"Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.
Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult and take time. But tonight, let's agree to make that effort. And let's stop expelling talented, responsible young people who can staff our research labs, start new businesses, and further enrich this nation."
- President Barack Obama during his State of the Union address on 1/25/2010
I've been wanting to write my thoughts on the recent immigration issues for a while now. However, I feel that whenever I put those thoughts together in my mind and then I think of how I will start writing, I get all emotional and teary-eyed.
Up until about 2 years ago, I would've consider myself an activist. I would write to my senators, attend rallies/marches, informative meetings, create events or groups through facebook, voice my opinion orally and through writing...and while in college most of my research papers were about immigration issues, immigrants' rights, farm workers' rights, etc. I seriously would go out of my way to find out what I could do to educate myself on this issue and be some sort of help to the community and a voice to the voiceless. This was my passion, this was what I wanted to do with my life. During my senior year of college, I decided I wanted to go to law school. I figured that if I wanted to make a difference, I needed to learn the law in order to apply it and be able to help those who need it.
After serving as a missionary in New York and meeting hundreds of immigrants (both documented and undocumented), and finally, after a long 12-year wait, I became a US Permanent Resident, I felt that confirmation once again. So when I returned from NY, I went back to Utah and continued going to the LSAT prep course I had signed up for 2 years prior. I took the LSAT and began the law school application process. Somewhere along that process, I began to feel like this wasn't for me anymore. I really don't know what it was, but it just didn't feel "right" at least for the time being (and no it wasn't that I had just met Alex and wanted to quit school). Maybe it was the way things were going concerning immigration in general...and how it became more of a gray area...and how it didn't seem to be going anywhere...it just seemed like it was going to get more and more difficult. Perhaps, I simply lost hope.
With things such as Arizona's SB 1070 and the DREAM Act not passing through Senate, I've gotten to a point where I've lost most of the hope there was in me. It literally breaks my heart. It is indeed, physical pain. I am not even a victim here. You would think it does not personally affect me in any shape or matter but it HURTS. Maybe this is why I would've been a terrible immigration lawyer. I am too passionate/emotional and I could easily break down on issues like this. This would not have been good for my clients. So I started focusing on other things, such as developing my career as a social worker (which I did for about a year), planning my marriage with Alex, starting a family, and educating myself on becoming a better parent for my son. Yes, my son and my husband are my priority, so I will most likely be reading articles about my child's development and nutrition than politics, etc. I try to balance it all out and give myself time to read the news and updates on the immigration issue but I do have to prioritize and that's not always on the top of my list.
However, when I heard the DREAM Act was being taken up to the House, and then it passed...and then how it was going to the Senate, I took the time to read what I could get my hands on, stay updated on the issue, and I even called my senators. I think I even prayed for it to pass. I thought of the many faces of the friends I know that not only have excelled academically but have also given so much of their talents and skills to this country...which may not be the country that saw their birth, but it was the country that raised them. I gained perhaps, some hope. But again, I lost it all when I heard it didn't pass. It was interesting, because that same day I attended my sister-in-law's graduation from the University of Maryland, and I couldn't help but think if there were any students sitting there who felt so happy to achieve such huge goal but also heartbroken after the hearing the DREAM didn't pass.
It's not easy to admit I feel guilty for losing hope. I feel guilty for once being so passionate about this and wanting to dedicate my life to make a difference in the law, for thinking that I, Ingrid Yance, could have ever done something that would reform the nation's immigration policy... and then quiting because I don't believe anymore. I feel very guilty and sometimes disappointed in myself. But I also know myself and how I let my emotions get in the way and I don't think I would've been successful in the political world that way.
Well since last night, after hearing President Obama's State of Union, what I quoted above is what has stuck with me. I thought about it when I went to bed and I woke up with it in my mind again. Then this morning I check facebook and I come across an event titled, "TEAM GARCIA". It was about my friends, Margarita and Andrea Garcia, who became my friends in Clifford Middle School when I first arrived in the US back in 1996. Then I found this video on the event's wall.
I don't need to tell you their story, but these girls have been an inspiration for me. I remember when we were 13 ior 14 and talking about our goals and what we wanted to be when we grow up. Of couse we would also talk about our crushes, Nsync, the Backstreet boys, homecoming dance, the football games, etc. But I am so grateful for having them as friends because if they did anything, it was to teach me to take advantage of the opportunity this country had to offer. They, along with other great high school friends, taught me to get involved in student goverment, extracurricular activities, sports, community service, AP classes and everything I needed to prepare myself to go to college, to make something of myself. I will always be grateful for them and to this day, I pray and hope that my own children will find encounter that kind of friends during their critical teenage years.
My husband gave me an interesting analogy in regards to the DREAM Act and why it was such a mistake that it didn't get passed. I'll try my best to rephrase what he said. Ok, so let's say a girl gets raped and pregnant and later gives birth to a child. Would you punish this child because his father was a rapist? Or what about a baby whose mother took drugs while she was pregant and the baby ended up being a crack baby. Would you punish the baby? I mean, if illegal immigration is going to be considered a crime, just like rape and drug abuse, are you going to start punishing a rape-child or a crack-baby because their parents did something illegal? so you're going to deport children of illegal immigrant or deprive them of opportunities because their parents entered the country illegally? I came to the US when I was 12, and I don't think at 12, I thought, "Hey mom, we should move to the US, let's start planning it now". Andrea and Margarita were about 5, and I honestly don't think they did either. Like President Obama said last night, "It makes no sense."
There's so much I want to say, so much I feel and I just don't know how to word it. A part of me wants to stop writing because I already cried this morning after watching Andrea's video and I feel all teary-eyed again. But all I can say now is that finally, last night, after a very long time, Barack Obama instilled a little tiny bit of hope in me again. Let's just hope those words will be fulfilled sometime soon.
PS: For those of you that don't know, I've been considering earning teaching credentials so I could become a teacher. I figured that if I want to make a difference and help and inspire my community, that might be the best way. Now, it might not be anytime soon, but I am planning on it regardless. Maybe someday I will be able to educate the future leaders of this country and maybe they will be the ones who make a difference and give us some hope. Once again, Obama also reconfirmed it for me when he said:
"If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child -- become a teacher. Your country needs you."
"...responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It's family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it's not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair. We need to teach them that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline."
Thanks Mr. President, I know I haven't been your #1 fan, but you did something last night!
