Change.org's Immigration Blog

My Name is Maria and I am Undocumented

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-06T15:00:00-08:00

[This week's DREAM Act guest post comes from Maria, who believes that undocumented students deserve the chance to prove themselves. Visit Dreamactivist.org to find out how you can help pass the DREAM Act].

The year of 1996 was the year when I began to try new things, the year when my mother, two-year old brother and I moved from Costa Rica to America. Moving to a new country as a six year-old was more than an adventure; it was a chance for me to reunite with my father again as he had moved to America two years before us. It was also the first time I met my dad’s family. It was the first time I had ever held the soft, pure, cold snow, the substance that made me fall in love with America. My love for America grew even more when I realized that I was now living in a country where all dreams could become reality; a country with golden opportunities.

That same love stayed with me through middle school even when I was isolated by my classmates because of a language barrier. That same love stayed with me when I was forced to sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” but did not know the lyrics. I wanted to be accepted by classmates, but they only knew me as the girl with an “accent.” I knew I needed to be the best in order to prove to everyone I was equally as good. With that realization, I tried my best to be on top of my class, and in seventh grade, I was encouraged by my teachers to apply to a program called NJSEEDS, a program that prepares economically disadvantage inner city students with strong grades to attend college preparatory boarding or day high schools. I was one of 200 students throughout New Jersey to be chosen for this prestigious program.

I attended Garrison Forest School, an all girl boarding school in Maryland. I felt more than honored to be selected among hundreds of applications to attend this private school. The love for America, which had grown over the years, stayed with me even as I applied to colleges my senior year at Garrison Forest, but had little hope of getting into them due to the fact that I was an undocumented student.

Senior year was a tough year for me, not because I had trouble with my academics, but because after going through the stressful process of applying to colleges for two months, I received letter after letter of rejection. I knew that I had not been rejected because the schools did not think of me as a strong candidate for their school. My strong academics, extra-curricular activities, and my teacher recommendations were also not the reason that I had not been accepted. I had been rejected for the sole reason that I lacked what every other classmate of mine had, a nine-digit code called a social security number. After reading each rejection letter, I naturally cried and became frustrated. I was afraid of the future that awaited me, a future without college or the opportunity to continue with my life. However, I knew that I was a strong person, and that I was not going to give up just because a few colleges had not accepted me.

It has now been two years since I have graduated from high school. During these two long years, my dreams have been put on hold. I have been living at home waiting for just one opportunity for me to continue with my education. Not so long ago a good friend of mine asked me, “Why do you want to go to college?” Though this may seem like a trivial question to ask someone, because the reasons would seem to be obvious, it is not the case for me. If most students were asked this question, their answer would most likely be along the lines of an opportunity for living away from their parents or a chance of meeting new people. However, for me, college is not just an experience; it is not just the next four years of my life, college is the opportunity of my lifetime. It is the chance that I have been so desperately waiting for the last two years of my life so that I may be able to finally realize my full potential as a student. I want to be able to experience new things that will help me grow as a student and as a person.

After graduating from high school and not having the chance to attend college, I felt as though I had been compressed into a small box with nowhere to go. It is like being stuck in one place, watching my friends’ lives continue. It has been so frustrating to see my friends grow as students and people, see them fulfill their dreams while I, on the other hand, have been stuck in limbo. If I was given just one chance, one opportunity for a college to see past my legal status and actually acknowledge all the hard work and dedication I put into my academic work all throughout high school, I would take full advantage of that opportunity.

When a person is given one shot at something that they have been denied all their life, that one person will not take such an opportunity for granted. A perfect example would be when African Americans were not allowed to attend the same schools as whites, and instead of giving up, they fought hard for that chance that they knew they deserved. Years later, we are in the 21st century where the first African American president has been elected. This would not have been possible had African Americans not fought for what they deserved, and had they not been given a chance.

Therefore, it is my firm belief that if undocumented students were to be given that same opportunity, other smart, driven, and successful leaders would emerge. I, as an undocumented student, will put all I have into becoming a successful student because I have been through a lot of hardship in reaching my goal of attending college. I have not given up hope in achieving this goal because I do not want the sacrifice that my family and I made in coming to America to be in vain. Even though colleges have said “No” to me numerous times, it does not mean I will say “No” to myself, “No” to my dreams.

(Photo credit: CSUN DREAMS to be Heard)

Senate Gets Rid of Vitter-Bennett Amendment

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-06T14:59:00-08:00

Good news for all pro-immigant rights advocates. The Senate voted 60-39 and refused to wreck the census, getting rid of the Vitter-Bennett amendment that would have discouraged undocumented immigrants from participating in the 2010 Census and wasted millions in redoing forms as well as trainings. Senator McCain missed the vote and given he also missed the DREAM Act floor vote two years ago, it doesn't bode well for the once-strong supporter of immigrant rights.

Today is the 23 year anniversary of the landmark immigration reform bill signed by President Reagan in 1986, which gave amnesty to 2.7 million immigrants. The Vitter-Bennet amendment, much like most GOP plans, threatened to wreck the inclusive nature of the Census while doing nothing of substance to rectify the issue of 11.8 million undocumented immigrants living and working in this country.

(Video Credit: SayItVisually)

Will Pelosi Cave to Anti-Immigrant Sentiments on HCR?

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-06T06:00:00-08:00

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is currently tussling with both the Speaker of the House and the President for a health care bill that includes undocumented immigrants. Currently, the House bill (H.R. 3962) has no bar against undocumented immigrants and toughening the health care bill with verification measures may lead to thousands of immigrants losing their access to private health insurance.

The question is simple: Do you want undocumented immigrants in your overburdened emergency rooms on 'taxpayer dollars' or do you want them buying health insurance to pay for their own medical bills? Never mind the fact that the undocumented pay taxes to mitigate the costs of receiving any so-called 'free health care' and are the least likely to use emergency health facilities.

Dragging undocumented immigrants into the health-care debate for political purposes is a way to derail health care reform without offering any real solutions for the estimated 11.8 million out-of-status immigrants in this country. Excluding undocumented from participating in public exchange while increasing costs of private premium health insurance due to competition threatens a loss of coverage for even those who have private health insurance. It goes without saying that including everyone in the marketplace of health insurance is far more economical than excluding given more people would carry the burden and hence, lower the costs of health care.

Lets see how long it takes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to ignore facts in the face of right-wing paranoia without putting forth a solution to fixing a failing system that prevents so many immigrants from adjusting their status to get health care.

Photo Credit: Neil Parekh/SEIU Healthcare 775NW / CC

Post Fort Hood: Please Resist Muslim-Bashing

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-05T15:59:00-08:00

Speculation, anger and hatred is ripe on social networks such as Twitter after the massacre at Fort Hood, Texas that killed at least 12 and injured dozens more.

Tweeples are asserting a 'jihad attack' on one end and incompetent Obama policies on war on the other end.

When I first heard about the attack, my first thought was "let the perpetrator not be a Muslim or person of color." I remember the anti-immigrant, Muslim-bashing that this nation engaged in post-9-11 and how many lives were ruined in the aftermath. Eight years later, a recent Pew research found that 58% of Americans admit Muslims face discrimination in the United States but 38% also see Islam as a violent religion when compared to other religions.

Hope slowly died when Major Malik Nadal Hasan was named as the lone shooter allegedly responsible for the unfortunate incident. If he was White with a name like 'Major Tom Thomson,' his religion or color won't draw any attention. After all, the media did not declare Timothy McVeigh to be a "White Christian Terrorist" but Major Hassan has already been stripped by many of his soldier status and labeled a jihadi. It's sad that in a country where Barack 'Hussein' Obama is President, racism and religious persecution continues to run rampant.

I strongly oppose the many wars that this nation-state has engaged in over the course of our history. At the same time, I also know that in such situations people of color have to be more silent because anything we say can be labeled as 'Anti-American' and used against us. I do ask that we not be silent to any persecution of innocents. I ask everyone to pray (in their own way) for the families of the victims. But also keep in mind and pray for the victims of the unwarranted backlash that may just intensify against Muslims and people of color in this country.

Violence begets violence. Haardik Shubhkaamnaon Sahit.

(Photo Credit: Broken Thoughts)

One Year Later: Remembering Marcelo Lucero

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-05T14:23:00-08:00

Where were you on November 8, 2008?

I clearly remember that I was smarting from the passage of Prop 8 and demonstrating out in the streets of San Francisco one week prior to the huge Join the Impact rallies in 16 states. The brutal killing of Marcelo Lucero in New York was not on my radar at the time but the hatred directed towards people who are deemed 'different' was certainly plaguing my conscience and affecting my choices.

While local law enforcement officials pledged ignorance to tensions in the community, an investigation by the New York Times established a clear pattern of white youths preying on Latino residents for several years. One of Lucero's attackers told law enforcement that they would routinely go "beaner jumping," which meant they would hunt down and assault Latinos.

I wish I could say that we have come a long way as a country since the election of the first Black person as President of the United States. However, it is wrong to make any such proclamation especially in light of the latest deportation of the Mejia-Perez family. The comments at Marin Independent Journal are vile and racist, one in particular calling for the execution of Gilbert Mejia--their DREAM-eligible Guatemala-born son still in the United States fighting for asylum.

The hate crime against Marcelo Lucero is not an isolated incident. It prompted a wave of killings against Latinos from Wilter Sanchez to Luis Ramirez to Brisenia Flores. A month after Marcelo was stabbed brutally, 31-year-old Jose Sucuzhanay, was beaten to death by three men, who yelled anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs as he walked home with his brother. Finally, almost a year later, a hearing is scheduled for this murder on Monday November 9, 9:30am – 12:30pm at Kings Supreme Court, 320 Jay St, Brooklyn, New York.

In the context of a highly polarized immigration debate, hate crimes against Latinos will continue to rise. Prominent media figures like Lou Dobbs scapegoating immigrants and blaming us economic downturn and the housing crisis only aggravates matters.

Have you spoke out against hatred? What have you done since Marcelo was killed to make sure that these atrocities do not happen in your neighborhood and on your watch?

Here is something you can do: Sign the petition in support of immigration reform, and do your part to prevent another tragedy like that of Marcelo Lucero.

(Image Credit: Long Island Wins)

What the Election Means for Immigration Reform

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-04T11:24:00-08:00

While the GOP won gubernatorial elections in the states of New Jersey and Virginia, there was no second Republican wet-dream 'Contract with America.' Voters seemed mostly uninspired and voted against incumbents for the most part.

The gubernatorial elections do not bring good news for immigration reforms in those states. Virginia is among the top 10 states with new residents. The winner Bob McDonell is the grandson of an Irish immigrant but wants to extend 287g across the state and enable state troopers to enforce immigration laws.

In New Jersey, passing a much-needed instate-tuition bill for undocumented students as part of the recommendations of the Corzine blue ribbon commission is about to get harder with the election of Chris Christie since he opposes the legislation. But both Governor Corzine and Christie oppose granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. They also expressed reservations for local enforcement of federal immigration laws and looked to federal government for direction on immigration.

After all, the votes for immigration reform won't come from Governors. Democrats won the two House seats up for grabs, wrestling a little more power from the bluedogs and making immigration reform a bit easier in the House of Representatives.

The NY-23 historic Democrat win proved once again that tea-baggers are toxic to conservatism. Conservative Republican Doug Hoffman appeared on Glenn Beck and spoken out against 'amnesty' prior to the elections. Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh et. al should take their bandwagon all over the country to 'fire up their base' given they were able to turn out a truly historic loss for Hoffman. William Gheen is certainly keen on using tea-baggers to promote his anti-immigrant cause.

In California, most candidates running for the CA-10 seat vacated by Ellen Tauscher had pledged their support for immigration reform earlier this year during a forum at Saint Mary's College. Lt Gov John Garamendi winning the seat came as no surprise. That is one more vote, possibly two if we count NY-23, for the DREAM Act and immigration reform in the House.

The overall message to Democrats and President Obama is to inspire voters to get to the polls. Voters are clearly not inspired by consensus-building and lip-service. Almost nothing on the agenda would drive more Latinos and other immigrant communities to the polls better than a health care reform with public option this year and immigration reform with pathway to citizenship early next year.

(Photo Credit: Queen of Subtle on Flickr)

Making Immigrant Detention Comical

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-04T09:26:00-08:00

If New Jersey airport officials could detain Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, Dr. Jorge Cham is just a small fish in the sea for British immigration officials.

Cham of PhD Comics had a deportation scare in the United Kingdom recently. He took it in stride and produced some wonderful comics called PHD Tales from Heathrow Detention Facility that are somewhat telling of the American immigration system as well.

Enjoy them here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Responding to the comics, if the 9-11 perpetrators did hate us for our freedoms, they got their wish. Our response was to fulfill their dying wishes by shredding our constitutional protections, destroying civil liberties, casting suspicion at every 'Other' and growing our archipelago of immigrant detention.

(Photo Credit: MIT)

Deportation Today: Helen Mejia Speaks

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-04T06:00:00-08:00

This is Helen Mejia, a citizen of the United States. If Senator Feinstein fails to introduce a private bill for the Mejia-Perez family today, Helen Mejia will be deported back to Guatemala--a place she has never seen.

Help stop this atrocity by taking the actions outline here.

(Video Credit: DreamActivist)

Senator Feinstein, Why Are You Deporting U.S. Citizens?

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-03T13:07:00-08:00

Since the young promigrant blogosphere and twitterverse is asking this question, it felt prudent to bring attention to this atrocity.

During the past decade, 109,000 parents deported had U.S. citizen children who belong here in the United States. Will the Mejia-Perez family become another statistic in our broken immigration system?

The Mejia-Perez family, hailing from Novato California, is facing its last few days in the United States after living here for close to 20 years. It is a mixed-status family with two U.S. citizen children, Helen and Dulce. Gilbert Mejia, a DREAM-eligible youth and currently going through asylum proceedings, gets to stay for another year. The rest of the family, including Helen and Dulce, will be deported to Guatemala this Thursday.

Thus far, ICE has refused to take action. One can hardly blame ICE, given the bad morale and behavior in the agency. They have their hands full with their own incompetency and various criminal activities, not to mention subsequent lawsuits. And besides, they have deported more U.S. citizens wrongly than they can track down.

That leaves Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein from California who could introduce a private bill on behalf of the family. One would be lucky to get a response regarding anything from Senator Boxer unless it involves wildfires. Senator Feinstein is generally more responsive but she is also ignoring the calls and emails directed at her office. It is up to you to step up the pressure and ask her why she is so keen on deporting children who are United States citizens in light of Congressional failure to pass immigration reform.

Obama points to Congress while Congress points to Obama for much-needed leadership on immigration. Neither side wants to take on the issue. Is this the 'change' you can believe in? Is this what you voted for when you voted President Barack Obama into office? We need more than just lip-service.

Here is what you can do to help the Mejia-Perez family:

Sign onto this Change.org petition here.

Call Senator Feinstein

D.C.: (202) 224-3841

San Francisco: (415) 393-0707

Los Angeles: (310) 914-7300

Sample script: “I am calling to ask why Senator Feinstein is deporting United States citizens. Helen and Dulce are US Citizens by birth and sending them back to Guatemala is wrong and atrocious! Please introduce a private bill to stop the deportation of the Mejia-Perez family.”

(Photo Credit: DreamActivist)

NY Report Finds 39% Immigrant Detainees Eligible for Relief

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-03T10:14:00-08:00

A newly released NYC Know Your Rights report from New York City Bar Justice Center claims that 39% of immigrant detainees at the Varick detention facility in New York have ways to adjust their status. They are only allegedly 'illegal aliens.' Of the 250 kidnapped by the U.S. government, 100 detainees were jailed without facing charges while working on a $1 per day, however, the Department of Homeland Security sees the jail as a 'good model' to emulate.

The NYC project could only help 10 detainees per week. 27 of the detainees were lawful permanent residents while some had claims to relief for being born to citizen parents. 39% have claims to adjustment of status via cancellation of removal; asylum; withholding of removal, and/or relief under the Convention Against Torture, non-immigrant visas including U and S visas, 212(c) relief; and adjustment of status under 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Labeling someone an 'illegal alien' and throwing her/him in detention violates the basic tenet of our criminal justice system: innocent till proven guilty. The immigrant detainees also lack access to counsel so oftentimes, they do not know that they qualify for adjustment of status. Even 90% of those with bond set cannot afford to pay and remain in detention.

The stupidity of discarding due process and deporting people who have established themselves in this country and may have claims to citizenship, goes beyond saying "they broke a law." Disregarding the fact that illegal presence is a misdemeanor and some of these immigrant detainees never broke any laws, even those who commit heinous crimes in this country are given the right to a fair trial in front of a jury.

The New York Times blogs reports that the Varick Street Detention Facility takes in 11,000 men a year, most of whom are longtime New Yorkers facing deportation without a lawyer. Hence, the report recommends a government-appointed counsel for detainees who cannot afford an attorney. The sounds fair enough given that every resident of the United States has the right to due process regardless of citizenship and lack of government-endorsed paperwork.

(Photo Credit: Gothamist)

Ninth Circuit Hearing For CSPA Lawsuit Sparks Optimism

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-02T12:12:00-08:00

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is getting set to hear an appeal from immigrant families regarding the Child Status Protection Act. Last month, Judge Selena from a federal district court in Los Angeles ruled against the petitioning families and upheld a strict USCIS re-interpretation of the law, but several sources are confident of winning this appeal.

Attorney Carl Shusterman justifies his optimism by discussing a prior INS regulation that restricted waivers for eligible physicians under the National Interest Waiver (NIW). Congress enacted the law to provide that "all physicians" working in medically-underserved areas were eligible for NIWs, but INS regulations limited this immigration benefit to only primary care physicians. A federal district judge upheld this re-interpretation but upon going to the Ninth Circuit, the judges were incredulous at the arguments put forth by the government. The Appeals Court judges overturned the decision of the district judge and ruled in favor of the plaintiff physicians.

Since the CSPA lawsuit is equally straightforward, Shusterman is confident that "the Judges on the Court of Appeals will not let an administrative agency unlawfully restrict who benefits from a law passed by Congress and signed by the President." Additionally, the Ninth Circuit has a good record on immigration cases, most recently ruling against the widow penalty, which spark a nationwide revoke of the law. The CSPA case has the backing of legal statutes enacted by Congress and it would not require mental gymnastics to overturn the USCIS re-interpretation.

The new interpretation of the Child Status Protection Act separates families by not enabling an aged-out (over 21) derivative beneficiary to retain their original priority date. It doubles the number of years a derivative beneficiary has to wait in line. While the derivative beneficiary waits in line all over again, s/he cannot get married for that slows the process. Effectively, this creates mixed-status families where parents are legal permanent residents and even U.S. citizens, while their young adult children are undocumented or even worse, unable to join them in the United States.

Over the years, the USCIS has made uneven rulings on this issue, the worst one being the case of Costello, where USCIS granted legal residency to one aged-out sibling but not the other. This uneven and probably illegal USCIS teetering of the law also encourages 'illegal immigration' and thousands of dollars lost in fighting lawsuits to separate families on your taxpayer dollars.

It is a matter of time before this obviously flawed regulation gets thrown out in a court of law.

(Photo Credit: Pima)

New Immigration Legislation Resuscitates More Than Surviving Spouses

Prerna Lal — 2009-11-02T08:00:00-08:00

Last month, I reported the elimination of the widow penalty through H.R.2892. But the 2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act goes a step further in allowing the surviving beneficiaries of all approved family and employment-based petitions to be protected as "survivors" and allow them to continue their applications for adjustment of status despite the death of the original petitioner.

This is a crucial fix in immigration law because due to long immigration waits, original petitioners sometimes pass away, leaving entire families in perpetual limbo. Additionally, under the new law, if the principle beneficiary passes away while the petition is pending, the spouse and derivative beneficiaries can still immigrate. If the family is abroad, then they can request a reinstatement of the visa petition on "humanitarian" grounds.

Specifically, these are the categories affected by the new legislation:

(A) the beneficiary of a pending or approved petition for classification as an immediate relative (as described in section 201(b)(2)(A)(i));
(B) the beneficiary of a pending or approved petition for classification under section 203 (a) or (d);
(C) a derivative beneficiary of a pending or approved petition for classification under section 203(b) (as described in section 203(d));
(D) the beneficiary of a pending or approved refugee/asylee relative petition under section 207 or 208;
(E) an alien admitted in `T' nonimmigrant status as described in section 101(a)(15)(T)(ii) or in `U' nonimmigrant status as described in section 101(a)(15)(U)(ii); or
(F) an asylee (as described in section 208(b)(3)).'.

President Obama is widely expected to sign the legislation soon. Actual interpretation of this bill and guidelines on how to claim relief under Sec. 568 will come from USCIS after passage of the bill.

(Photo Credit: WTL photos on Flickr)

9500 Liberty: 9-11 Not the Same as 7-11

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-31T19:00:00-07:00

9500 Liberty, a documentary film by Annabel Park and Eric Byler, premiered in San Francisco this past Thursday. Hosted by Citizen Hope, NDN and Netroots Nation, and attended by several city officials, it promised to pack a punch. After a three hour grueling commute with detours in the Bay Area, I made it to the screening just in time.

Named after the block on which one resilient immigrant resides, the award-winning documentary traces how imported anti-immigrant legislation in Prince William County in Virginia, tore apart the community, leading to a mass exodus of immigrants, which hurt even the biggest opponents of immigration. Curiously, the movie shows how a blogger (Greg Letiecq from BVBL) working with larger anti-immigration national organizations influenced the Board of County Supervisors in Prince Williams to enforce a legislation supporting immigration checks carried out by local law enforcement based on the shaky ground of 'probable cause.' Even as the immigrant community came out against the legislation, the board approved it unanimously. It was not till immigrants started to leave Prince Williams and devastated the local economy, that most people saw the error in the law and fought to repeal it.

9500 carries a message of hope, especially for new media. Eric and Annabel exposed the ongoing in Prince Williams through their Youtube Channel and became involved in overturning the law. A concerned Prince Williams resident decided to counter the hatred and vitriol spread by BVBL by forming Anti-BVBL.

However, the message for undocumented immigrants in 9500 Liberty is scary. Immigrants testified passionately in front of the city officials only to realize that the decision did not hinge on their public comments. Does that mean that no matter how passionately and intelligently we express ourselves, our voices do not matter? That does not bode well with students like Herta Llusho and Noe Guzman who just testified in Congress.

Do the most privileged need to feel the pain in order for things to change? In 9500 Liberty, it was not until Greg Letiecq from BVBL launched attacks on the popular Chief of Police Charlie T. Deane, that more non-immigrants started to question the sanity of the law. Exacting harm on immigrants was convenient until citizens saw their property values plummeting and businesses crashing. A friend commented later that in the national scheme of things, this would mean that the United States would have to spend billions in deporting all undocumented immigrants along with their legal immigrant families to realize the grave mistake of driving out immigrants, kicking out producers and consumers, only to entice them to come back. Is that the only way this country will heal and move forward on the question of immigration?

I hope not. Watch 9500 Liberty when it comes to your city. Let the healing begin.

Video Courtesy: 9500 Liberty

My Name is Gloria and I am an Undocumented American

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-30T09:00:00-07:00

[This week's DREAM Act guest post comes from Gloria, a DREAM-eligible future entrepreneur in Texas. Visit Dreamactivist.org to find out how you can help pass the DREAM Act].

I was brought to the United States by my aunt when I was 15. My parents got divorced when I was 3, and since then my grandma had been taking care of me. She was getting older and older each day, and if I were to continue through high school in Taiwan, she would not have been able to pay for my tuition.

To ease grandma's financial burden, my aunt brought me in with a visitor's visa, hoping that once I get in, they would be able to adopt me and my status would be changed. Unfortunately, in order for them to adopt me, they would need my dad to give up custody, but he was nowhere to be found (he was always a drifter). Next thing you know, I turned 16 and I was no longer eligible for adoption.

I, however, was completely unaware of all that happened around me, as I was busy adapting to the new culture (also because typical Chinese parents don't usually discuss "grown-up matters" with their kids). School was not easy for me, as English was not my primary language. I was made fun of at school, because of my "FOB"ish ("Fresh-Off-the-Boat") accent, and I could barely understand my teachers.

But growing up in a divorced family, I was much more determined compared to other kids. I would not have given up so easily. Every night, I stayed and studied until 2 AM (if not later). An average American kid might spend an hour to finish her history homework, but I had to spend three hours, because I needed to look up every other word in the passage. Whenever there was a presentation, I would spend hours practicing my speech in front of the mirror, correcting every single word that I was pronouncing wrong, just so nobody could make fun of my accent.

By junior year, I was able to speak English almost flawlessly. I did grow up in Texas, so I do speak it with a little southern accent.

Finally, I was able to graduate high school with a 3.8 GPA, and I was engaged in National Honors Society, Student Congress, and many other extracurricular activities. I worked so hard, and all I ever wanted, was to get into a good college, so I could make my grandma proud. I went to U.S. News, and printed out all the information for the top schools. I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to study interior design, I was interested in psychology, I even wanted to become a professor. Finally I decided that I wanted to be in the medical field, so I requested applications from schools such as Johns Hopkins, Standford, UPenn, Duke, and so on.

When I was filling out my application forms, I came across a new vocabulary called "social security number." And that nine-digit number shattered my dream. I couldn't get into any of those schools, neither could I ask for financial aid. My aunt worked for a factory, there was no way she could pay for my tuition without financial aid.

But I promised grandma I would get a college degree. I would never disappoint her. I started looking through every single application that I had collected, and finally I saw that the Texas Common Application was the only form that did not ask me for my social security number. I decided to give it a try, and I was lucky to get into a local school. Unfortunately, the school was newly developed, it did not have a medical school, nor did it offer interior design, psychology, or education degrees. I had to choose between Computer Science or Business-related degrees. I chose Accounting during my second year of college, and like that old saying, "make do with what you got," I thought to myself, "if I work hard enough, maybe I will be able to find a company that is willing to sponsor me."

I was able to obtain my bachelor and masters degree in five years, with a 3.9 GPA, while I juggled officer positions in Accounting Honors Society and several other organizations. As Accounting students, we had countless internship opportunities to work at one of the firms. Every time when there was a chance, I would stand in front of the sign-up sheet, but I never gathered up enough courage to put down my name. How do I tell people that I need sponsorship? What if they ask me for my social security number? Would I be deported? I could not risk the chances of not being able to graduate.

Finally during my last year of college, I took a class called Internal Audit. It was a very tough class, but the professor gave us a chance to work on actual projects with the firms (without having to fill out the papers). I seized the chance, went through with the interview, and I became the student lead for the biggest project. To other students, it was probably an irrelevant project, which they just needed that project to pass the class. But to me, that was the first time I ever got a chance to "work" in the corporate setting. I was wearing my business suit, I was an internal auditor, I was doing what most people hated doing - working, but it was my Dream come true.

In the end, I won the award for "Best Student Lead" and our group won the "Best Team" award. The professor urged me to sign up for the interview to work for Deloitte, as it was the Dream company for most internal auditors, including myself, and I could have easily gotten the job offer, given my performance throughout the year. But I had to turn down the offer because I could not legally work in the States, and no company would be able to sponsor me. I "came out" to my professor, hoping that through his network, he would be able to find someone to help me. Once again, my Dream was shattered, even after all these hard-working years, I was denied the right to work.

I cannot help but envy my friends, the ones who did not even have to try hard, and they are already in a position that I wanted to be in. They can drive, work, go on business trips, pay mortgages, drop deposit slips through their bank's drive-thru, wear business suits, and make presentations in front of all these people. These may seem like small things in life, but to me, it's like a dream that will never come true.

Right now I am working as a waitress at a Chinese buffet. Every once in a while I would come across a customer asking me, "wow your English is perfect, were you born here?" I would smile and shake my head.

I may talk like a Texan, but will I ever enjoy the rights as one?

(Photo credit: CSUN DREAMS to be Heard)

Waiting for Change

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-29T10:33:00-07:00

It takes over a decade to pass a good bill. Last week, Senator Durbin promised to fight for the DREAM Act till he 'draws his last breath' at an immigration forum at DePaul University while also telling immigrant youth to wait in the same breath. It's the same promise deferred year after year. The DREAM Act was introduced back in 2001 when I still had legal status in this country and almost every year after that. In 2007, undocumented youth were told to wait till 2009. Now, they are being told to wait till 2010. When the election year swings around faster than anyone expected, thousands of dreams may just be deferred till 2011.

The White House promised to look into the possibility of deferring deportation for undocumented youth this past August but DHS still refuses to defer the deportation of DREAM Act students like Jorge Alonso Chehade, and Herta Llusho. USCIS has the power to exercise discretion in immigration cases but it is more concerned about deporting people than doing justice. Next week, Gilbert Mejia might be left in limbo in the United States while his family is deported back to Guatemala along with his U.S. citizen siblings.

The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves.
- Garth Henrichs

'Waiting it out' is not an option. Expecting politicians to do the right thing on immigration without nudging them is never an option. President Obama could chose to defer the deportation of thousands today with just an executive order, place a moratorium on raids and suspend misguided programs that give local cops power to act like immigration officials. But he refuses to budge and pays lip service to the large immigrant community in the United States.

In the face of Executive and Congressional inaction, we have to take action. Today, supporters of the Mejia family are holding a vigil outside Dianna Feinstein's San Francisco office in hopes that she would introduce a private bill to keep the family in the United States. Perhaps no one represents the spirit and character of a fighter better than Jorge Alonso who recently established a site dedicated to his dream of staying in the United States in order to keep his campaign alive. He is not waiting for deportation. Neither should the thousands upon thousands who currently live in the shadows of society.

Video Credit: ProgressIllinois

One Step Closer to Lifting the HIV+ Travel Ban

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-28T15:55:00-07:00

Last February, more than 150 community based organizations sent a letter to President Obama, requesting the administration lift the ban on travel by HIV+ people.

President Bush had approved a bill passed by Congress to repeal the ban last June but it still remains in place as status quo United States policy. The amount of time it has taking to institute the new policy has left many immigrants in legal limbo.

The Center for Disease Control has finally approved the removal of HIV from the list of communicable diseases that disallow an individual entry into the United States. The Office of Budget and Management must take action within 60 days to finally approve the removal of the travel ban.

This HIV ban is one of the antiquated laws in our immigration system in need of immediate change. It is an archaic means of promoting public health in a global age. Stigmatizing HIV immigrants is a disgrace that only provides a false sense of security and apparently the United States is joined by countries like Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and eight other countries in instituting this practice. The current ban has remained in place since 1987, and is also discriminatory towards gay and lesbian families, who do not benefit from the waiver available to straight couples.

Hat Tip: Diana

(Photo Credit: Trygve.u Flickr Photostream)

Showdown: Gavin Newsom vs. Sanctuary City Policy

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-27T13:35:00-07:00

In the absence of sound immigration reform, states and local jurisdictions have had to come up with creative ways to uphold the law while also protecting the most vulnerable residents. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed legislation last week requiring that undocumented youth can only be turned over to federal immigration officials after they are convicted of a felony. Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to give 'no credence' to this new policy even though the Board of Supervisors has enough votes to overturn his veto.

The new policy will prevent innocent youth from being separated from their families and from being unnecessarily reported to ICE for deportation. Mayor Gavin Newsom, gearing up for his gubernatorial run, wants all undocumented residents to be turned over to ICE upon arrest, denying immigrant juveniles the right to due process. The City of San Francisco is clearly worried about the costs of litigation even though sanctuary city policies have been in place for the past twenty years without serious litigation

When it comes to legal rationale, San Francisco has a right to exercise due process of law, which is entitled to everyone in this country regardless of legal status. Professor Pratheepan Gulasekaram of Santa Clara Law School argues that the city’s sanctuary policy is defensible:

On the merits of the intra-city debate, I believe that the public safety rationales related to community cooperation with law enforcement, along with a desire to see families kept together, and all people treated humanely, argue in favor of the Supervisor’s bold policy. In addition, it does not stop federal authorities from enforcing federal mandates.

The new sanctuary city policy strikes a good balance between the principles of law and family values by reporting young people to ICE only upon their formal indictment. There is no point in causing extraordinary grievances by breaking up families when someone has commited no crime. Alleged illegal presence is not a crime and does not merit deportation in the face of congressional failure to reform antiquated immigration laws.

Photo credit: SFBrit (Creative Commons Attribution)

Young Immigrant Women: Pick Your Poison

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-26T12:45:00-07:00

Immigrant women migrating to the United States now have the option to choose between either Gardasil or Cervarix for their required vaccination against sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV).

The vaccine is mandatory for women 15 to 26 entering the U.S. as part of their immigrant application process. It does little to prevent HPV and uses young immigrant women as guinea pigs for experimenting vaccines without incurring the expense of clinical trials. The burden of cost falls squarely on immigrant women and neither vaccines are covered by most insurance companies.

The mandatory vaccines play on more than just the 'dirty immigrant' metaphor. A quick search brings up many Gardasil horror stories. With worldwide sales reaching $1.8 billion in 2008, the vaccine is linked to at least 32 deaths. The makers of Gardasil, Merck & Co, provided grants to professional medical associations to help promote the vaccine who neglected to provide a balanced review of the costs and benefits of the required vaccine, raising questions about medical ethics.

A young immigrant woman is even facing deportation because she refuses to take Gardasil and one can hardly blame her. Maybe Cervavix could give her the much-sought after green card. The reputation of Cervavix was already tainted before FDA approval as it was allegedly linked to the death of a British teenager. It may be safer than Gardasil but it is too early to make a qualified statement.

Some competition might help to ease the pains brought to young women and their families through Gardasil but it gets worse. In the interest of gender parity, the FDA has also approved Gardasil for young boys with a CDC advisory panel set against it. If young women have to take this poison, so should young men. The government has given complete immunity to the vaccine makers should there be any "complications" so that liability lawsuits do not end up at either Merck or GlaxoSmithKline.

Winner: Merck & Co and GlaxoSmithKline.

(Photo: Creative Commons Attribution)

Citations for Driving While Mexican

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-23T23:00:00-07:00

The Dallas Police Chief, David Kunkle, has admitted that his officers wrote 39 citations to people over the past 3 years for not speaking English.

It would make a great Onion piece, except it is true.

Who would actually pay this ludicrous citation? The most vulnerable people who are either new to this country and do not know the law or those that feel bullied into paying citations for offenses they never committed simply to avoid additional prosecution under the law.

Kunkle probably wants to sweep this under the rug by calling it a 'rookie mistake.' After all, when six officers are found issuing citations for 'Driving while Mexican' it looks more like a department policy. Unfortunately for the Dallas police, they picked on the wrong person, who dragged them to court over the citation.

It seems like the anti-immigrant lunacy has led to the construction of new laws or rather, the enforcement of laws that do not exist.

In a country with a growing Latino electorate that may become the largest ethnic group within a hundred years, it might be wise to start learning Spanish especially if one is in law enforcement and expected to serve a diverse community.

(Photo Credit: WFAA)

My Name is Mei Lau and I am Undocumented

Prerna Lal — 2009-10-23T06:00:00-07:00

[This week's DREAM Act guest post comes from Mei Lau, who is eligible for the DREAM Act and represents the essence of the American DREAM--a high school graduate at the age of 15 who merely wants to attend college in this country. She is undoubtedly and irrevocably an immigrant that America needs and this country should find a way to retain her intellect and services instead of turning her away. Going back to her country of origin to apply for a visa to re-enter will not work in all likelihood so please do not make that suggestion].

My name is Mei Lau, a 15 year-old high school graduate. My brother and I arrived in US following our mother, who was an international student at the time, when I was nine and have been educated here ever since. But right now, I can't even be considered an international student anymore because mother cannot afford her tuition fee due the harsh economy for the past two years.

We both skipped two grades and entered high school at the age of 12. My IQ was proven and officially tested to be over 150. I maintained a 4.66 GPA in school with 4 AP classes and 2 college computer course, and finished all four years of high school math in my freshmen year. I went on to score a 5, highest score possible, in AP Calculus AB test in my sophomore year. Everyone including my counselor, teachers, friends, family, and myself was absolutely certain that with such a young age and brilliant record, I could get a full scholarship.

Quite a few were offered to me - with the requirement of being a permanent resident or US citizen. I was not. And several schools that accepted me regrettably informed me that they could not provide me with a full scholarship. Even the full scholarship the state university should provide to the students with 3 AIMS exceeded was denied to me because of my status despite the fact I completed my entire high school years here.

The most they could grant to a non-US citizen student like me cannot even cover my tuition that is essential if I wish to attend any college. My mother is a single-parent that had to take care of two kids while barely graduated high school. She was a student herself and had to work all day to cover her own tuition fee and our living expenses. I never saw her taking a break in four years from work other than during national holidays. She never bought anything for herself but still we struggle financially. She cannot possibly cover my college expenses.

I am underage, obviously, and cannot even get a student loan. Most scholarships either have an age or citizenship requirement. I can't even legally work because I don't have a social security number. I'm running out of ideas and have yet to find a solution.

I dread what the future may bring. Am I going to be forced to drop my education so young with my level of intelligence just because of where I was born? I lived here nearly as far as I remember. US is my home. I never knew another. Yet, opportunities are all being close to me because of the fact I was not born here. My brother is about to graduate within two years. If the DREAM Act is not passed by then, he is about to face the same dilemma I am facing. I really don't know what to do right now.
(Photo courtesy DreamAct2009)