78-year-old Miami Gardens woman finally gets birth certificate
For 78 years, Jessie Lovette lived without proof that she was born. On Friday, that changed when the Miami Gardens resident opened her mailbox and found her long-awaited birth certificate.
"Thank you, Jesus! I was so happy. I ain't been this happy in a long time," Lovette said. "It's a long time coming, and I'm glad that everything is over."
A lifetime without papers
Lovette was born at home in Georgia in the 1940s, during segregation, and never received a birth certificate. For years, she managed with a state ID card. But when the federal Real ID law took effect, she suddenly needed documentation she did not have.
Her son, Derrick, stepped in to help. He began the legal process of proving his mother's existence.
"Not having a birth certificate or any ID to prove that she is a United States citizen, it was kind of difficult for her because we couldn't—she didn't want to go out, you know, as much," Derrick said.
"But now she could go out and not be afraid, you know, if something happens, then she won't be detained by ICE officials or anybody."
Without a birth certificate, Lovette also could not prove she was American. Her family says increased federal crackdowns made the process move even slower. They credit local media coverage earlier this year for helping push the case forward.
"Yes, you was able to contact officials in Georgia, because we're moving kind of slow and then your involvement kind of like pushed it along a little bit, so I really appreciate, you know, Channel 4," Derrick said.
A new chapter
The next day, the family rushed to the DMV, where Lovette finally received her Real ID.
"I don't know what to do with myself. I just so happy. I look at this, I just take it and just look at it," she said.
For Lovette and her family, the Real ID is just the start. They now hope to get her a passport and plan for international travel.
Tania Francois returned to CBS News Miami in November 2022 as the Executive Producer Impacting Communities or EPIC.
