I was born in Mexico and as we all know people always try to find a better life for themselves and their family. And that is exactly what my parents decided to do when I was 4 years old. We were caught 3 times before we finally made it through the border in Tijuana. As a 4 year old I didn’t really know what we were doing or why we were being hunted down like animals. But we made it! We first lived in east Los Angeles. It might not be the safest place in the world but I had everything I needed and that was my family. We couldn’t always find the safest neighborhoods to live in, but that was our life because we had to go were my dad could find work. He worked in very hard labor. He sometimes worked 12 hours a day. But everything he did was for the good of the family. I saw all the sacrifices that my parents made so they could help my sister and I have everything that we needed.
As I got older I started to realize more and more why some people thought my family didn’t belong here. I was still young so I didn’t get the full extent of it because I saw my dad work himself to the point were he was so tired that he couldn’t really spend time with his children. Although my parents were either working or resting they never told us that we couldn’t do anything. They always said that as long as we stayed out of trouble and we kept thriving in our education we could be anything that we wanted. So as the oldest I stayed out of trouble, for the most part—I did have a spell as a teenager, when my parents were splitting up, that was difficult. When my parents did split I felt that I needed to take care of my little sister. I didn’t care too much about myself at that point. Making sure my mom and sister were safe was all I cared about.
As a child and in high school, I had dreams of becoming someone great. But as I grew up and understood more the way the law treated “my kind,” I started to realize that as I got older, I was losing my the freedoms that are suppose to be given to every person in this so called “land of the free.” I kept pursuing my education after high school because I felt that by becoming a teacher I would have a different point of view to offer. Also I could relate to many of the students here in Arizona. They have stories similar to mine. But I came to find out that trying to help my family stay afloat and paying for school wasn’t going to work. And the laws made it so I could not receive aid to continue my studies. Even though I was only about a year and half from finishing, I made the choice to put my education on hold, to take care of my family.
Today, I still have the drive and enthusiasm to become a teacher. But the laws are making it even harder for me to achieve my dreams. In October 2009, I was at work when I got the devastating phone call from my sister. She was telling me that there were 4 ICE agents at my house and they were there to pick up my 52 year old mother. So as any loving son, I wanted to get to my scared mother and sister. But I called my wife to ask her what to do because being illegal I didn’t want to arrive and find out that I was wanted too. So my wife arrived at the house first to speak to the officers. They told my wife that my mother’s name had come across their desk that’s why they were there. My mother, one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met, would never hurt anyone, yet she was going to be taken from us. So I finally arrived at my house only to find my wife and frightened sister standing there crying their eyes out. My mom was sitting in the car handcuffed for the protection of the officers. I spoke to one of the officers to see what they were doing with my mom, he said that they were going to take her into booking but I had time to appeal or get a lawyer to see what they could do. He also told me that they weren’t there for me, but they knew a lot of things about me and my life. So for the first time in 24 years I was separated from my mom. That was the worst day of my life and my sister’s life.
That night was very hard to sleep. The next day I made all the phone calls that I needed to make to try to keep my mom with me. But when I called the ICE office they told me that they had already dropped her off at the border in a place that she didn’t know. She had not even been to Mexico for 21 years. At this point I felt so helpless. I felt that I let my family down because I couldn’t keep us together.
My mom is not getting any younger and with the separation from the family her health is only getting worse. I am not sure if and when I will be able to see my mom again.
With SB1070 being signed into law, if I told you I was not scared, I would be lying. I won’t show it because I know I need to be strong for my sister and my wife. Everyday I wonder if I am going to return home to my sister and my wife. Simple errands such as going to the mall or going grocery shopping that I would do I now have to second guess and think about it for fear I might not return home. And as much as I would love to see my mom soon, whom I miss so much, I cannot. My wife and I have started the process for me to become a citizen that’s how I would really like to visit my mom, when I am able to do it freely, as a citizen.
So with your help and the help of everyone that is willing to stand for human rights no matter their color, race or situation I will be able to live my life in the way that my parents have always dreamed of.
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