[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1744-E1745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SHARING STORIES IN SUPPORT OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

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HON. JOE GARCIA

of florida

in the house of representatives

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following are stories of individuals
affected by our Nation's broken immigration system:
Story 1: I came to the U.S. from Nicaragua when I was six
years old along with my younger brother. When we first got to
the U.S. it was really exciting for us--first of all boarding
the plane and just trying to, you know, fulfill our
curiosity, and putting our fingers wherever we can, touching
everything that was shiny. And we were even more amazed when
we got out of the airplane and saw the moving escalators that
we'd never seen before. And we actually thought that we were
at Disney World at that point (laughter)! It turned out that
we weren't in Disney World when we got off the plane, but we
did go to Disney World the same week we got here.
So everything was real bright and hopeful when we first got
to the U.S. We came on a visa which expired after six months.
Mom was with her boyfriend whom she had a daughter with, and
so we all lived together for quite a while until her
boyfriend started drinking and abusing alcohol. My Mom's
boyfriend would abuse her and hit her and pretty much
victimize her constantly. There came a point when me and my
brother were coming home from school, which was right next
door to our house, a trailer, and we saw that as we were
walking toward the garage, it just looked like a robbery.
My Mom's boyfriend came out in boxers, and he looked out of
it. His eyes were red and he was just saying all these crazy
things--``Oh, your Mom this,'' and ``your Mom that,'' but my
Mom wasn't there at the time. My Mom pulled up in her car.
She went to our rooms and got as much clothes as she could,
and then she put us in her car and put our seatbelts on. As
she was putting the keys in the ignition to drive off and
flee, he got in front of her car and called the police. When
my Mom heard the police sirens, her instinct was to protect
us and to keep us together. She was trying to hide so the
police wouldn't catch us, and so we were running behind other
trailers but eventually we had to stop. And that was when
police officers came around and put her in handcuffs, and we
were watching this.
And my Mom, like, she just collapsed, pretty much, when all
of this was happening, and we saw tears in her eyes.
And so I figured, you know, I know who the victim is here.
I expected the police officer to do the right thing and
protect my Mom, things like that. But because my Mom was
fearful, and because she had no status, she didn't speak up
and all. She was she was crying and bawling inside the car.
So she was unfairly detained that day. But moving fast
forward, after she got out of jail for that, like the next
day, my Mom became a strong and independent woman. She
started working harder, and we had our own apartment without
her boyfriend. It was just so peaceful when we were together.
We'd watch movies together--she loved comedies, so we were
always watching comedy movies. We would take turns cooking,
sometimes. Everything was really good, to us, after that
incident.
But that incident followed her until a day that we were
around 10th grade. She was pulled over for driving without a
license, and because of those charges they arrested her too.
We were at home, right, expecting her to come at 11:00 p.m.,
which was when her shift ended at the gas station that she
worked at. We were watching the clock, and we were like ``oh,
it's 11, she should be home anytime now,'' and then it became
11:30 and our eyes were still wide open, until 11:45 and
11:50 when we just fell asleep. We woke up late the next day;
it was a school day and she, she wasn't there. That was the
craziest experience that we ever had. It was like our mother
was abducted by aliens to us and we were just like, ``Where
is she?'' Our aunt gave us a call: ``Hey your Mom was
arrested for driving without a license.'' That's when my
brother and I immediately were trying to figure out what to
do. I was fifteen years old, and trying to figure out if we
should pay the next month's rent or sell her car to pay an
attorney.
During that period, all the charges were dropped against my
Mom, but they found out about her status and they transferred
her to ICE and then they deported her.
What bothers me the most, and what angered me the most
during this whole ordeal, was that I was never given the
opportunity to say bye to her, to look at her, to hug her, or
to make her a promise that I'll see her again. We didn't have
any form of ID that allowed us to go inside the detention
center. And that's really what has angered me the most and
why I'm at this site, to make that sure no one has to go
through this again.
After my Mom was deported, some of my aunts were
financially struggling themselves, but they offered to take
us in. Unfortunately, due to economic hardships, they
couldn't sustain us. And that's how I ended up in the foster
system with some strangers--with a family I didn't know. To
me it was just truly nerve-wracking. The first night I
couldn't sleep because I didn't know what was going to happen
to me, or who these people were that were in the room with
me. And the reason I felt like I didn't belong there was
because I was never abused or neglected by my Mom. My Mom was
an outstanding woman. Most kids go through the foster system
for that reason--they were either abused, neglected, or
abandoned. That was not the case for me. So I ended up there
and now I've aged out of the foster care. I'm 18, I live
alone, and it's difficult to come home and not have my family
to tell them, ``Hey, this is how my day went,'' or ``Hey, I
had a bad day, let's talk about it.'' It's really tough.
Story 2: My dream is to be a citizen of this country
because I came here when I was three months old. I am now
twenty-one, almost twenty-two, so that is almost my whole
life. CIR would change my live and my family's because I have
seen my parents suffer and work so hard every day of their
life in the sun and see the struggle that they're in and
provide a better future for them to see the happiness in
their eyes because they haven't seen their families in 15
years and it hurts me because I know that I haven't seen my
mom or my dad it would be so hard. I want to see them happy
one day and reunited with their families and for them to come
back without the worry of being sent home. I have much hope
that this will come very soon.
Story 3: I am originally from Cuba. I came in the sixties
and for over 10 years I have been involved with immigration
issues. For Cubans, you know, it has always been easy to get
the papers in order, but I think the system is very unfair
for the other immigrants. Other immigrants come here for
various reasons, mostly because of the poverty in their homes
and the political situations from their home land. And they
are always being created by the government of the United
States and the corporations of the United States with the
help of the government. Especially comparing the Cubans with
the Haitian people and the wet foot, dry foot--to us, we call
it, white foot, black foot. The Haitian people need--just as
much as the Cubans--to be accepted by this country and be
allowed to come. The policy of the United States is wrong,
you know, saying that the situation with the Cubans is
political as they are suppressed by a communist government
but Haiti supposedly is being run by democratic governments
which is not true, they have a lot of dictators there. And a
lot of pressure and interference from the United States. So
it is political too, besides the poverty that's been created
there, so they should be treated just like Cubans. Other
immigrants--they should be treated the same. Stop the
restriction they got making it hard for families to reunite.
Senator Marco Rubio said he approves of immigration reform if
they come here legally and wait in the line, but people have
been waiting 15-20 years in the line. That's not fair.
Besides we give this wrong sense of reality of what's going
on in this country because we export movies and TV shows
where everybody lives in fabulous mansions, got great jobs,
fancy cars, and when they come here they find that the land
of the dream is nothing but the land of the nightmare.
Story 4: I've been in this country for 14 years. My kids
were born here, we're a part of this country. I pay taxes,
we're part of the country's economy. We haven't committed any
crimes. We drive a car without insurance. I think that that's
bad for the country's economy. There are 12 million [people]
driving without insurance. I think that being able to have a
license is a good option and that residency should come with
a path to citizenship. Us immigrant believe that we are
helping the country. I don't see any reason for not wanting
to make a path to citizenship. We have a clean record, we've
bought property. I think we'd all be better off financially
by contributing to this country, it's healthy for the
country. We hope that Senator Marco Rubio understands a
little of the problem.
Story 5: My dream is for immigration reform because
immigration reform will allow me to attend any college I
choose and to have a bigger dream than my parents had.
Story 6: Immigration reform will change my life because it
will give me reassurance that my friend will not be deported.
Story 7: I'm an aspiring student. A pathway to citizenship
will allow everyone to pursue their dreams.
Story 8: For the past two years I have been trying to renew
my driver's license, but I have not been successful. I am
required to present additional immigration documents that I
am not eligible to have.

[[Page E1745]]

A few days ago I was given a ticket for driving without
proper ID. Today I am limiting my driving as much as I
possibly can. What you need to understand is that we have
been living in Miami for the past 17 years and have been
running our family business in Miami for the past eight
years.
If I don't have the freedom to drive around, I am afraid
that our family business will suffer to the point that we as
a family will not be able to sustain ourselves.
Story 9: I came to the United States 17 years ago. I
applied for political asylum and was denied. Without
realizing it, I had a deportation order and I was very
scared. I have a young child and am wishing for comprehensive
immigration reform for the single moms, for the moms that
have young children, because it makes me scared to leave my
child. I'm hoping for immigration reform for all the women
out there that work as housekeepers, maids, etc., and also
for folks with deportation orders that have small children
and can't leave them. This is the best place for them, and
they can't go back. I'm hoping it will help all of us too.
Thank you very much.
Story 10: I've been an American citizen for more than 20
years. I became one in Chicago. There are so many things that
we are hearing every day dealing with immigrants and the
manner in which immigrants are abused because they're farmers
and unfortunately undocumented. We hear about the suffering
of these poor people who are my race too. It's an explosion
from both political parties--Democrats and Republicans.
Immigrants have been abused constantly since when I was
young. Now I'm 74 years old. The suffering these people have
gone and are going through is inhumane. What they're doing to
my people is criminal. That's why I'm fully in favor of them
becoming citizens as soon as possible. Thank you very much.
Story 11: I live in Lakeland, Florida. I'm Mexican, and I
have lived in here for over 23 years. My four children are
citizens, and I have my house paid for 14 years. My problem
is immigration. I worked many years as a farm worker, but one
day I looked for work in construction. After starting
construction work, the boss told us that we have to give
fingerprints. But what happened? A week later they called me
to come back because something had come up. I went back and
they told me ``Just wait here. Something went wrong.'' Then
came two police officers to interview me. They said, ``I want
to see the tattoos you have.'' I told them, ``I have no
tattoos, sir.'' They were confusing me with someone else and
there began my problem. I was in jail for six days.
Immigration takes its inmates to Tampa around 6:00 a.m.
There, I set a bail of $1,500, and I was let go. But my
problem is still pending. And again, I am looking for a
better job. Now I have a deportation order for May 7, and if
nobody helps me I'll be deported. So I ask the Senator Marco
Rubio and Congressman Dennis Ross please say yes to
immigration reform, no more for me but for thousands of
undocumented families who are here. I do not want to see them
go through the same problem I'm having. Thank you very much.
Update: He received a stay of removal from Immigration and
Customs Enforcement. He applied for a work permit and
driver's license after receiving the notification. The fear
of being separated from his family has been lifted, at least
temporarily.
Story 12: I agree to the legalizing 11 million illegal
immigrants. They have the right to remain in this country
because many have brought their families, their children have
grown up here, and they already have American ways. Take my
case, for example--I came to this country for education and
for a better life for my family. I went without seeing my
daughter for years, but once I became a resident I was able
to request her. It is for this reason that I agree that
illegal immigrants and their families should receive their
documents and live more peacefully. Living anxiously and not
having status is horrible. I support all people of good will
to resolve their immigration status.
Story 13: I'm Mexican. I came to the U.S. eight years ago
following my husband. He has lived here for 25 years. We have
three children, two living in Mexico and one living with us
here in the U.S. Although not born here, he does not know any
country other than this one. Since I arrived here, I have
served as a volunteer at my son's school. I know all the work
that teachers do in Mexico because I worked as a teacher for
20 years. I have 20 years of experience, but here for lack of
papers, I had to work as a maid. I want immigration reform to
pass.
Story 14: I say yes to citizenship and residence. My mom is
a person of 72 years. She must have psychiatric treatment
because of her depression, which is caused by the fact that
one of my brothers, who is 45, cannot be a resident, even
though he has lived here for more than 10 years. The reform
[Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] is only for young
people. Then I have another brother who is a citizen and has
been diagnosed with colon cancer. For these reasons we need
my brother to stay with us. He is the only one that does not
have papers. I think there should be a reform as soon as
possible.
Story 15: I say yes to citizenship. I came here in 2001
with my tourist visa and my daughter. She came on the same
visa with me. She grew up here during the past 12 years, but
she is now back in Ecuador. My driver's license expired in
2006, so now I am frustrated because I cannot drive. I am a
very good-hearted person and have a lot of creativity. I have
been working with Amway, and I pay my taxes. I would like to
go out and drive and have clients. I have been very obedient.
I have not driven. Instead, I have my bike and I go by buses.
My daughter was so frustrated that she went back to Ecuador
two years ago. She loves this country as I love this country.
We help people so I am prepared to help people in very good
ways.

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