[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 167 (Thursday, November 21, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1734-E1735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SHARING STORIES IN SUPPORT OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

                                 ______
                                 

                            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: Legalization is necessary. There are many things 
     that people don't know that the authorities do. In my case, 
     I've lived through three or four accidents that I saw, and I 
     am the only one who saw and I didn't testify because I'm 
     scared. I think that because of that they closed a lot of 
     cases. I'd like something to be done. Also, at work, there 
     are three or four companies that haven't paid me and 
     discriminate in a lot of things that happen. We, who work 
     with meat, know a lot of things that aren't easy to say to 
     anyone for fear of what that information would do and because 
     of that, reform is necessary.
       I'm Mexican and I've been here for 21 years. Ultimately, 
     the truth that I've seen a lot of things that shouldn't exist 
     for human beings to practice these types of things. Because 
     realistically, all of us deserve to live as best as possible 
     and I think that there is a way that we can live and do 
     whatever type of work, without being treated the way they 
     treat us. We want to be welcome wherever we want to go.
       Story 2: I arrived in the United States approximately 25 
     years ago. Thank God I am now an American citizen, but I have 
     many friends who suffer because they do not have their 
     documents. One of the hardships is that they are not allowed 
     to work or go to many places. For example, there are jobs 
     that they are able to do, but they're not allowed into those 
     places. So they can make $20 or $25 per hour, but they're 
     making $15 or less because they can't go to the place, even 
     though they can do the job. So I say yes to immigration 
     reform because it helps the government as well. The 
     government makes money for giving out papers. People are 
     going to buy cars, they're going to buy houses, they're going 
     to travel within the United States. So, the money that 
     they're going to pay to get their papers is more than they 
     contribute to the United States now. They will travel to 
     their home countries to visit their parents, their siblings--
     I think that will be something very good for the country as 
     well.
       Story 3: I arrived 22 years ago from San Marcos, Guatemala. 
     Thank God we had the opportunity to have papers, but we are 
     here to support our people. We want everyone to be equal and 
     to have the opportunity that we had. So it is great that 
     there is a possibility at reform for all. The only thing we 
     can do is support in any way we can--by meeting and being 
     with them. I think that people can work legally and do many 
     things.
       Story 4: I'm from Guatemala. I've been here with my wife 
     for nine years and we are nothing in this country. We came 
     here for the purpose of allowing our family to succeed. In 
     Guatemala, the circumstances over there don't allow for 
     success. For that reason, we came here to have a life a 
     little better than what we had there. All we are asking is 
     for the Senators and the people listening to this recording 
     to support us because the majority of Hispanics that are in 
     the United States are here to work and support this country. 
     For that, we want to be heard and we want to say yes. We want 
     to arrive to citizenship because we need it. You see on TV 
     and in the news that many families are suffering and many 
     families are crying. There have been many deportations, and 
     we don't want that that continue. We want all families to 
     feel happy and live happily here, but they're scared. We 
     don't want people to continue living in fear. For that we 
     make the invitation to collaborate, because everything we can 
     do, we will do. We don't want racism, for example. Here there 
     are various nationalities from various countries, and we are 
     unified for this cause. We will continue uniting, for 
     whatever work there is. I work in landscaping, cutting 
     branches on trees, on palms, cleaning gardens. Right now, we 
     don't have kids and my wife and I have been married for seven 
     years.
       Story 5: I am originally from Guatemala. I immigrated to 
     the United States in 1987 at age 18. I turned 18 while 
     crossing the desert. There I celebrated my birthday. From 
     there I went to work on a farm for three or four years. In 
     that time, the situation was much more difficult, but I had 
     the opportunity to work in different jobs. Around that time I 
     was a beneficiary of the NACARA law, which allowed me to 
     apply. I saw that the NACARA law benefitted me a lot because 
     I was able to have some economic stability for my family. I 
     have been married for 22 years, and I have a 19-year-old son. 
     The NACARA law has always helped me, so of course I feel like 
     there is a need for immigration reform because it would 
     benefit my community so much. The people who are here can 
     grow economically and help their families. They can create 
     businesses and jobs in our country. That is why people 
     emigrate here, because there are no jobs in their home 
     countries. I don't know, governments don't invest in creating 
     jobs and so people in immigration limbo don't want to invest 
     because they don't know what will happen. I feel that it's a 
     necessity, and I think we deserve it. We are working people. 
     The majority that come here come for work. We don't come for 
     public benefits. In my community, very few are the type to 
     try to get social assistance. The majority, like my case, 
     came and paid taxes, and they have been paying taxes since 
     coming to the United States.
       They deported me in 1987 after I was detained in Krome. I 
     was held in Krome for a month or a month and a half before 
     they sent me to my land. It's very frustrating, because I'm 
     from a town very far from the capital. At that time, it was 
     about eight hours

[[Page E1735]]

     by truck. I didn't know anything when I arrived. I was in a 
     city I had never been to before. It was very difficult, but I 
     didn't turn back because I had no alternative. There was no 
     work. I graduated with my Master's degree and came back here 
     because there were no job opportunities there and because the 
     political situation was very hard.
       Story 6: I've been in this country 17 years. I came alone, 
     made my family here, so for sure my wife is here by my side. 
     I have two daughters, one who is 13 years old, and I still 
     have no papers. But I've kept going because now I have no 
     choice but to keep fighting harder, for my daughters' benefit 
     more than anything. I'm working and, I don't know, I hope 
     that this immigration reform that they're fighting over will 
     be given to us because it will allow us to benefit the 
     country. For me and my kids, immigration reform will give 
     them greater security to have their parents here in this 
     country without having to hide from immigration and the 
     police. For work, I can't drive a truck to get to my job. I 
     have to go with someone that has a license to drive, and it's 
     very much the difference in salary, even though I know the 
     work and everything, it's a point less for me. That is the 
     first thing for me. I want to buy a car or something that can 
     benefit me and my family and help me to do my duty for this 
     country. Up until now I've tried to not put myself into 
     problems. I try not to go out too much or go to parties and 
     things like that. I'm over that, and I'd rather be with my 
     family and without any problems. But, I can't go wherever I 
     want. My wife has family here, they all have papers. I 
     haven't seen my family in 16 or 17 years. My boss fired me 
     and I'd like to go to Mexico, but I can't because I wouldn't 
     be able to come back. I have no other choice but to stay for 
     my kids.
       Story 7: I'm a little nervous because my story is sad, but 
     I'm now happy because I am without problems, without any 
     preoccupation. They confused me with a certain person, but I 
     never robbed anyone and I always maintained that it wasn't 
     me. They received the evidence from the other person, it was 
     very sad and painful, and because being in prison is not easy 
     at all and is very unpleasant. It's very sad for people as 
     well as their families. My family worried day and night, and 
     I was wondering that I that I wouldn't get out, but with the 
     will of God I got out with a $7,500 bail. I had about four 
     court dates. They sent me to Krome, and from there I told the 
     judge to give me voluntary leave to my country. When I left, 
     they told me that I had to report to Mexican immigration. I 
     went and entered and delivered a paper that they gave me, but 
     I always knew that I wanted to return. I was in my country 
     for a month, and then came back. Since then, thank God, I 
     have not gotten in trouble. I don't drive, and I don't do 
     anything because I am holding out because if God helps us 
     with this reform we will come out ahead. Firstly to God, we 
     ask a lot, to the congressmen, to the Senate and the 
     President, that they have a lot of consideration for so many 
     people who need equality. I came in April of 1990. I am 
     Mexican, and all my siblings are citizens. I'm the only one 
     who is not. I hope for the day when I can be equal to 
     everyone else.
       Story 8: I'm a mother of two children who were born here in 
     Florida. They deported my husband to Guatemala five years 
     ago. We are united and want to ask Congress and the White 
     House to support us, that yes we can, that now is the time 
     for them to give us immigration reform. We are encountering 
     many families going through difficult situations and we ask, 
     we beg, we ask wholeheartedly, that we are supported in this 
     country. All of us immigrants reinforce this country's 
     economy. We beg that they give us immigration reform. They 
     stopped my husband and asked for a license, which he didn't 
     have. That was the reason they deported him. It's a very 
     difficult case and my kids suffer a lot from the absence of 
     their father.
       Story 9: I support immigration reform because I've 
     encountered those problems. When I didn't have papers, I was 
     always living in hiding and I do not want others to go 
     through the same problem. I wish that everyone could have 
     their papers to live in peace and tranquility.
       Story 10: I am an American citizen and I want to remind the 
     Congressmen of the United States that my vote will go to the 
     people who have humanity when it's time to decide on 
     immigration reform. Make it a humane immigration reform, not 
     one based on the whims of Congressmen. My vote will always be 
     for the humane Congressmen. Immigration reform will help all 
     those that don't have papers or a path to citizenship. We 
     remember that there should be a path to citizenship with a 
     quick process, not like what Senator Marco Rubio and his 
     colleagues want. We will always vote against the people who 
     think like that.
       Story 11: I'm Nicaraguan. I am 35 years old and came to 
     this country 13 years ago. My dream is to bring my family to 
     the United States. I came with just that one goal because the 
     democratic system in my country doesn't work. I've lived 
     through many hardships and because of those I immigrated to 
     the United States. Now with 13 years here, we ask for 
     immigration reform and the opportunity for citizenship 
     because we want to be incorporated into society. We want to 
     be a part of it. We want the opportunity to vote, to apply to 
     whatever we need. Immigration reform will be good for the 
     country as well as for us if we can contribute. My dream is 
     to buy my house and continue in my studies because I don't 
     want to stay stagnant. I want to move my daughters forward. I 
     have two daughters; one was born in Nicaragua and the other 
     is an American citizen who was born in this country. I can't 
     imagine returning to my country, I don't have any plans to do 
     so. I hope that the legislators and President Obama support 
     reform, because now we are ready to be a part of this great 
     country.
       Story 12: I've been here for 12 years, going on 13, and I 
     brought my two daughters, when one was two and a half and the 
     other was a year old. They believe that this is their 
     country, and I do as well. I came here and we liked it. We 
     came from my country because life is very difficult there. 
     Now there's a lot of crime. I am Mexican and it is very hard 
     to live there now. My daughters don't want to return to 
     Mexico because of everything we've seen over there--a lot of 
     crime, a lot of killing. There's no work, no way to move 
     forward. My daughters say that this is their country, they 
     are Mexican but they are home. They speak English and Spanish 
     very well, but they say that all they know is this country. 
     So I say yes to citizenship for all the people that are like 
     me in this country. We don't have licenses to work or to even 
     look for a job. I had a job and some people did me harm. They 
     sent me a letter and fired me from the job, and now I am 
     unemployed. I need to work to help my daughters get ahead, 
     and so I say that now is the time that we help all people, 
     the 11 million undocumented people in this country. We came 
     for honest work. We came to do the jobs that many people 
     won't do. Please, it is the time for citizenship, something 
     so we can be okay here and so we don't have to go somewhere 
     and be afraid that they'll stop the bus where we are, that 
     they take us to immigration and deport us while my daughters 
     are in school. It's an ugly and sad thing, and I say yes that 
     now is the time for immigration reform. To the Senators and 
     all the people hearing this message, please help us for the 
     immigration reform that we are all hoping for and we hope 
     that this is the year that it happens.
       Story 13: I'm Nicaraguan and got TPS in 1998. I had a 
     problem. A policeman gave me a DUI because I had a neck 
     problem. I lost consciousness because of the medicine that I 
     took, which was not supposed to be taken while driving, but I 
     did it because I needed to pick up some money urgently. I say 
     yes to citizenship. Right now I am in a limbo because of my 
     immigration status. They removed my TPS. After they removed 
     my TPS, I was sent to immigration court with a lawyer who 
     told me to apply for political asylum. But they didn't 
     approve it and asked me for voluntary departure. Every day I 
     feel that, if they get me, I am going to be deported to my 
     country. Now I have 16 years working here contributing to the 
     productivity and economy of this country. I have worked 
     honestly. The problem I had was because I wasn't well 
     represented in court about the DUI. I paid lawyers but it was 
     useless for me because they were not able to defend me. I 
     have evidence that proves that the police gave false 
     evidence. I was an industrial electrical engineer in my 
     country, and I intend to work with dignity, honesty, with the 
     sweat of my brow to succeed, because if I go back to my 
     country, I have no chance of surviving there.
       Story 14: I arrived in the United States in 1985 to study. 
     I have three kids, and we and need immigration reform. 
     Please. In the name of God, we need this reform because it is 
     hard not having a license.

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