his mother and sister Jamila (student visa holders) are here in the U.S. legally; Third, John has no criminal record; attained a high school diploma and has just completed a Bachelors of Arts majoring in Arts and Technology and was never a ward of the state; Fourth, John is a pillar of his community, particularly at his university where he has provided pro-bono mentorship and guidance to many fellow students as a founding member of Student Animate Together, a member of the U.T. Dallas Photography Club teaching new members about basic and flash photography, a graphics designer and photographer for an online new blog The Overture , and an involved member of the Arts and Technology Animation Guild. In addition to being an outstanding student leader, he is also active in the Filipino-American community youth program. 

John is multi-talented. He has had his artwork featured in art galleries during his high school, in the Collin College Arts Gallery, and has another show featuring a collection of his works on June 2, 2012 at the UTD gallery. 

The equities in the case of John Quidilla can only be characterized as extraordinary. Aside from his very strong family ties in the U.S., his dedication to attaining higher education, and his presence in this country for more than ten (10) years, are more than adequate reasons for the favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion on their request for Deferred Action/Stay of Removal, which relief appears to be the only remaining legal and humane remedy to keep him united with his family. He has no family in his country of birth. 

We pray that he be granted his application for deferred action/stay of removal. 

 Note:

John Quidilla is being represented by Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF) pro-bono Attorney JT Mallonga and Attorney Merit Salud. Local community support is being coordinated by Gus Mercado, State Executive Director of the Phil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Texas (PACCTX).

Anonymous signatures will be deleted.