Senator Bob Menendez knows that one of the most important roles of an elected official is to serve his constituents and ensure that the government is working in their favor. That duty became particularly prescient in the case of one New Jersey mom whose story captured Senator Menendez’s attention immediately.
Nina Saria’s story started over a year ago when a kidney transplant surgery was cancelled at the last moment due to complications. Ms. Saria, of Egg Harbor City, then found a perfect match in her mother Nana Gulua. The only problem was that Ms. Gulua lives in the Republic of Georgia, and getting to the United States to save her daughter’s life would not be an easy process. The family applied for a visa multiple times, but were repeatedly rejected by the State Department. After months of failed attempts, Saria reached out to Senator Menendez’s office in the summer of 2016 and found an ally who would not give up on her or her cause.
After hearing Ms. Saria’s story, Senator Menendez reached out to the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services and implored them to use their better judgement—and it worked. Nana Gulua was awarded humanitarian parole by the US Department of Homeland Security, a status that allows foreigners to enter the United States under emergency circumstances. Only one out of every four people who apply for this status receive it, so it is a testament to the perseverance of both Saria’s family, and Senator Menendez, that this status was awarded.
Ms. Gulua entered the United States successfully and the transplant surgery was completed as planned on December 1, 2016. Since then Ms. Saria and Ms. Gulua have been resting and recovering. As Senator Menendez stated in his press conference with the family on January 17, “This is what drives my work every day, helping real people. Helping individuals like Nina is at the very core of public service.”
Senator Menendez happily provides assistance to all citizens of New Jersey, so never hesitate to contact his office with any concerns.
