I'm Stefani and here is my story

Okay so I happen to be in the same position as most immigrant students. I am about to turn 18 and graduate from high school; but unfortunately I have no legal status in the U.S at the moment. Yes my papers are in process, but they have been for the past 10 or 12 years. Every time my mother, brother and I are about to get our papers, we are told it will take more time. It is unfair in so many ways. All we ask for is to be given the chance to be able to do something with our lives.
I came to the U.S when I was one with my brother and mother, so I have practically lived here since I was born. I have dreams for my life, and I know what I want to be when I grow up. I also have a younger sister who was fortunate enough to have been born in the U.S.
The reason as to why my mother left Mexico with my brother and I, is because we had a bad life there. My brother was born a year and a half before I was, and my birth father was so happy to have been given a son. When my mother told him that she was pregnant with a daughter he really did not bother to care. My birth father would let his mother beat my mom, being pregnant and all. My birth father did not seem to care that my mother was pregnant with me because he still ended up beating her. This is what my mother had to go through, everyday. When I was finally born my mother was happy. She though my birth father would change, but he did not. He did not care for me, just his precious son. He did not care if his mother beat my mother and I. With everything that was happening my mother promised to love me all she could and more, she promised to give me a better life. So when I turned one my mother was so fed up with the way she was being treated and the way that I was being treated so she decided to leave and take my brother and I with her to the U.S. She told my birth father that she was going out to buy milk, and with nothing but two blankets and what we were wearing she took us. She walked along the beach with me in her arms and my brother walking beside her. We arrived in California, where I currently reside, and life became better. My grandmother took us in, she being a U.S. citizen herself. Our lives were going to change for the better. My mother then met my real father. "Father" to me is the man that raises you as his own. With his beliefs and his love.
I hate remembering about how my mothers life was in Mexico and everything she had to put up with. I hate being a burden on my parents, when it comes to my education. I do not work because I have no legal status what so ever, and I am not about to find an illegal way to get a job. I want to do things properly. I want to work, I really do, I want to be able to support myself. I wan to drive, and not be afraid to do so. I am not asking for much, because as far as I am concerned I do not want to go back to Mexico. I never had a good life there and that's not where I ever want to be. I want to go to college, get a degree. My dream is to become a doctor. I want to be a successful person. I want to be known for my what I can accomplish.
Life is hard in the U.S. especially when you are not a legal immigrant. I am 100% for the DREAM ACT because it will give students like myself the opportunity to be someone in our lives, to have a fighting chance to do something and be a success.

Thank you for your story Stefani... we all can relate to it!

Please feel free to join our many projects here at DAP!

hi stefani, sorry to hear about your story with your birth father, what an animal. Your mother did the right thing and i'm glad life has only gotten better for you guys! Dont worry, we are all in the same situation here and feel free to ask questions and be open, something has to happen soon, and it will...keep a positive mind and keep studying, no matter what...neeeeever stop your studies! I'm not sure if you know this already but i know that at least for college, there's a law where you pay regula resident tuition, i mention this cuss you aughta be off to college soon. As for work, i feel the same way you do...i am 20 years old and i dont have a job, but unfortunately, we gota find a way to work sooner or later :/...we have to work to survive. I still can't get the guts to get a real job but i'm gona have to suck it up soon...i'm going to university soon...anyway, welcome to the forum and keep fighting!

Your story made me tear up. Welcome to DAP. Take a look around in the other three sections to see what we're up to and how you can get involved. And, like reaper said, never give up on your studies! Someday you'll be a doctor making a hundred thousand dollars a year with shiny new naturalization papers, but to arrive at that point you have to join us and work for it.

Welcome.

Because you took the effort to introduce yourself we won't yell at you if you ask questions. Thanks.

Your drive, motivation and feelings, especially that of being a burden, I can relate to completely.

If you fall under 245i, get into a community college RN program. You want to be a doctor eventually
so it would be a good step to killing two birds with one stone. One of my much older gay friend did
this, and he is now in Med school, with a good job on the side that he enjoys.

Welcome!!!

Hey Welcome... my story relates in certain ways... and hey... even with your status... you can accomplish a lot. Cheers:
And what city in Cali?

welcome to dap!!!!!!!!!

reaper's right. it sucks that we can't get jobs, but at least we're allowed to pay in-state tuition under AB540. those of us in california are lucky because not everyone here has that kind of legislation in their state. so make the most of your education so when you DO get your papers someday, you'll be armed and ready!