How Can You Call a Person Illegal? An Interview with Liliana Flores by Kacy Byxbee
Today DACA is heading to the Supreme Court. DACA (Deffered Action for Childhood arrivals) is the program the includes about 700,000 individuals who came to the United States as children and gives them the ability to live and work in the United States. I am deeply grateful to Liliana, who came to the United States when she was 2 years old, for her willingness to share her story with us. Like many other DACA recipients, the United States is the only home she has ever known. It is so important to understand why things are not at all simple for many families that have come here illegally. Why there is no such thing as “just getting in line” to become a citizen. Today, the status of DACA hangs in the balance. The potential reversal of this program would open up deportation, more separation of families, and disruption in communities all across the United States. The effects would be vast and deeply felt.
Being born a white citizen of the United States, I know I take my privilege for granted. My privilege that affords me to be in this country without worry of deportation or of my family being torn apart by our immigration status. My privilege to vote, easily join the work force, to not get stopped on the road unless I am driving like a complete maniac, and the list goes on. This kind of privilege is not universal, and racism towards immigrants is ever present, and particularly pervasive under the current administration. I find it to be absolutely perplexing, to say the least. For almost all of us: our parents, our grandparents, or great grandparents, came to the US from another country, so the amount of anger and hatred directed at people wanting to follow suit, has always confounded me, and I don’t think I am alone in feeling angry and confused by this. Additionally, the separation of nearly 5,500 children from their families at the border by the Trump Administration has added yet another bleak chapter in the United State's storied history with immigrants. It is vital and our responsibility, regardless of our political leanings, to better understand the situation that undocumented immigrants find themselves in, and the best way to do that is to listen to their stories. If you haven’t heard one first hand, please open your heart and mind, and read on.
Interview by Kacy Byxbee, editor, Your Zen Mama
*a pseudonym has been used to protect Liliana’s identity
Liliana Flores was born in Tijuana to a loving family of two older brothers, an older sister, as well as her Mother and Father. In 1994, Mexico was in the midst of a deep recession and her father was able to legally come to America to work while the rest of the family stayed in Mexico. When Liliana was 2, her father, only 40 at the time, suffered a stroke. His condition was so critical that their family was granted a humanitarian visa so that her mother could be present to make medical decisions for him.
HOW DID THINGS UNFOLD AFTER YOU ARRIVED IN AMERICA?
My dad had brain surgery, among other procedures and (most likely) because he was so young, he made it out of the surgery, but he was disabled. He couldn’t walk, talk or take care of himself. My dad was the only one with any family here. We were offered a room at my Aunt’s house, and my mom had to start working immediately to pay rent. My aunt and my older sister took care of me. My brothers were 14 and 15 when we came here and they started working 60 hours a week for my uncle who had a flooring company to provide the finances to send my dad to a rehabilitation center while also going to school. At the time, my mom wasn’t concerned about our legal status because we were simply trying to survive, keeping food in our mouths, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads as well as funding my dad’s stay in rehab. Eventually she realized that not only would it be impossible to pay for my dad to be transported back to Mexico with us, but she also couldn’t make enough money in Mexico to cover the new situation our family found ourselves in.
Like most immigration stories, time passes. A year later, my mom attempted to apply for residency because we didn’t want to be here undocumented. She met with an attorney and we found out the visas we had originally been issued were for 72 hours only, so they had been expired for ages. That is when we realized we were completely undocumented. Once your visa expires, you can get a mark on it, and if you don’t apply with a request to return to your country, you can be deported and if you get deported you can never, ever apply for citizenship. Somehow, we were lucky enough to not get flagged. We were in a position where we couldn’t go back, we needed money and my mom could make much more money here, and my dad was still being treated in rehabilitation. Throughout the years, we were hoping that because my dad’s family has petitioned for him, that we would eventually be able to adjust our status.
Eventually, my dad recovered but he could not work. He had to walk with a cane or walker, had seizures, strokes, and heart attacks, so he was always in and out of the hospital and always on medication. Because he didn’t qualify for medical insurance, his medication expenses were outrageous with some of his prescriptions being $200/bottle. As I have grown older, I have a better understanding of what my brothers had to go through to support our family, and I appreciate them so much. They really stepped up as teenagers, and if it weren't for them, we wouldn't be here, we would probably be homeless.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR MOM?
My mom was a badass. She took care of her husband and her kids in a country she didn’t know. She learned English, though it took her awhile because she was embarrassed about her accent. When she adjusted her status about a year ago, she was able to enroll in school and most importantly, she was finally able to go back to Mexico to see her mom for the first time in 20 years. She is 53 now and going to school to become a blood lab technician so now our discussions revolve around her Algebra and History homework. My brother followed suit when he adjusted his status after getting married. His dream was to become a fireman, unattainable unless he was a citizen. As soon as his status was adjusted, he was able to go to school and achieve his dream job.
When you are young, you don’t value your parents as much and you think they are invincible. My sisters and I had a bed and my mom would sleep on the floor. She would say, “I don’t like the bed, the floor is more comfortable for me.” She worked three jobs every day. Of course, she wanted a mattress. She just did that to take care of us. Now that I think about that, I can’t believe everything she has done for us. She’s a queen, she’s my world and such an amazing person.
HOW HAS YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS AFFECTED YOU GROWING UP IN THE UNITED STATES?
My status really came into play when I was a sophomore in high school. I couldn’t drive or vote. I knew I was undocumented as a child because my mom was always terrified of the police, and being deported, but it wasn’t until I was in high school when I realized what I could and couldn’t do.
I remember my class going to New York and I couldn’t go because I didn’t have a valid ID. Another time, my friends wanted to go to a 16 and over club. I only had my Mexican government ID, and I was so embarrassed by it. I remember the bouncer asking me for another ID. My friends walked over and were asking what my ID was because they didn’t know I was undocumented. I tried to play if off and just said, “No, it’s okay, I will wait in the car.” Another bouncer walked over who knew what my ID was and said, “It’s, okay, let her in.” As a 16-year-old, it was so embarrassing. I felt like I had to hide my status, and it wasn’t until DACA and college that I started to feel differently. People don’t understand that calling someone illegal becomes your identity. If your own existence doesn’t matter, what does that mean?
What is DACA and HOW DID YOU BECOME A PART OF it?
DACA is the Deffered Action for Childhood arrivals, and applies to around 700,000 individuals who came to the United States as children. For most DACA recipients, the United States is the only home they have ever known and DACA is the only thing that gives these individuals the ability to live and work. In order to receive DACA protection, they are required to have remained in the US from 2007 to present time, they must be in school, have received a GED, have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or Armed Forces, never been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors, and may not pose a threat to national or public safety. The vetting process is thorough and tight, and DACA gives IDENTITY to a group of hardworking individuals trying to stay and make a living in the only place that most of them have ever known to be home.
I had just graduated high school and had exhausted all my options of becoming a citizen. I remember just crying, and saying to myself, “Okay, this is going to be my life. I am going to work under the table, go back to Mexico, and maybe I don’t belong here.” I was scared to go back to Mexico. I had moved here as a toddler, and I don’t remember ever living there.
I ran into DACA by accident. It was in the news so much, and my mom brought it up to me. DACA is NOT a path toward citizenship, but through DACA I would be able to get a work permit. DACA doesn’t give you legal residency or the ability to vote, but it gives you an identity. You get a social security number so you can apply for college and jobs. You cannot apply for student loans, but I could get a driver’s license, a job, fly to different states, and be protected from deportation. You have to reapply every 2 years to DACA, and it is $500 each time, which covers the fees and paperwork. The first time I applied I had to pay $2,000 to a lawyer. We were desperate for anything, so we thought we had to go through him. After you apply, the wait is very long due to extensive background checks and interviews. I was terrified my application would be rejected. Originally, they took in 800,000 kids under DACA, and I was one of them. When I found out I was accepted, I was 18. I got my driver’s license and a job at Olive Garden straight away. I was able to get a credit card, build my credit, eventually buy a car, and travel to Chicago. I got to feel normal for the first time in my entire life.
Then, the election happened, and President Trump tried to get rid of DACA. He gave Congress until March 5, 2018 to do something. At that point, I went back to where I was before I had DACA. Currently, The Supreme Court blocked the repeal of DACA, meaning people can still keep reapplying every 2 years. My DACA is set to expire this year. I have bills, a car payment, and a job and if DACA ends, what am I going to do? Last year, my anxiety got to the point where I wouldn’t open the front door and I would keep a bag packed in case I had to run. When DACA was threatened I went back to that place, and I still don’t have the feeling that I am permanently protected by DACA, which is why as Dreamers we are pushing for a Clean Dream Act. The goal of the Clean Dream Act is to keep families together and give 700,000 dreamers (DACA recipients) and TPS recipients (victims of natural disasters with Temporary Protection Status) a pathway to citizenship. It would give people with no criminal record, who have paid their taxes, and can contribute positively to the US, the ability to apply to become a legal resident, and ultimately a citizen. Immigration policy is obviously complex. I am in a family with mixed status. All over the US you have families with illegal residents, undocumented kids like myself, and legal siblings that are legal residents. There is no single way to fix it all.
ARE DACA RECIPIENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD OR JUST MEXICO?
DACA recipients are from all over the world. Mexican, Asian, Black, Canadian, Haitan, etc, but because of the proximity of Mexico to the United States, the majority are Mexican.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IT ISN’T SO EASY TO JUST BECOME A CITIZEN?
I hear all the time, “why don’t you get in line with everyone else?” I would love to get in line! There is no way, there is no line. In order to apply, you have to qualify through marriage, an extraordinary visa, or be petitioned. ABC News, Citizen Path, and America’s Voice all have great articles on this. DACA recipients generally don’t meet the requirements, so for me, if I married a US citizen, my status could be updated after 3 years. Or if a Clean Dream Act is passed. Because I came here with a visa, my way is actually easier. If you cross the border undocumented by walking through the desert, or across the border, it is even more difficult to become a citizen. Your entry into the US has a lot to do with your ability to get status. My brothers and sister all married US citizens and were able to adjust their status before DACA. When my sister adjusted, after two years, she was able to petition for my mom. Because I aged out and am 23, I cannot be petitioned for.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS?
We don't want to be undocumented. It’s not a choice. You come here because the economy in Mexico is such that you get $10 a day for your labor versus here where you can make $10 an hour. You do it out of desperation. Like I said, my mom never wanted to be here. Additionally, we want to contribute to America. We have so much to offer. A lot of undocumented people create their own businesses because they don’t have a social security number. That’s why you see people doing housecleaning work, landscaping work, or taking care of the elderly and children. If you go into Beverly Hills or Hollywood, a lot of the people working in those houses are undocumented or immigrants.
If we were able to have legal work authorization, we could create more businesses and contribute even more to the economy. And yes, there are bad seeds amongst us, but the majority of undocumented people here are here because they are good people that want to work hard. We aren’t all rapists and murderers or bad people. In fact, they show that crime rates among the undocumented community are lower because they don't want to commit a crime that could take them to jail or get them deported. Most undocumented people in the US won’t even risk not paying their car registration. We just want to contribute to this country
HOW WOULD YOUR LIFE CHANGE FOR YOU PERSONALLY IF DACA WAS PERMANENTLY IMPLEMENTED OR IF A CLEAN DREAM ACT WAS PASSED?
I think. I would feel free again.
HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED AND HELP THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY?
It really comes down to Congress passing something. The reason DACA was implemented in the first place is because activists like United We Dream and Undocumedia, pushed and fought for DACA and now are fighting for a Clean Dream Act. Obama implemented DACA as an Executive Order, but we need Congress to pass immigration policy that would give DACA permanence or even better, a Clean Dream Act. DACA isn’t only a brown or color issue. The reality is that it is almost a million people, mostly in California. We are all affected by it. If you understood the magnitude of what 800,000 people looks like, then you can understand how it would affect you, even if you aren’t undocumented yourself.
FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HELP, IS THE BEST, MOST EFFECTIVE THING TO CALL THEIR SENATOR OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES?
Absolutely. Even if you are in a liberal leaning state, it is essential you call your representatives. In December of 2017, you may remember the “no dream no deal.” What that meant was, Congress had the opportunity to fix DACA and said they would address immigration policy and finalize something in 2018. Only 6 votes didn’t make it past, and 2 of those were from California democrats, so it DOES MATTER. Statistically 76% of Americans want a Clean Dream Act to happen, but people aren’t talking about it, and if people aren’t pressuring Congress, they don’t care. It affects people that cannot vote, so we need the help of other people standing up for us.
To learn more about what could happen today at the Supreme Court, read this.