Silvia Herrera hoped to submit her application for President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program this morning. It frustrates her that she has to remain in limbo because a federal judge decided in February to temporarily block the relief.
On November 20, Herrera, her husband and their two children heard Obama had issued an executive action that gave parents of U.S. citizens and legal resident children a work permit and permission to remain in the country, at least for three years. (That same day, Obama also extended who can sign up for DACA, a program for young immigrants brought here as children.)
“We cried, we danced, we began to make plans and, above all, to dream,” Herrera says in Spanish. She was part of a group outside the Arizona State Building earlier today, protesting the fact that it’s been more than three months and millions still haven’t been able to apply for DAPA. (The gathering was organized by Mi Familia Vota in solidarity to many other protests happening around the country.) “I started thinking I finally could get a job as a secretary, that is what I used to do in Mexico, my husband, too, began to think about all the good things, the economic and emotional stability this would bring us.”
Herrera immigrated with her husband 17 years ago, looking for better opportunities than their native town of Obregón, Sonora could offer. Her daughter was almost 2 years old at the time. Four years later, her son was born in Tucson.
Now 18 and 14, Herrera is happy that both her kids are en route to bright futures. Her daughter has a good job and is attending college to become a medical assistant thanks to Obama’s 2012 DACA, and her son, well, he’s a U.S. citizen and gets to enjoy everything that comes from that. But her family’s tranquility and excitement isn’t complete because she and her husband are here undocumented. And, who knows how long it will be until the 2014 immigration actions are allowed to moved forward (if they are given the green light that is).
“We cannot feel stable, when a cop pulls me over over a broken light, and my son is crying, thinking his mom will be deported,” she says. “My husband goes to work, and if it’s been an hour past when he usually gets home, I feel anxious. It is a constant fear, and our kids feel that, too.”
In mid-April, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard the federal government’s emergency appeal of the temporary injunction, which was put in place while a lawsuit—on behalf of 26 states, including Arizona—trying to kill both programs plays out in the courts.
(Applications for the extended DACA should have begun making their way into U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services back in February, and the plan was for USCIS to receive DAPA sign ups starting today. Still, immigration right advocates ask people to continue their plans to apply—gather your documents and get everything in order, so that when the programs are good to go, you won’t delay the process further.)
“We have the confidence that this will pass, but we don’t want to wait any longer, we have already waited too long,” Herrera says. “It is frustrating that, the day we have been waiting for so long is here, and we can’t do anything. It is not fair to separate families, we are not criminals, we came to this country to work and to find a better future for our families.”
This article appears in May 14-20, 2015.
F*em
F*you.
So she has been in the US illegally for 17 years without bothering to file for citizenship–not much sympathy from this end. When is she planning to start this process, which should (in my opinion) be a precursor to receiving anything else from our government.
I received a bill from TMC for $52,000 for a three day stay and I’m sure i was subsidizing the delivery of illegal immigrants. Our government is financially punishing it’s citizens.
They charged you $52,000 and they still couldn’t get your head out of your ass?
I have to agree with the comment above. She and her husband has been here 17 years why haven’t they become citizen or at least started the process by now? Others have done it and not broke the law becoming citizens.
god bless this judge !!!,,, deport all illegals !!!
Now see, if she’d bothered taking the steps to become a citizen in the 17 years since she’s been here doing God knows what instead, she’d have a say in this. See how that works? (in theory, anyway) I can see having sympathy for the kids who were brought here by their parents, but the parents knowingly broke laws and now expect to be rewarded. Are these really the best and the brightest?
17 years here, yet she’s unable to speak to the press in English?
Unable or unwilling? Wait until she has to talk to the IRS at tax time.
One solution is to eliminate birthright citizenship. There is no reason children of illegal immigrants should receive citizenship. No other industrial country in the world does this.
Second, of course, if laws had been enforced in the first place they would not have immigrated illegally and wouldn’t find themselves in this bind.
Can’t even protest in English. Go back to mexico.
“So she has been in the US illegally for 17 years without bothering to file for citizenship–not much sympathy from this end. When is she planning to start this process, which should (in my opinion) be a precursor to receiving anything else from our government.”
She has no reason not to at least submit an application for permanent residency, she does not have to file for citizenship. Somehow, she expects to receive the privileges of a permanent resident without paying her does. This is akin to showing up at the DMV, never taking a driving exam, and demanding a state license without paying. She then demands a license, well, because her daughter has one. There really is not better analogy.
I believe that you should not be forced to speak English, this is American, right? Remember, freedom and Constitution and all that?
I believe that it is time to revoke birthright citizenship, it has outlived it’s original purpose. This applies to all nations and nationalities, including María Inés Taracena’s supposed blonde, blue-eyed, Swedish, non-resident friend.
The American taxpayer cannot take any more pressure on our heavily strained job market and public safety net. As overtaxed citizens, demand that you, our representatives in Washington, State stand up for those who voted you into office and STOP the diversion of tax dollars to support illegal aliens.
It’s time for you to use the Congressional power of the purse to defund Obama’s unconstitutional executive orders. We urge you to take action now to stop all forms of amnesty. There is no legitimate right for the children of illegal aliens (anchor babies) to gain citizenship. It is a law based on the ‘emancipation of slaves’ after the Civil War.
Donald Trump, as a Presidential Candidate stated “I Would Build the Greatest Wall you have ever seen on the Mexican Border.” Trump cannot be bought like the Hillary Clintons and other politicians, who must be provided patron money to survive. Trump doesn’t need ‘Super Pacs’ money that wealthy donors use to bribe our politicians.
Donald Trump has the guts to stop the jobs going to China, Mexico and other countries. He said that he believes in ‘Free Trade’ but he would charge 35% tariffs to anybody importing products into America. It would be his obligation to lower the corporate tax, so that companies building outside of America would return to manufacture their goods in America. Trump has a tough spine and cannot be bribed by special interests and other foreign benefactors and would reject any issue, which this President and his minions have navigated against the American Economy. He is not beholding to the lobbyists and can stop them from ripping of the country apart. He would stop the ultra Liberal zealots from changing our nation, into something Americans could not recognize.
Are you in search of the uninhibited truth and not the lies or propaganda from the GOP establishment or the Democrats? Then click on http://www.judicialwatch.org and http://www.oann.com. This is unbiased review of legal, non-profit foundation that blatantly tells you the facts about corruption in Federal, state and local government. In many instances this administration and Congress ‘believe they are above the law’. Judicial Watch carefully examines the law and will take them to court to be held accountable for unlawful activity against this nation? The American News network, a 7/24 cable broadcast offers world wide news, and not the prejudiced, partisan news that has strong commitment to either Democrats, liberal or even the Republican elitists.
Another solution would be that no one gets automatic US citizenship based on the place of birth or moon sign. Everyone applies and has an equal chance for citizenship… and a place in the line.
My mother became a U.S. citizen 30 years ago. Myself was born in AZ.36 years ago. So am I an “anchor baby”? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. We need to stop making excuses for why Mexicans can’t become legally documented upstanding citizens.