We all have a story, and no matter how many times we hear this, it’s always important to learn about what other people have experienced and how we can draw from these stories in order to move forward as a society and make sure that we gain new perspective. With my first interview of the Sus Historias blog posts, I want to highlight different stories that immigrants have and allow for others to learn from them by bringing their experiences to the forefront.
This week, I was able to meet with a family friend who was able to share her experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant in the United States. During my time with her, we shared many laughs and similar thoughts surrounding the immigrant experience and hope that in reading her story, you can relate to or take a part of her story and feel as if you are not alone. During the 28 years that she has been here, she shares with me her feelings being an immigrant, her story in obtaining her residency and soon after, her citizenship, her opinion on the process and a message for anyone reading her story. I sat with her in her mom’s kitchen in which her mom also shared with me some background information on obtaining her and her families U.S. residency. Below are some of the questions I asked her and how our conversation went:
Where were you born?
Guatemala City, Guatemala in 1991
What was that like? How did you feel?
I remember living in a house in Providence — in Laurel Hill — which was a three family house. We were a big family living each two families in a single unit. I have memories of being with my cousins. My furthest memory as an immigrant and child is being in daycare when I was three years old and the kids speaking English and not knowing what they were saying. I think that was my first strange experience. Spanish was the only language that I knew because I was always with my mom, or one of my parents. Before we came to the US, my dad came before us. I was five months old when my dad came here, and when I came here, I was two and a half years old. Our family was very close. We were raised like siblings and I was always used to being around someone.
What do you think, from what you remember, was your first struggle as an immigrant in the US?
I didn’t realize I had a struggle until I was in High School. I don’t remember really learning English, I just picked it up. Elementary School and Middle School were pretty normal for me, but in High School, other kids talked about getting their license, but I didn’t have a social [security]. I couldn’t partake in college applications
Currently, in the United States, immigrants can obtain a drivers license, depending on their status and depending on the state. Undocumented immigrants can get their driver’s license in 16 out of the 50 states (including Washington D.C.) but they must be able to provide a foreign drivers license and tax identification number.
My friend’s didn’t know about it. I think that the only person who knew about my legal status at the time was my best friend since 9th grade. Most white kid’s didn't understand. You grow up with a stigma that if someone finds out, you’re going to get in trouble. I think the teacher at my school that knew only found out because he was pressuring me to attend college nights, to a point where I said I couldn’t. He suggested some resources to me, but by that time, it was too late in the process to apply. It kind of felt weird not having a plan for after high school. I felt like “why am I even here? [in the US], why try?”. Junior year, things just kind of fell apart.
A few years later, she was able to apply and get into to the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), a community college based in Rhode Island with several campuses across the state. Since undocumented immigrants do not have a social security number, undocumented immigrants cannot obtain financial aid or any other type of federal assistance. If they wish to go to college, all costs must be made out of pocket, through donations or scholarships.
When you decided to apply to college, what was that process like?
Back then, CCRI was cheaper. It was only about $1,000 a year and I only took two classes. I realize that I didn’t need a social cause I didn’t need to sign up for financial aid since I was paying out of pocket. If it wasn’t for CCRI, I wouldn’t have been able to afford other schools, this was about 10 years back when school was much more affordable than it is now.
Did you know of anyone else in your college that was going through your same experience?
There was this one girl that was 18 years old at the time and I met her through someone else. Her family was from Costa Rica and her family let me work at one of the booths that they had at the flee market. Her whole family was undocumented and she applied for CCRI after learning about how I got into CCRI. Through this, we supported each other at a distance.
How did you get into the process of obtaining your U.S. residency?
I think probably through a paralegal or lawyer. My mom had tried finding resources to get us approved faster or to learn more about our case and in one instance, spoke with a lady on the radio that advocates for communities such as ours. Her suggestion was to send me over back to Guatemala, stating that “Guatemala has some of the best schools”, but I didn’t even know where I was going and in Guatemala I practically had no family. So that was a no for me. During that time, I hadn’t finished high school yet, and I was going through something very personal in which I was desperate and trying to get out of it. I was calling lawyers offices and explaining my case to them and just so happen to call a law office through which my dad had filed his case to obtain his US residency. They told me over the phone that my dad’s application had went through three months back and they gave me a short window of opportunity to file my documentation to obtain my residency as soon as possible
*during this time, her mom interjected with some background information regarding this process*
Mom: During this time, [President] Obama had rushed the paperwork for immigration cases to be approved. Normally, the brother petition takes about 11 years but it happened for us in 9.
In the United States, this petition allows for a documented sibling to petition on an undocumented immigrants behalf to live in the United States as a Green Card holder. See all requirements here.
My friend continues: My dad had been petitioned in 2001 by my uncle and we were the last ones to be approved for it out of my father's siblings.
After having learned that my dad was approved, we started working on getting our documentation together to show immigration in 2010. We had to do physicals, vaccines, background checks etc. — they’re looking at this stuff because they think that you just came over last year, or something.
The costs were crazy. We were able to work with a lady who had previously worked as a lawyer, that charged us about $600 just to submit paperwork. However, most lawyers at the time were charging about $2,000 to do the same work. Overall, the cost of obtaining all of our documentation and doing what we needed to do was about $11,000.
Then, I finally was set up for my interview with the immigration office in Johnston. That was the worst day of my life. A lady called us in as a family and went over our application. It felt like an interrogation. She singled me out and asked me “how did you get here?” And she was in shock at the method in which I got here (for privacy reasons, she chose to keep this part private). I started crying because she sounded so inconsiderate and it was scary because ultimately, the decision was in her hands if she was going to approve us for our residency or not. Luckily, she did.
What was it like obtaining your citizenship?
We had to wait five years after obtaining our residency. It was funny because when I had my interview to obtain my citizenship, I had the same lady that made me cry but her attitude was totally different. I expected the worst, but she granted that too.
What are some of your criticisms of the process?
The whole process is terrible. You realize it more after elections when people are making comments like “well, why don’t you just apply for citizenship?” As if it’s a job interview and as if it’s cheap or as if it will get approved next week. We waited nearly a decade and nobody was in touch with us about any part of our process. What if I didn’t call the law office? What if we had lost our window of opportunity? For my parents, that’s a lot of money. Luckily, they had the resources and connections but not everyone does. Where does someone who doesn’t even get that kind of money from? The length of time, the process, and fees are ridiculous. It’s not doable.
After obtaining your citizenship, you went to Guatemala right away. What was that like?
It was very emotional. It was emotional knowing this is where I was born and I ventured in to see family. It’s amazing how God works. We got our green cards in February, my grandfather died in March and my dad was able to bury him back in Guatemala. I felt emotional because my grandfather had passed away. I also felt emotional going to where my dad grew up and seeing how poor the community is — it felt very humbling. It teaches you to appreciate the tiles on the floor and the fact we have floors, because over there a lot of the streets and floors are dirt. I feel grateful because it taught me how good we really do have it.
Did you feel like a stranger in Guatemala?
Yes, because I stuck out. The way I dress, the way I walk, my Spanish and my accent is not the same as theirs. It was a big culture shock.
What has your experience as an immigrant taught you?
It gives you new perspective. You become more open minded. It’s easy for you to tell someone XYZ, “why don’t you just apply?” Why can Europeans apply for visas and get approved? When it comes to Central and South America, there is no criteria because you can get anyone as an immigration interviewer and they have it in their hands. It’s hard when there’s negative rhetoric towards immigrants coming from these regions, specifically.
I will never forget where I come from.
What would you say to people who are opposed to immigrants?
I wouldn’t even know what to say. For example, none of the parents in my classroom as a kid knew that their kids were studying next to an undocumented immigrant. It doesn’t mean I worked or studied less than your kid. We’re all going through the same learning system. The, “they’re stealing our jobs comments” — I don’t see anyone getting in line to be garbage pickers — we’re working the ones you don’t want to. Ultimately, we’re all human and I’m not anything less than that. We all have struggles. People are so blessed without even knowing — like something as little as obtaining your drivers license because you can, whereas I prayed for it.
Her experiences are similar yet special to her and her family and should be treated as such. There are many immigrants in the United States faced with stigma and other issues such as financial issues when obtaining their residency and citizenship. However, each story can teach us to empathize and learn from their perspectives in understanding how complex the issues surrounding immigration truly are.
Currently, she is now a nurse at a hospital in Providence, Rhode Island and is married. She has two siblings born in the United States, and is a proud Guatemalan who visits her family in Guatemala often.
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