In need of advice/opinions

Hey everyone. I have been going through a family crisis and i figured i would ask for opinions on my situation here as you guys are also undocumented. First of all i would have to tell you guys a lil bit about my story.

My dad immigrated here in 2001 (before 9/11) and has been here since. My mom, sister and me after getting tourist visas came here on 2008. I was 13 at the time and my sister was 20. My dad was 50 and my mom was 46. My dad, mom and sister work like animals for us to be able to get through. My dad is a manager of a place where my sister and mom or him run most of the shifts which are the 365 days of the year 17-19 hours a day. My parents don't mind it as much as they would do everything they possibly can for us. My sister however has honestly been wasting her life since as she hasn't been able to study because my dad is paid a shitty salary and wouldn't have anyone to replace my sister anyways (we have looked online, at churches and out fliers up in 5 neighboring towns with nonluck finding anyone promising after looking for over a year) so my sister is forced to work in order for my family to keep that job and just to make enough money for us to get through.

Now in 2012 i'm supposedly going to start my senior year this september. I already have a $20,000 scholarship and opportunities of getting more. The rest of my family is still working 65+ hours a week. My sister is now seeing how much she has wasted her life because it'd all just work. She doesn't have any friends, she hasn't gone to college and she blames herself because i seem to have so many opportunities when she seems to have nothing. We have been seriously considering moving back and honestly i don't care if i have to lose my scholarships and opportunities but if I have to go back to the third world country from which we came for BOTH my sister AND me to have a future i would. Back in our country we would at least be able to study. On top of everything, 2 years ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer and was told she only had about 2 years left... she cries whenever she sees my sister sad because she blames herself for not having made better decisions.

My sister and me both know english and spanish very well. We both know french, mine is basic and hers is more advanced. I honestly plan on trying to learn chinese with rosetta stone by the time i graduate. My family has managed to save up a decent amount of money since we got here which might not allow us to buy a really nice house but like at tell my mom is enough for four walls and a roof to sleep under. I told my mom that maybe we could all move back after i graduate from high school and my sister and me could look after the family by getting jobs either as teachers or translators due to the languages we know. That way the fact that my parents can't really go on for much longer might not affect them. Just note that ever becoming separated again is not an option as we will not endure it again.

It's really becoming a crisis, please give me some productive advice/opinions/ideas

In my opinion, you should not leave the country to go back to a place where yes, you can study, but the economy is much more different than here and so are opportunities. Although you, as well as many more including myself, don't have these "opportunities" yet, going back to the place you abandoned will not fix your problem.

You got a $20,000 scholarship already, which is great, AND you have opportunities to get more, why would you leave that behind? Apply to private universities, some offer illegal students full ride scholarships, which depending on your major and career, can ultimately leave you a green card in your hand.

Yes, your parents and sister work very hard, but anywhere you go it will be the same situation. I suggest staying here, getting a good degree, and then deciding what to do after that. Remember that a University Degree from the United States is gold in other countries, such as European countries and even Australia!

I am in the same situation as you, my parents work very hard to get me and my three siblings ahead, but take your chances that you have earned with your parents' help and prove to them that you appreciate their hard work by making something out of yourself in one of the hardest situations to be in here in the United States.

I hope everything works out with you and your family, mostly your mom. Just do what you think is right, and make sure that you are making a wise choice.

Good luck.

If you were to move back to your country,

would you and your family have universal health care? I am particularly concerned about your mother, since she requires palliative care.

would universities accept your high school diploma? you REALLY need to look into this.

if yes, would higher education be affordable? tuition-free or low cost

You've got a lot going in here for yourself. Your sister is practically ripe for marriage, and you might be able to accomplish a lot more over here in terms of academic advancement and be able to help your family in the future even if it is from some other country.

Think objectively for a minute and determine what's best for you. Your parents want the best for you and that's why they probably moved here in the first place. Don't throw away any opportunities.

At what age will you be graduating from high school? Could you graduate early? There's a chance that you could graduate from high school, leave, and not be subjected to any bans, meaning that you could go back to your country, graduate from university and re-enter the US as a worker or a visitor. The thing is, you've already accrued over 4 years of presence in this country and although you don't qualify under DACA you'd certainly qualify under the DREAM act or a future immigration reform.

I've been where you are. With parents who get sick and lose everything. The important thing to remember is that at some point you have to fend for yourself and determine whether your relatives could drag you down and mess your own future. It sounds selfish as fuck but remember that they'll most likely depart this shitty world before you do and depending on what choices you make, your life could become a shitty mess, relatively normal, or even great for the rest of its duration.

Thank you very much for your opinions. Now that we got through the 'psychological crisis' and can think with more sanity we think that it is in fact better if we stay here and I wanted to say thank you guys for pointing out things to consider if we do in fact move back.

I doubt he'll get a Visitor VISA if he tells them he was here Unlawfully already.
An employment sponsor VISA, now? Really? Unless he's #1 in what ever field he has yet to graduate.

And you don't accrue Unlawful status until you turn 18. That's when the 3 or 10 year ban starts ticking.

My advise to the OP would be to stick it out.
There are people who've been here 10, 15, 20, 25 years w/out lawful status and they've managed somehow. It's frustrating, but in reality living in the US poor, is way better than living poor in a lot of other countries.

If he has a job and an education from another country, reentering the country is actually pretty easy. All they want is to be reassured that you won't be staying in the US illegally. When you have utility bills, check stubs, a work letter, etc obtaining a visitor visa is rather easy.

Employment sponsor visa. He doesn't need to be #1 in his field, he just needs to be good at something and be willing to be underpaid. I interact a lot with Indian and Chinese people.

Actually, it's only after 180 days and fewer than 365 after his 18 birthday that the 3-year ban becomes effective. More than that and he's subject to the 10-year ban.

Stay here, go to college and wait for Dream Act or Marriage. I totally get what your sister is going through. Even though I'm in college, I still have to work long hours. My family store just cannot run without me, so I have to work. Only thing that keeps me going is thinking about the good life after college.

Although you are undocumented, still United States is just so much better than 3rd world country. I'm not saying you should use marriage to legalize yourself, but since you are already here with a visa, you should definitely leave this option open, you know, just saying.

That is really good advice OP. Just stick it out, it's much better to be here with little than to be somewhere else with nothing. Good luck.

Staying here is definitely the best option.

You seem like a smart guy. Your in High School still. The weight of your entire family is not on your shoulders, at least not yet. But do what is best for everyone. Educating yourself and being successful, is probably what is best for everyone. In the future, you might be able to help your sister to get the education she never got. It is never too late.