Guatemalan mother stuck abroad after visa interview, separated from U.S. family
Sep 3, 2026
Country of origin: Guatemala

Lorenza Temaj Jiguan, 34, traveled to her native Guatemala in May to complete an interview for a U.S. immigration visa, expecting only a brief trip before returning to her family. Instead, she has remained stranded there since, unable to reunite with her 10-year-old daughter Ariana and her husband, U.S. citizen Samuel Wilbanks. Temaj had lived in the U.S. since entering in 2009 and was seeking to resolve her immigration status through the visa process. Her husband has decided to sue the government over her prolonged separation from the family.
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