Hi my name is Rebeca and I just found this site a few weeks ago. It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one in this situation. This is my story:

I was born in Chihuahua, Mexico to a family of seven brothers and one sister. When I was about two years old my biological mother passed away due to breast cancer. My father feel into a deep depression and felt incapable of raising me, it was then my sister only seventeen at the time, took me under her wing and raised me as if I was her own. She decided it was in our best interest to immigrate to the United States in order to offer me a better life. In Colorado she met her husband and had two wonderfull daughters. In 2003 they decided to adopt me, giving me a sense of belonging I had never experienced. To me this is my family.

In 2003, my parents filed a I-130 to petition for me. Everything moved quickly from there. I was approved and later recieved a letter from the National Visa Center saying I had to leave the country to adjust my status. The person who was representing me at the time, adviced me not to leave and adjust status in the U.S. Because I knew so little about the process I decided to listen. From that point on my case stopped.

As I was continuing my education, I felt a need to continue this process and do whatever was necessary to obtain legal status. I visited a lawyer this summer and explained everything. He explained that anyone who applied after 2001 and entered illegally has to leave to country and re-enter legally. We just re-opened the case, but I have to admitt eventhough I am gratefull for this opportunity, I am terrified on how long I will have to be in Mexico. I have heard stories of people in my same situation staying up to ten years.

I'm about to graduate with an Associates of Liberal Arts, and I wish to continue my education in a degree in Political Science and Sociology. My untimate goal is to work with the Government in immigration matters and maybe someday become an immigration lawyer. I take it day by day and trust in God that everything will turn out for the best.