Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis woman still navigating the immigration system six years after her marriage

Published

1 year ago

September 16, 2024

Indianapolis woman still navigating the immigration system six years after her marriage

INDIANAPOLIS — Immigration remains a major topic heading into the November election. Jenny Bojang thinks about the immigration process every day.

She and her Husband Harun met while she was serving in the Peace Corp. Their love started as a friendship. He was a driver and at the time they met, married. His wife died due to complication during child birth, not long after he got in a car accident.

After knowing each other for a while they ended up having feelings for each other. Harun introduced Jenny to his mother and the rest is history.

Provided

“It was obvious that he had the same feelings for me that I had for him,” Jenny said.

Jenny stayed overseas for a few years to help her husband raise his kids along with his mother, while they were just dating. Then in 2018 they decided to marry in a cultural ceremony. Six days later she left for a government job in Indianapolis, where she has lived since.

Now she has two bedrooms that are move in ready for her husband’s kids who she considers her own. They started all the paperwork that was needed in 2020.

“Things were being approved things were moving to the right places,” Jenny said. “The all of the sudden COVID hit and everything all the immigration got shut down embassy’s got shut down.”

Due to the pandemic, her original petition for her husband and their children expired. She tried to expedite the process so her family could meet her dad before he passed. That request was denied.

“That didn’t get to happen and that is heart breaking,” Megan Pastrana an Attorney and CEO of Immigration for couples said. “That’s irreparable harm that happened because of the immigration system.

Pastrana says navigating the immigration process can take years, which isn’t fair to couples trying to do everything correctly.

“They say that they have a high volume of cases, and they don’t have enough immigration officers to review the cases,” Pastrana said.

The process requires couples to prove their love to the government something Jenny detailed in stacks of papers and notes dedicated to the process. While she knows she isn’t alone she hopes sharing her story can show people a different side of the immigration system.

“See us and not just look at these cases as a case number but look at each one of these cases as if you know this is their family member,” Jenny said.

Jenny and her husband are waiting for their interview with immigration officials. She says, they haven’t gotten a timeline yet for when that interview will take place. Once it does, that’s when the system will decide whether he can and his children get to come to the states on Visa’s. Then the process of applying for a green card begins.

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We reached out to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office for comment. They didn’t share information about Jenny’s case specifically but they sent the information below on how they make decisions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office:

USCIS adjudicates each request for immigration benefits fairly, humanely, and efficiently on a case-by-case basis to determine if it meets established eligibility criteria required under applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The agency remains committed to breaking down barriers in the immigration system, reducing undue burdens on those eligible for benefits, and upholding America’s promise as a nation of welcome and possibility with fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve.

The length of the application process may vary depending on biometrics submission requirements, reliance on the grant of an underlying benefit requested, and whether applicants have demonstrated they’ve met the established criteria for approval. If an applicant has not initially provided sufficient evidence to establish eligibility, then USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence, which can extend processing times in individual cases. Each case is reviewed based on the totality of the evidence and there may be variations on how long they take to adjudicate. USCIS posts national median processing times for certain forms on the Historical National Median Processing Timewebpage.

Applicants can check and track the status of their case by going to Case Status Online on our website. This feature allows applicants to keep up with the progress of their immigration application, petition or request. Applicants can access it by creating a free account online. Applicants have the ability to file an expedited processing request. USCIS will review each request for expedited processing to determine if the case meets established eligibility criteria to qualify. More details are available here: How to Make an Expedite Request.

Applicants with questions about the status of their case can reach out to our Contact Centereither by phone or onlineto request an appointment at a local field office for assistance.

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Indianapolis, IN

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Nickel Plate Trail pedestrian bridge over 96th Street is officially open.

It was being touted Friday as a major milestone for central Indiana’s growing trail system. The street is the Fishers-Indianapolis border.

Leaders called the project a critical connection point for the Nickel Plate Trail. The new bridge helps move the nearly 17-mile trail closer to its goal of connecting multiple counties through one continuous path.

The bridge also came with a 1.3-mile trail extension. A $4.5 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources made the bridge possible.

Dale Brier, deputy director of Indiana Department of Natural Resources, talked about the state’s Next Level Trails grant program. “Currently, we have 89 trail projects that that were funded with that money. Fifty-nine of those are complete. We’ve got 12 under construction. As of this opening, we have 167 miles of trail that have now been opened with that grant money.”

People who frequently take the trail for their daily exercises say they’re excited the bridge is finally open.

Alan Errichiello of the Fishers Running Club said, “Extending this down south into Indianapolis is a big game changer for us. It’ll add a lot of miles that we can easily get into.”

Resident Tracy Mundell said, “Trying to get to the other side was nearly impossible, so I think most people didn’t even attempt it. It’s going to be great, we can get over to the other side, and I’m anxious to see what’s over there.”

The final portion of the project, called the Clear Path project, remains under construction.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, a Republican, said, “We need to double-down on that investment, and we know time and time again here in the city of Fishers that trail systems, the ability to get up and get out and get active, is such an important part in our culture of health, that an investment like this is critical.”

Once complete, local leaders say the goal is to provide a more safe and connected routes between Noblesville, Fishers, Indianapolis and other surrounding cities.

Resident Steve Mundell said, “It’s lovely. It’ll be real convenient to get across too.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

Published

22 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

What grades did the Indianapolis Colts earn on the 2026 NFLPA report cards?

The NFLPA is no longer able to make their annual report cards public. However, ESPN’s Kayln Kahler was able to obtain a copy of the reports following the 2025 NFL season, and the Indianapolis Colts were again around the middle of the pack.

In these report cards, players rate numerous aspects of the organizations they play for, from ownership to the training facilities and everything in between. According to Kahler, 1,759 players contributed to these grades.

So, where did the Colts end up this year relative to the rest of the NFL this year?

Overall, the Colts ranked 17th. Below is a breakdown of each individual grade they received.

Treatment of Families: B
Home Game Field: D
Food/Dining Area: B
Nutritionist/Dietician: A-
Locker Room: C+
Training Room: B
Training Staff: B+
Weight Room: B
Strength Coaches: A
Position Coaches: B
Offensive Coordinator: B
Defensive Coordinator: B+
Special Teams Coordinator: B+
Team Travel: B-
Head Coach: A-
General Manager: A
Team Ownership: A

Of note, although the Colts haven’t been to the postseason in five years, Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard both received high marks.

Carlie Irsay Gordon, Kalen Jackson, and Casey Foyt earned an A in their first year as the primary owners.

The field at Lucas Oil Stadium received a very low mark, earning a D, while the locker room was given a C+. Those were the two lowest grades the Colts received.

Compared to the 2025 rankings, the Colts moved up two spots this year, after coming in at 19th last year.

The biggest jumps the Colts experienced came in the Food/Dining grade, which went from a C to a B. The Team travel grade also jumped from a D+ to a B-.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis police search for 3 people after shooting, stolen vehicle crash

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a shooting, Indianapolis police were searching for three people who fled on foot following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle and its crash on Thursday afternoon.

No information was provided in the notification about the three people being sought. News 8 reached out to IMPD by email to find out details about the three people. Anyone with information regarding the incident or the people who fled the crash was asked to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The stolen vehicle was linked to a Thursday shooting, prompting the lockdown of a nearby child care center, IMPD said in a media notification. No information was provided about where the shooting happened, what may have led to it, or whether anyone was hurt.

IMPD, however, said the stolen vehicle and crash were not related to a shooting reported at 12:35 p.m. Thursday at a gas station and restaurant at West 38th and Meridian streets.

IMPD officers found the stolen vehicle around 12:45 p.m. Thursday near East 38th Street and Post Road. When a detective attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled westbound before crashing a short time later near Whenner Drive, the notification said. It did not say what type of vehicle was abandoned in the crash.

Three people from the crashed vehicle fled southwest on foot. IMPD established a perimeter with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Lawrence Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office — using specialized resources, including a state police helicopter, a special weapons and tactics team, and the IMPD’s police dogs — but did not find the three people.

IMPD said a firearm was found in the crashed vehicle, and a man detained at the crash scene was later released once investigators determined he was not directly involved in the incident.

Police have since lifted the lockdown on the child care center.

IMPD’s public information office can be reached at 317-327-3424.

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