Walter Polovchak (born 3 October 1967) is a Ukrainian-American man who, as a child, became the center of the legal case Polovchak v. Meese after he refused, at 12, to leave the United States to return to Ukraine, then part of the USSR, with his parents.
The Polovchak family consisted of parents Michael and Anna and their three children, who came to the United States from Soviet Ukraine in January 1980 and settled in Chicago. Later that year, the parents decided to move back to the USSR, but the two elder children, Nataly, 17, and Walter, 12, disagreed. On July 13, 1980, both left their parents' Chicago home to stay with a cousin in the same city.[1] The parents sought the assistance of the police to get their children back, but upon the advice of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and of the US State Department, the police decided not to return the children to their parents but instead to start custody proceedings in an Illinois court.[1]
Asylum application
On July 19, 1980, Walter, with the help of his lawyer, filed an application for asylum with the INS, on the grounds of potentially being disadvantaged and persecuted in the USSR for being a defector.[1] The application was granted, and in October 1981, he was able to adjust his legal status to that of a lawful permanent resident.[1]
The case became a Cold Warcause célèbre after the INS allowed Polovchak to stay against his parents' will, even as they pursued legal means to retake custody of their son. While Walter and Nataly lived apart from their parents during the dispute, the sympathetic Reagan administration helped to drag out court proceedings until Walter turned 18 and was no longer a minor.
Since becoming a US citizen in 1985, Walter visits the now-independent Ukraine every other year and has re-established relations with his parents. He now lives in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, is married, and has two sons.[2][3]
^ abcd774 F.2d 731, Anna POLOVCHAK and Michael Polovchak, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. Edwin MEESE, III, United States Attorney General, and Michael Landon, District Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Defendants-Appellants, Walter Polovchak, Intervening-Appellant. Nos. 85-2297, 85-2305. United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Argued Sept. 9, 1985. Decided Sept. 10, 1985. Opinion Oct. 9, 1985.
^. articles.chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-25.
^Leroux, Charles (2 July 1999). "WHATEVER BECAME OF THAT SOVIET KID WHO SUED HIS FOLKS TO STAY HERE?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
Sources
Shipp ER. Soviet boy to be a "free man" today. New York Times, October 3, 1985, Section A, Page 18, Column 1.
External links
CBS News story
Videofact
January 29, 2023
walter, polovchak, born, october, 1967, ukrainian, american, child, became, center, legal, case, polovchak, meese, after, refused, leave, united, states, return, ukraine, then, part, ussr, with, parents, contents, background, asylum, application, court, case, . Walter Polovchak born 3 October 1967 is a Ukrainian American man who as a child became the center of the legal case Polovchak v Meese after he refused at 12 to leave the United States to return to Ukraine then part of the USSR with his parents Contents 1 Background 2 Asylum application 3 Court case 4 Aftermath 5 See also 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksBackground EditThe Polovchak family consisted of parents Michael and Anna and their three children who came to the United States from Soviet Ukraine in January 1980 and settled in Chicago Later that year the parents decided to move back to the USSR but the two elder children Nataly 17 and Walter 12 disagreed On July 13 1980 both left their parents Chicago home to stay with a cousin in the same city 1 The parents sought the assistance of the police to get their children back but upon the advice of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service INS and of the US State Department the police decided not to return the children to their parents but instead to start custody proceedings in an Illinois court 1 Asylum application EditOn July 19 1980 Walter with the help of his lawyer filed an application for asylum with the INS on the grounds of potentially being disadvantaged and persecuted in the USSR for being a defector 1 The application was granted and in October 1981 he was able to adjust his legal status to that of a lawful permanent resident 1 Court case EditSee also Polovchak v Meese The case became a Cold War cause celebre after the INS allowed Polovchak to stay against his parents will even as they pursued legal means to retake custody of their son While Walter and Nataly lived apart from their parents during the dispute the sympathetic Reagan administration helped to drag out court proceedings until Walter turned 18 and was no longer a minor The case has similarities to that of Elian Gonzalez Aftermath EditSince becoming a US citizen in 1985 Walter visits the now independent Ukraine every other year and has re established relations with his parents He now lives in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines is married and has two sons 2 3 See also EditElian Gonzalez affair a 1999 Cuban child asylum caseReferences Edit a b c d 774 F 2d 731 Anna POLOVCHAK and Michael Polovchak Plaintiffs Appellees v Edwin MEESE III United States Attorney General and Michael Landon District Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service Defendants Appellants Walter Polovchak Intervening Appellant Nos 85 2297 85 2305 United States Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit Argued Sept 9 1985 Decided Sept 10 1985 Opinion Oct 9 1985 Newsmakers of the 1980s and where they are now Chicago Tribune articles chicagotribune com Archived from the original on 2011 11 25 Leroux Charles 2 July 1999 WHATEVER BECAME OF THAT SOVIET KID WHO SUED HIS FOLKS TO STAY HERE Chicago Tribune Retrieved 7 March 2019 Sources EditShipp ER Soviet boy to be a free man today New York Times October 3 1985 Section A Page 18 Column 1 External links EditCBS News story Videofact Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Polovchak amp oldid 1104346739, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
