“A native of Colombia, Oklahoma City violinist Angelica Pereira has become entangled in immigration issues complicated by the coronavirus pandemic,” writes Brandy McDonnell in Sunday’s (9/13) Daily Oklahoman. “Her application for permanent residency has been denied, her work visa has expired, and she is legally required to leave the U.S. and return to her native country—which she can’t do because international flights to Colombia are currently grounded…. She spent 10 years on a student visa…. The last two years, she has lived in the U.S. on a work visa. For seven years, Pereira has worked as a lead teaching artist at El Sistema Oklahoma…. For the past 10 years, Peireia also has been a violinist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and she is the principal second violinist in the Oklahoma Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra…. Pereira’s work visa expired Aug. 10; she didn’t get her response back on her green card application until Aug. 28…. In March, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the immediate and temporary suspension of its premium processing service due to the COVID-19 outbreak…. As Pereira is working with legal counsel … OKC Philharmonic Executive Director Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev has offered ‘whatever support is at our disposal to help her.’ ”
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