Team,
Being undocumented colored nearly every aspect of my life growing up in tangible ways.
- I was denied in-state tuition when I applied to college.
- I struggled to navigate college with limited resources and access to financial aid.
- I couldn’t get a driver’s license or apply for jobs.
But it also affected me in ways that aren’t so easily quantified, like the feeling of not belonging — which was especially hard as a queer kid. I was terrified of leaving the house and having any interaction with the police or immigration enforcement.
I tried as hard as I could to fit in, but that wasn’t always easy. So it’s no surprise that I felt deeply ashamed of being an immigrant — of being Mexican. The reality for the entirety of my life was that Mexico was a place I would be sent to, a punishment that came with being separated from my family, my loved ones, my home.
It instilled a stigma about being Mexican that I wasn’t able to shake until last year, when I was granted advance parole, which allowed me to travel outside of the United States for the first time and visit my extended family in Mexico.
When I applied for DACA a decade ago, I felt so isolated and scared. I am still unable to plan for my future. But these days, I’m working to meld the memories I made in Mexico last year into the parts of me that still feel stigmatized and ashamed. I am filled with pride when I think of how at the age of 17, my dad made the scary and difficult decision to leave his home in search of a better life.
But most of all, I have learned to step into my own voice and power. I am not just fighting for myself, but also for other young people who feel like I did. That is what drives me to keep pushing forward.
Every DACA story is different, but our goals are the same: We need permanent protections now — so that undocumented people can stop living in constant fear of detention and deportation.
Immigrant youth fought hard to win and protect DACA, yet the future of the program remains at risk a decade later under Republican-led attacks and ongoing legal battles. That’s why today, I’m asking for your support:
Will you make a donation to United We Dream Action so we can keep up our fight to secure permanent protections for immigrant communities? Make a donation of any amount today to join our fight for immigrant youth and undocumented people everywhere.
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Thank you for letting me share my story, and for standing with me in the fight for permanent protections and a better future.
Jose, United We Dream Action
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