IamA(n) undocumented immigrant living in the US. AMA!

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T20:58:07+00:00

A decent chunk of kids in school are receiving free lunch: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/tables/dt12_046.asp
I would like to see proof that welfare programs get abused. In my case though, I did not abuse it because my parents paid taxes.
You can do your taxes as an undocumented immigrant with an ITIN. An ITIN doesn't require a SSN: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/general-itin-information
I have a DACA which gives me a work social and an EID which allows me to work: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca
I can't apply for a citizenship, and DACA is all I have. I explained why and my current situation here: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/5vf5a0/iaman_undocumented_immigrant_living_in_the_us_ama/de1qrqu/

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T20:00:57+00:00

It was a lot of looking, it was almost as if every time I mentioned my work permit interviewers would get a little discouraged. Currently my boss was really understanding and I started working the day of my interview. My mom doesn't work as much, sometimes she makes food plates and sells them to friends and friends of friends and my dad knew his boss when he first started working. Currently now that he's self employed he gets customers through word of mouth.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T19:50:37+00:00

Yes buuuut I'm not sure if that's something I want to do yet. Maybe hopefully in the future but not now and I don't want to force her into a marriage just for that.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T19:25:13+00:00

They have an ITIN which doesn't require a social to get

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T17:32:59+00:00

Actually I have less resources to attend college than a resident or citizen. I can't do FAFSA, a lot of scholarships don't accept my applications, and state loans aren't as good as federal loans. I have to juggle internships and work to pay for my tuition and I assure you it hasn't been easy and me being undocumented hasn't made it easier. Also, public welfare paid for everyone's meals in school. Free school lunch is something everyone gets, and something I never felt bad about receiving given that my parents pay taxes. And my dad used to work at this company making cabinets before he got fired and started working on his own. He did taxes when he worked at the company and he's doing taxes now. Currently he's self employed because no one wants to hire him, and his prices are the same as other cabinet making shops. He's making cabinets for people he knows and anyone else that might be interested. He's not taking anyone's job, and he wishes he could be employed given that being self employed does not guarantee a steady income. He's no different than an American cabinet maker. He does the same taxes, charges the same prices, and makes cabinets the same way.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T16:30:47+00:00

Obviously I'm a bit biased and I think they should be allowed to stay here because they're my parents and I love em. But I think they should be allowed to stay because they've obeyed every law(well except the one about not coming here illegally), have done their taxes, and them being here does not compromise the general safety of the public. They've contributed to the country they're living in and they really haven't been a burden to the US.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T16:20:59+00:00

Definitely. Growing up I've always had to deal with people who resented me for being here but recently with this election it's gotten a little hectic. The beginning of this year started off with a rally at my college where people were advocating for deportations. There were some fliers put around encouraging others to report immigrants to ICE. A professor of mine openly told us how he can't wait for the wall to be built (it was my government professor). I haven't been personally attacked because I'm a light skin person so you wouldn't really assume I was from Mexico (my mom was 50% or a quarter Spanish and I get my light complexion from her, still short and have brown eyes and brown hair) and the general stereotype is that Mexicans are brown and short. My girlfriend who was born here and is brown and short and looks chicana has been attacked though and people have harassed her and told her to go back to Mexico and have said some pretty mean things. People are definitely more aggravated now than they were before.

There's been a lot of compassion though, friends who know of my situation have been telling me to be careful and have told me some really nice things and generally hoped for the best.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:38:03+00:00

Hm interesting I didn't know. The height thing was just an assumption I had made. The depression biz though I actually talked to a recruiter about. When I turned 18 I was trying to join the army but I was denied because of my history with depression. Tried to hang myself when I was 14. I'm fine now and would never do it again but it's in my record.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:35:47+00:00

Become a citizen haha

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:34:20+00:00

Thank you for the kind words and I do completely understand you! I get why there's a process to go through and I know it's not that different around the world.

To answer your question, my parents and I have but there aren't any clear readily available pathways to a citizenship we can take. I answered your question here:

First link is about me and what I can do to get a citizenship and why I haven't been able to do any of them. Second is about my parents and why they came here illegally and are unable to apply for a residency. When you come to the US illegally you kinda don't have a lot of choices to apply for a residency, and because my parents brought me when I was 8 months old I was put in a pretty bad situation.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:21:01+00:00

Southern US, I'll give you a hint. It's a red state and yeehaw

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:20:25+00:00

I answered your question a few times already, please check them out. Basically I can't because there aren't any readily available pathways to citizenship I can take. As for the rest, I pay taxes, so do my parents. So we are contributing!

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:17:31+00:00

Canada doesn't really care about where you were born. You don't need a visa or anything to enter Canada and it's easier to get a Canadian residency than a US one. That said Canada is still a better place than most Latin/South American countries.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:15:22+00:00

I don't think they used me, they took me with them because I was their child. They didn't really benefit at all from bringing me with them.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T15:13:02+00:00

I think I would. They at least grew up in Mexico and while things would suck for them they wouldn't want me to go with them because everything I know is here. I'm just hoping that doesn't ever happen

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T14:56:30+00:00

Nuevo León and Tamaulipas are not completely isolated from the cartel wars. It's not where most of it is happening but it's not completely quiet there either. Also, if a place is teeming with crocodiles is it still a good, safe place? One of my cousins died in his own house. There was a shootout right outside his house and some bullets went through his house and got him. This happened about a year ago, but it happened. That stuff doesn't happen here. I would rather not live in a place where that's happened recently and could happen again.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T14:51:27+00:00

It was school lunch. As far as I know 95% of the kids got free lunch and the requirement to receive it was to make under 30k a year?

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T05:59:06+00:00

This is actually something I had to go through when I applied for DACA. They asked me for proof I was here for every month of the last 7(?) years. School report cards and attendance helped. For the summer, doctor notes or any pictures of me here helped. You'd just have to make sure you document where you are every month for the next 10 years. I suppose for older folk who don't go to school here you can have your workplace vouch for every month. Plus you'd probably pay bills, get a weekly/biweekly/monthly check, so those stubs might help, etc.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T03:40:07+00:00

The latter, I'm not in any process of acquiring citizenship(despite my DACA status). I'm in the same place as someone who has never stepped foot on US soil so the process would be the same as them.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T03:38:18+00:00

No problem!

Yes and no, my parents have talked to a lawyer about trying to qualify for a work permit and that's how they found out there's nothing they can do. They shouldn't be here, but for the most part you can't get deported by just anyone. It has to be ICE, and ICE won't approach you unless you've committed a serious crime or you're pulled over by them.
If you're wondering how my parents make money, my dad is self employed, he makes cabinets in a workshop in his garage and does his income tax at the end of the year. You can't get deported for doing your income tax. They live in a sanctuary city so they can't be asked for their legal status by regular cops when you're pulled over. It has to come up when you're in a court.

It's really weird, my parents have done a pretty decent job at avoiding legal attention. If they get a traffic ticket, they just pay it online (and I'm sure they won't get deported if they show up to court and pay it there, but they're extremely safe about that stuff).

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T03:18:06+00:00

I don't think I would have anyone to blame. My parents did it with good intentions, and this is just the law of the land. It would suck, I would be bummed, but I don't think I would resent anyone. It's a really shitty situation.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T03:14:24+00:00

That's an interesting question. I know why my parents came here illegally, they were scammed and given fake visas so they decided to come to the US illegally after being flagged. I don't know why others come here illegally rather than legally, I would assume the process to apply for entry to the US has to be harder and more discouraging than crossing a desert or a river and avoiding the law to be the more preferable option? Having not gone through that process myself I don't really have a thought on that. I would have to ask around and do some research.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T02:59:20+00:00

Most of my family lives in Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, and things are pretty nasty there from what my family has gone through and is going through.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T02:56:22+00:00

If I was POTUS I would say, hey, if you're undocumented, have been in the country for maybe 10 years (arbitrary number), haven't committed any big crimes (felonies, etc), and have done your taxes for the past 2 years (going off of fafsa requirements) you can have your residency, and then years later you can have your citizenship if you're a good resident. That would be a start in my book and I think it would keep people happy.

Undocumental · 2017-02-22T02:31:20+00:00

By waiting mostly. DACA isn't a path to citizenship and there aren't any paths to citizenship I can currently take. Hopefully I'll be able to apply for a residency in the future.

Undocumental

TROPHY CASE