Due to current political climate and heated conversations regarding immigration and deportation of families, specially young children I have decided to open up and share my own personal story. I would like to state ahead of time how grateful and lucky I am to be living in this country and that I am not taking it for granted. I feel privileged to be able to be bilingual, to have legal documentation and stay in 2 different countries that are next door neighbors. I would also like to mention that sharing this story publicly is very difficult and has taken a lot of courage. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to share this with you and be able to share a bit about what it was like for me.
Since 2001 when I arrived in America I was always careful, have always been careful to not say much. To keep quiet to stay away from attention, not to get myself in trouble with the law and avoid places where Immigration, border patrol & ICE roam around. This was my life for 11-12 years. I was afraid to be detained, ripped apart from my mother & siblings who are U.S. citizens. I fought my way legally to stay here. I went down the road of depression when I couldn't attend a 4 yr university because I was not a resident, citizen nor had a social to attend. I couldn't even find a job. For almost 2 years because I wasn't allowed. I remember the day I got finger printed by U.S. customs my heart pounded so much. I knew that I had to be extra careful since that day because the Government knew I was here. I remember being so afraid Of even stepping foot in San Ysidro. Practically anything north of La Jolla and south Chula vista. I lived in fear of being tossed in a country, city I knew nothing of. After high school I was in a long term relationship in which my boyfriend at the time knew about my immigration status, he offered to marry me to help me achieve and excel my dreams. I was so "blessed" to have someone who would do that for me but, I declined because I didn't want to obtain my status though someone else. I wanted to do it for myself and so far I am so lucky to have had that opportunity present itself and to have the drive I did to go out and find a great lawyer and file my paperwork. Fast forward to now. I am here legally, have done things legally. I am here with all of my documentation and yet I am afraid to be deported because this administration insists of sending people back even with documentation. I am afraid of being taken away from my son. It literally kills me and breaks my heart that there are so many people running scared. So many children without their parents being detained. You have no idea how much it is affecting me. I am voicing myself for those who can't speak up, because they are scared, afraid. No child should ever be ripped apart from their parent. Ever. 1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
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June 2018
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