Well I finally have the opportunity to share my story with you guys, after browsing through this website for the past year or so. I really didn't feel the need to post my story because it is similar to many on this forum. But I realized that it is important to take out our frustration sometimes and what better way than through writing.

First of all my name is A_____. I live in deep South Texas about less than 60 miles from Mexico. I was born in Matamoros, Tampaulipas and was brought to the USA at two years old. Growing up I really didn't face any problems because of my illegal status. I did every normal activity all the other "American" kids did around me so there was no suspicion. I also really didn't understand what being illegal in this country meant. I just thought it was going to be a problem either my parents resolved or it got resolved by itself. The realization of my dilemma hit me in my senior year of high school. I wanted to apply to UT-Austin but I wondered how I was going to get up there without having to go through the Border Patrol checkpoint that exists in Sarita, Texas about 60 miles from where I live. Could I even get across that checkpoint? Should I claim to be US citizen? Well to make things short I decided to go to a local school and stayed there for a while. I lasted about a year there because I couldn't qualify for enough financial aid. So here I am a Distinguished graduate of my high school (which in Texas means a lot; in my case 30 hrs of college credit, AP Scholar) without a college education.

In the meantime I've been working in a lot of menial jobs such as in agriculture or doing yardwork. I really don't mind the work its just that its so mind numbing! Plus its not well paid and my family really needs the money. I am 23 years old and can't even get a stable job. This affects you in so many different levels such as socially and economically.

Sometimes I wonder if i should use someone's else's social security number to get a job. Or if I should look for someone to marry me so I could get legalized. In most cases it takes 3 months to get a green card. Imagine that! But my morals and my integrity don't allow me to do that. Just like so many of the other Dreamers on this forum. In some ways, when I think of other people in this situation I calm down a bit.

Some days I feel so miserable. I blame my parents. I blame myself. I blame the world. I blame Obama. Other days I feel optimistic and other days just in between.

I really am hoping that CIR passes this year. I'm looking forward to next year just because of this.