My mom is subscribed to President Obama's email newsletter. She asked me to translate and write our story.
I hope it helps the cause and maybe others are willing to share theirs at:
http://www.barackobama.com/stories/share-your-story
Below is our story.
Lou
Quote:
Greetings Mr. President,
I'm currently a US citizen and my deepest sorrow is seeing my youngest son, Luis, a B.S. in Computer Engineer frustrated and depressed due to his immigration status.
We came to the US in 1981, me, a single mother, and my 2 children. My second eldest daughter a teenager at the time went to Old Dominion University, she graduate with a B.S. in Chemistry and got married. Luisito (as we still call him at times at home) was only 5 years old. He went to elementary school, watched Scooby Doo, ate ice cream at Dairy Queen and happy meals at McDonalds, when they used to say "We Love to See You Smile". In 1986, I felt my daughter needed her space, live her married life, and so I returned to Venezuela with Luis.
In 1998, at my 64 years of age I decided to make a last effort for Luisito. We came to Miami, he worked hard for his degree. He flew and interviewed with many big companies that granted him interviews like IBM, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, etc. He went to so many career fairs hosted by SHPE. All his efforts just to be told that as an International Student they could not grant him an H1B visa or internship. He had a girlfriend at the time, he talked to her about his problem and that he would have to leave the country after he graduated. They got married, Luis graduated from Florida International University. He obtain an internship with a fortune 500 company. When the time for his interview with USCIS came in the mail, he and his wife were separated, and she didn't attended to the interview. At that point his conditional residency was cancel. He asked several lawyers about returning to school to work on his masters but was told an F1 visa is a 'non-immigrant visa' and a residency is an 'immigrant visa' therefore, he could not go back to his previous visa. He became "out of status" with his hopes and dreams to provide to his mother and a future family of his own.
Luis, tried to work in his area of knowledge. Repairing, fixing, building PCs, doing web design, programming and even tasks below his skill level. But all he found was employers or clients not willing to pay, or pay him below the established rate, or mistreat him because of his immigration status.
Luis, became very depressed, stayed at home, lost contact with all his friends and many not so close relatives. It is like he is on home arrest but his only crime was to go to school and work in order to be able to take care of his mother and future family.
Luis started to study again last year and recently obtain a certification in his field. Yet, he is still very lonely, goes outside the house just for groceries, and seldom for shopping. He believes President Obama will make a difference and get the Immigration Reform approved. Yet, he fears Congress and the Republicans are an obstacle and will delay this for years if given the opportunity. Luis wishes that the US can offer International students visa opportunities like Canada and Australia. Where those countries encourage and facilitate work permits and even an open path for residency and citizenship. Maybe someday the US will see International students with an “immigrant” intent visa and not as a “non-immigrant” intent visa as it is currently established.
I'm currently 79 years old, I hope I live to see my son become the professional he desires and build the family he wishes to have some day.
Thank you and God Bless America,
Martha
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