A Mexican family, 2 parents and 2 children, fled their country illegally to escape poverty and danger from their government.
The family successfully managed to reside in the U.S. for 15yrs, the father working odd construction jobs to make ends meet. The oldest child, graduated high school and is preparing for college. A letter from the schools financial aid office informs him that his social security number is not valid. Though aware that he and his family are from Mexico he is oblivious to the fact that he is an illegal immigrant. His parents kept the border jumping a secret. When he tells his parents about the financial aid letter, they tell him the truth. And explain to him how he might be jeopardizing the family.
What would you do?
2007-09-22 07:49:34 · 13 answers · asked by cheesewhizgal 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
I would consult legal help and try to do everything legal.
Thats a shame. It's too bad the children have to suffer b/c their parents are too ignorant to understand a "better life" is limited if you cannot go to school.
2007-09-22 08:13:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
That is a very similar situation to one someone I met through a friend is in! He came here (Britain) with his wife and three children, applied for legal status and it was all being processed so he started working (construction) his three children started school, he was paying taxes, the whole family were getting on with their lives.
Then one day, while the son was at football practice, immigration came and took the family in the house away. (Father, two daughters and wife). They detained them for 24 hours and then deported them without their son. The son is still in the country but never knew what happened to his family, and his dad had to travel back illegally to try to get in touch with his son again. The local paper covered his story (I helped with the interview because of language barriers) and he is now back in touch with his son after 6 years, but the family are still all separated.
I think the only thing to do in this case and the case you mentioned, is for the sons to try to get legal status in the country. The whole family could try applying, but the sons may be more successful as individual applicants for citizenship. I think the whole family should seek some legal advice to see what they can all do about it. But I would definitely say to follow the rules.
2007-09-22 08:03:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would take my children back to Mexico, and come in the right way. And then I would kick my own butt for putting my Innocent children in that kind of position. There are people all over the world in much worse poverty than people south of the border, and they are dealing with it. If the Mexican people would do something about their own government perhaps this issue would not even be one.
2007-09-22 08:15:09 · answer #3 · answered by Ohsassyone 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In order to live his life to its fullest, he has to come clean and face the repercussions. This does not necessarily mean he has to bust his parents, I guess. That might entail pleading the fifth, if that is possible.
Our dog groomer, a lovely woman who we all adore (the dogs and me!) recently got her citizenship but her husband did not. Now, since he has been caught, they must all leave the U.S. and reside in Mexico. He cannot come back legally for 8 years.
If this young man chooses to not attend college he may still someday have to face the music. Better to do it now while he is still young enough to have the time he may need to get it all straightened out.
Tough call, the parents "sin" visited on the child.
2007-09-22 08:00:50 · answer #4 · answered by txassgirl 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Children have been finding out they were adopted or a result of rape or had a parent they thought was dead end up being in prison....maybe a test tube baby that had the genetics messed with and they suffer the results of deformity or disease.....I always say telling the truth is better because innocent people end up paying for your lies.
I would try and do what I could to help my child....otherwise I would hope they would understand......I wouldn't expect someone to pay the price or feel my child had the right to make innocent people pay for my decisions.
Would you rather your parents didn't take the risk?
I know it's strange but I carried around with me years of abuse and had the attitude everything was owed me because of what I went through. I felt entitled to be mean and rude and everything because no body understands everything I went through. I paid my dues.....it's collection time.
Funny thing is....I collected nothing. My anger and hatred got me more anger and hatred in return. No one can fix or erase what was already done. There isn't enough suffering I could inflict on another person to "make-up" for what happened. Revenge has no end.
I had to learn that the mistakes and bad things made me a better person because even as bad as it was....I would rather know that, than to not know that. Your parents and my parents did what they did because they thought it was the best decision they could make at the time. Thing is....balls in your court now. Make it something or don't.
It's YOUR life now.....you make the best decisions you can. You have to let go of the parental guilt or blaming and just realize this is the hand you were delt and make the best of it. Takes guts. Takes the same guts a parent has to take when they leave their kid sitting in jail instead of saving them. Same guts it takes for an abused person to report their huband or wife. Same guts it takes for a person to make a decision to be an adult with their own life or a "child" forever being run by their parents.
What I did was quit blaming and seeking revenge and hating and realize it's up to me now. No excuses.....just do the best you can.
2007-09-22 08:28:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
I'd be furious at my parents. I would have no choice. I'd have to pay for my parents' selfishness and return to Mexico if I ever wanted to have a decent life and an honorable life. I'd make lemonaide with those lemons...get an education in Mexico and, if I really wanted to live in the US, start the paperwork to hopefully come there legally and honorably one day.
2007-09-22 09:01:32 · answer #6 · answered by Lori K 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The system is not at fault, his parents are; they knew the risks and complications coming to this country illegally. And now their child is paying for that.
I didn't realize that the Mexican government put their citizens in so much danger that they had to flee the country? Quote "to escape poverty and danger from their government."
2007-09-22 08:25:16 · answer #7 · answered by Wiffyman 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well, as unlikely as that situation is for me, I'll go with the flow.
I would sell every single thing I owned and put it together with the money I saved over the years and return to Mexico. From there I would get a job or start a business and send the boy to a Mexican school.
2007-09-22 08:06:24 · answer #8 · answered by Drixnot 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Imagine this you are one of nine children, that grew up in a military family. You move from place to place and have long periods where your father is risking his life and limb so that we, you and I can enjoy our rights and freedoms. Because of the low military pay and the large numbers of family members you can not afford to go to college because all the financial aid goes to those who are granted amnesty due to the dream act, and because they or their parents worked off the books they get the limited pool of funds. In both cases each family made their own decisions, but which family should have the right to educate their children with tax payers funds. The one that the father did his duty for his country or the family that broke our laws
2007-09-22 07:59:02 · answer #9 · answered by jean 7 · 7⤊ 3⤋
Be grateful that a country that owed me no duty at all paid $10,000 per year for my entire life to educate me through high school at the expense of cutting programs in education for their own children?
What makes me think that is NOT where you are going with this question?
2007-09-22 08:11:39 · answer #10 · answered by DAR 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋