I’m a U.S. citizen from Arizona and I’ve been married to my husband for 4 years. He has two children from his first relationship. My husband spent most of his life in U.S. Yes, he went illegal like the rest of them. There’s no shame in that because every Mexican that went to U.S. went for one reason: to have a better life and to support their family back in Mexico. Therefore, he worked at any job he could fine to send money back to his parents. About 2 years ago, my husband was deported back to his country. No questions asked, it didn’t matter if you married or had any children they just deported him back. Therefore, we are now living in Mexico and waiting for his appointment to come around. We filed for his residency and are still waiting. Our lawyer said 6 months to 1 year and the year almost over.
Carmelita
New Mexico
My husband and I have been married for almost 10 years. He was born and raised in Switzerland and came to the US in 2001 because we decided to get married. We are both Croatian, but I hold a US passport and was born in America. My husband has a Croatian passport. 10 years ago, when his English was not so good, he was asked by immigration officials if his intent to come to the US was to get married. He answered yes because he wanted to marry me. Well, his answer was wrong. He committed a crime. He should have said no. In the US, you are not allowed to come to America with the intent to marry. Since then we have had three kids. He has never been arrested or broken the law. Yet when he decided to apply for citizenship he had some problems. He has been forced to wear an ankle monitor and report everywhere he is going. We are not even allowed to go out to dinner or a movie. Why? Because he answered yes. Or maybe because he is from Croatia? Or maybe because the US government is becoming like a communist country. Taking away basic freedom from individuals. Switzerland is a good county, in my opinion, better than the US. He had no reason to leave other then he loved me. Now his ultimate love turned out to be a punishment. In the end, I am only sorry that this is his American experience.
Mariana
San Francisco, CA
I came to the United States when I was only six years old from Uzbekistan. I came to a world where the slogan “money grows on trees” exists; where eating a banana everyday was breakfast. If you see me on the street, you’d probably say wow she’s so lucky but if you knew the truth it’s not you’d expect. I came to America with my parents and brother for a better future where your nationality and religion wasn’t an issue. Just because I came from Uzbekistan doesn’t make me that nationality, to be honest nothing that deals with that country makes me who I am today. My parents were abused for not being Muslim, my brother has scars on his face from kids picking on him for being Russian. My story starts where I was woken up at 6:07 a.m. of last year by ICE. My family has wasted over $70,000 for the past twelve years on lawyers who said they will legalize but never did. We were taken into custody and now I am 18 years old with no future, no job, and no money. I am depended on my parents who barely make it paying bills. Just because I wasn’t born here doesn’t mean I’m not an American. I was raised here and experienced my whole life here. Now that I am 18, I have nothing but to wait for someone who will hear me out and give me a chance to live my life, not being haunted by my parents nationality and religion.
No name given
Brooklyn
I’m 16 years old. When I was 3, my family moved to America, and all of them are legal…but I’m not. It scares me to know that I’m so close to finishing high school being in America illegally. I don’t know what’s going to happen once I graduate. I’m afraid that everyone else is going to move forward with their lives, and I’ll be alone doing absolutely nothing. I lose hope every day, but I love America: it has become my home. But I can’t continue to live this way. My family chose to come to America, not me. Of course, I didn’t have a say so, but now I’m the one who has to deal with the consequences. I want a simple life: graduate high school, go to college to study medicine, and save lives. Is that too much to ask for? I want to be an American citizen.
Lost Dreamer
I immigrated to the United States 11 years ago when I was 4. Coming here was the best thing that has ever happened to me. My parents brought me here hoping that I would get a chance at a better life that they never had. And I do. I’m in school and always been a straight A student. I am in advanced classes and, hopefully, graduating early. I am so happy, happier that I could ever imagine. I thank God relentlessly for what he has given my family and me. However, I am very afraid. I am only 15 and since I am young, I always worry. I am afraid for my future because I cannot apply to the college of my dreams. I feel like an outsider because not one of my friends knows the situation I am in. I see many people bashing us and insulting us. It almost feels like they can rip my dreams apart from the seams. However, I won’t let them. I will hold on to my dreams no matter what. I will not give up, I will succeed, and no one can stop me. One day I hope that the country I love will accept me and my people.
Liz
I was born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, where many people struggled to make a means of living, including myself. I was a mother of a daughter and son, and my husband was already living in New York to provide for us. In 1990, I decided it was finally time to leave for the United States with my young children, and once I did things were okay for awhile. I gave birth to another daughter four years later and for a while, I thought life would be good. However, it wasn’t long before the government started to try and make us move back to Mexico. My husband, who I had separated from at this point, had already been deported and my odds of staying were looking slim. Due to the change in law, I couldn’t apply for a suspension of deportation and in May of 2000 my Mexican born children and I were granted Voluntary Departure. For 7 years, I would struggle with contacting the immigration office to grant access back to the United States. My 21-year-old daughter who had spent most of her life in the United States would be arrested and sent to Mexico in 2006, not knowing a single person. My son would follow his sister in the same way a year later. With my youngest daughter, Elena, already suffering from the separation I needed to fight for my citizenship more than ever. Because I was her sole supporter, I needed to stay in America in order to see that she received all the opportunities that would otherwise be impossible in Mexico. If the government made me go back to Mexico, either Elena’s PTSD would worsen or she would have to move to Mexico with me. Either way, her future would look bleak. Luckily, I was granted a stay of removal, which would buy me more time to fight for my citizenship. But even after all this time I still have not gotten the legal right to stay in the United States, even with a daughter who is a legal citizen. For twenty years, I’ve tried to make a permanent life here, and still I have so much more to do.
Luisa
I was born in a country that didn’t always have the medicine to help its people. My husband became sick when I was pregnant with my son. When my son was born doctors told me, he had a bad heart but they could not help him. I was young, scared and taking care of two very sick and VERY important people in my life. When my son was two, my husband died. I was so afraid to lose my son too, so I worked very hard. It took me 4 years to save up enough money to bring us to Boston. My son was six when we moved and he was able to have heart surgery immediately. We have been here for a few years now, I have remarried (to another immigrant) and have had two more healthy children. My husband’s visas and mine have run out but I want my children to be safe and healthy, so I will stay here for as long as I possibly can.
Natasha, Brazil to Boston