Q: I have a friend who immigrated from Mexico with his mother when he was 6 months old. After high school, he attended community college for about a year and a half but had to quit because of the expense.
He is now 21 and going to school again. But, unfortunately, after all his hard work he won’t be able to practice in his field. He is an undocumented immigrant who wants only to become a professional, but the law won’t allow him to achieve his goal. He wants to be able to do everything right. But every time he searches for help, all the doors close on him. Can anything be done to help?
Danny: Your friend had no say in this situation, but he’s realizing the hard way that his mother’s decision to enter the U.S. illegally came with a price. It is not the law closing doors on him; it’s his mother’s disregard and breaking of the law that has stopped his progress cold.
There are a few things he can do, but they will involve time, money and, most likely, will require a return to his native country. He will now have to make right the illegality that branded this woman’s desire for a better life for her child. The sacrifices and consequences are many, but a choice is a choice.
Lily: A wise man once said that when one door closes, another will surely open. Your friend must not give up on becoming a citizen if he wants to reap the rewards this country has to offer.
Laws exist for everyone to follow, but the law is not holding him back here – it’s the citizenship process. Contact an immigration lawyer, who can assist him in filling out the correct documents, will know the process, and will not cheat him out of his time and money.
Check out the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at USCIS.gov for more information. Remind your friend that many have struggled with citizenship but have overcome the same hurdles to reach their goals. El también podra. Suerte!
Catherine: Everyone feels different about immigration. Some people want to deport anyone who has dark skin and hair. Others want to send out personal invitations to folks of all nationalities to come join “the great concept” that is the United States.
The more I learn about the dire situations of other countries, the more I understand why people risk it all – their lives and their children’s – in desperate attempts to create a better life here.
That being said, the end does not justify the means. No matter what the goal is, breaking the law is never the way to meet it. Your friend has reaped the benefits of being raised in our country, but his current roadblock was inevitable.
None of us is an expert about immigration law, so do consult an immigration attorney for further guidance. A good place to start might be usdoj.gov/eoir/probono/states.htm. In many states there are lawyers who will work for reduced fees to help people (with documents or not) figure out what they need to do. One of my colleagues once told me that any race worth running is worth running right.
Glossary
El también podra: he too shall.
Suerte! good luck
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