[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17970-17971]
[From the U.S. 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: 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 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 immigrants 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

[[Page 17971]]

     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.
       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.

                          ____________________