Every Friday morning I go to volunteer at a local day shelter for homeless families. I help make lunch, eat with the families, then play with the kids. This friday, I sat down to eat with a woman named Cynthia and her four year old daughter. I am very glad I did, because her story is one that will stay with me for many years to come
Cynthia is a US citizen. So are her eight children. Her husband is not. The two have been married for over 20 years, but because of a deportation from back when he was 16 he will never be able to obtain legal status (under current immigration law).
In 2000 he was pulled over for a broken tail light. When law enforcement discovered he was undocumented, they took him to jail. He was completely distraught, wouldn't eat, and was threatening to kill himself. This was the first time since their marriage that he had been away from Cynthia for even one night. Though the two were allowed to spend a little more time together, he was soon deported to Mexico.
He came back across the border to be with his family as soon as possible. Over the past decade he has been arrested by immigration two more times. The most recent of these was in November when he was picked up near the border in Texas and put in jail. This time instead of deporting him, he was put on trial.
Beyond just being her heart and soul (as she put it), Cynthia's husband was the sole provider for her family. Since November she and her younger children have been staying with her oldest daughter (age 21). They were staying with her until Thursday.
Thursday was a really bad day for Cynthia. Here's why:
- The oldest daughter the family was staying with hit one of the younger daughters, then called the police and tried to blame Cynthia.
- Though the police didn't believe the oldest daughter, she did kick her family out on to the street. Hence, Cynthia's family became homeless.
- The shelter where I met Cynthia only had room for her and two of her kids, even though she has five under 18.
- Thursday was also the day that Cynthia's husband was sentenced to 30 months of prison, and told that after that he would be deported. If he is ever found in the United States again he will receive an automatic twenty year sentence.
Yikes, bad day. All thanks to the broken immigration system we have in the United States.
What's worse is this story isn't even all that unique. Even in my own very limited experience, A friend of my family came over from Iraq as a student, but his visa expired between the two Iraqi wars. Fearing for his safety and wellbeing he did not want to return and has been in the country illegally ever since. About five years ago he fell in love and married a US citizen. The government, however, refuses to acknowledge this and still has not given him legal status.
This is why we need immigration reform now. Right now.