My husband isn't with me. Not because he doesn't want to be. Not because I don't want him to be. Not because he is deployed. Not because he is deceased. Not because he is on vacation. Not because he is in jail or prison.
But because he is in the immigration system.
I hear them, "Illegals are criminals." Their crime being that they wanted a better life, the "American dream" without a ready, legal passageway. They say this in a country that was built by immigrants.
Written on our Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
-Emma Lazarus
In contrast, the United States is almost revered as an exclusive club for those "worthy." Worth being boiled down to whether or not you were born on its land. Seems those bronzed words ring empty now.
For what they've done, crossing into "our" land. They are sentenced to be cast away pending further investigation/scrutiny/paperwork or none at all. Yanked away from their families. Yanked away from the life they built and had struggled to obtain.
Do you think they wouldn't have tried to become legal if they could? If it were that easy, don't you think they'd be able to have insurance, pay taxes, be accountable?
What test are you put through to become a citizen? Whether or not you were born.
We shouldn't HAVE TO wait for our husbands, our wives, our family. We shouldn't HAVE TO fret of their safety. We shouldn't HAVE TO worry whether or not they can even come back. We shouldn't HAVE TO have the run-around. We shouldn't HAVE TO have this stress.
Why, because a better system can't be figured out? Why, because "if it's not broken, don't fix it?" Why, because it's more complicated than that? Why, because just because?
Why don't you just go live there with them in Mexico/Honduras/El Salvador/ETC? Because it would just be that easy to uproot my family, my life, cut my ties, have enough money, move our possessions, become a citizen there, perhaps never see my friends or family again if I don't have money to make the trip to visit?
There isn't a good enough reason to justify the heartbreak or dull the pain.
Actions speak louder than words. But when all you have are words, you try to make them count.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
The actual shitstorm
Finally on step two of kajillion. I'm daunted. DS230 & I-864.
It's been said, don't say it can't get any worse because it will and then you'll kick yourself for having said or though it. But really. Listen to that advice.
Things going wrong:
Misael not here
Having to pay $230, plus $88 (then $585 later) plus $1000 for legal assistance
my neck hurts
starting my period on an already terrible day (yesterday)
parent's divorce agreement lawsuit, which will result in dadgetting arrested for not paying, and even if not then losing one of the houses or both.
dad decided to move to WA, which means he's selling the house (which I planned on moving out anyways) so safe to assume he won't be paying mom's mortgage, no way she can keep the house, then he wants me to help in selling of the house but I get to keep the money and sell his belongings
grandma hit tnt, tnt hit grandma back, dad hit tnt, tnt hit dad (possible broken nose) (Note: hit doesn't mean just once) Other family members that are visiting are frightened and most likely will never come back.
My babysitter can't watch my daughter anymore (in T-minus 11 days), must find new babysitter or put her in dreaded state child care
my plan to move in with my mom thwarted by the happening of previously said fight, and likelihood tnt moving in with mom
Going to live in my friend's living room, sounds worse than I feel but can't help feel worse by how it sounds
Need to sell my old car for money
Needing more hours at my work but not getting them (only granted 4 more hours, vs the 11-16 hours needed)
this pain in my neck (bad pun + repetition)
Having to figure out when/how to move (how: how am I going to move all my stuff?)
Uncle threatened to beat me up the other day (but he left and I think he took all my poptarts that damn smelly BASTARD)
It's been said, don't say it can't get any worse because it will and then you'll kick yourself for having said or though it. But really. Listen to that advice.
Things going wrong:
Misael not here
Having to pay $230, plus $88 (then $585 later) plus $1000 for legal assistance
my neck hurts
starting my period on an already terrible day (yesterday)
parent's divorce agreement lawsuit, which will result in dadgetting arrested for not paying, and even if not then losing one of the houses or both.
dad decided to move to WA, which means he's selling the house (which I planned on moving out anyways) so safe to assume he won't be paying mom's mortgage, no way she can keep the house, then he wants me to help in selling of the house but I get to keep the money and sell his belongings
grandma hit tnt, tnt hit grandma back, dad hit tnt, tnt hit dad (possible broken nose) (Note: hit doesn't mean just once) Other family members that are visiting are frightened and most likely will never come back.
My babysitter can't watch my daughter anymore (in T-minus 11 days), must find new babysitter or put her in dreaded state child care
my plan to move in with my mom thwarted by the happening of previously said fight, and likelihood tnt moving in with mom
Going to live in my friend's living room, sounds worse than I feel but can't help feel worse by how it sounds
Need to sell my old car for money
Needing more hours at my work but not getting them (only granted 4 more hours, vs the 11-16 hours needed)
this pain in my neck (bad pun + repetition)
Having to figure out when/how to move (how: how am I going to move all my stuff?)
Uncle threatened to beat me up the other day (but he left and I think he took all my poptarts that damn smelly BASTARD)
Monday, June 3, 2013
Shitstorm
Watering the dirt does no good if there aren't any seeds. But what if all you want to do is just water the shit out of it. Make mud and fling that at everything you don't want to look at. A mad mud mess.
Things to not say to someone with immigration problems (specifically deportation or voluntary departure of a spouse):
"When are he/she coming back?" Oh. well. Let me check the calendar. I don't fucking know!
"I thought you guys were married." or "You guys have a kid together." Yes. We are/do. AND?! It changes NOTHING! If it did do you think we'd be in the situation??
(After you tell them a VERY approximate amount of time this kind of shit takes) "Oh 6 months isn't bad! I thought it'd be longer." If it isn't so bad, why don't you try it? Please tell me how not bad it is.
"How are you?" If you ask this too many times, maybe one day I'll snap and really tell you how I feel. Keep trying if that's your goal.
"He/she shouldn't have been sent away. I think your lawyer messed up." Or that inferred you messed up. OKAY PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAWS/ISSUES/CASES I'D LOVE TO HEAR
(In voluntary departure cases) "What did he/she get deported--" STOP RIGHT THERE. IT WASN'T DEPORTATION
"Be patient" OH IS THAT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO? Like a friend said to me, we shouldn't have to wait for our family to be together.
I may be harsh here but in "real life" I am polite. I wouldn't really reply as above, unless I didn't like you in the first place or you pushed me a bit far. Yea I understand it's mainly ignorance driven. I didn't know immigration info before but I hold hope that I wouldn't have asked or said these things.
Things to not say to someone with immigration problems (specifically deportation or voluntary departure of a spouse):
"When are he/she coming back?" Oh. well. Let me check the calendar. I don't fucking know!
"I thought you guys were married." or "You guys have a kid together." Yes. We are/do. AND?! It changes NOTHING! If it did do you think we'd be in the situation??
(After you tell them a VERY approximate amount of time this kind of shit takes) "Oh 6 months isn't bad! I thought it'd be longer." If it isn't so bad, why don't you try it? Please tell me how not bad it is.
"How are you?" If you ask this too many times, maybe one day I'll snap and really tell you how I feel. Keep trying if that's your goal.
"He/she shouldn't have been sent away. I think your lawyer messed up." Or that inferred you messed up. OKAY PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAWS/ISSUES/CASES I'D LOVE TO HEAR
(In voluntary departure cases) "What did he/she get deported--" STOP RIGHT THERE. IT WASN'T DEPORTATION
"Be patient" OH IS THAT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO? Like a friend said to me, we shouldn't have to wait for our family to be together.
I may be harsh here but in "real life" I am polite. I wouldn't really reply as above, unless I didn't like you in the first place or you pushed me a bit far. Yea I understand it's mainly ignorance driven. I didn't know immigration info before but I hold hope that I wouldn't have asked or said these things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)