family values

Let’s imagine you are the only child, living with your parents in a small apartment in a small city. Your parents are from South Korea, but you’re born in the United States. You feel that Korea is a strong part of your cultural foundation and heritage, but you consider the United States your home. Life is normal with the routine of school, play, and family. Then, all of a sudden, your life turns completely upside down.
My parents came to the United States as a young married couple in 1984 to Toledo, Ohio, so they could have a better chance to succeed in all aspects of life. My father attended the University of Toledo. I was born in June 1990. My father graduated from with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Afterwards our family made a visit to South Korea for about 7 months. When my family came back to the United States, my father wanted to study English at a language school in Michigan; however he was redirected back to the University of Toledo for a major in Business Administration. The paperwork was incorrectly filed and my parents received inaccurate legal advice. In 1999 my father received a form from the government to work in the United States. As a result, he figured that now his immigration status was okay. But in reality my dad’s immigration status, as well as my mom’s, became undocumented
Meanwhile, I was growing up and attending school. I never knew or even realized that my parents had issues with their immigration status in the first place. It just never came to my mind, and I never remember asking about it. That all changed on February 14, 2005 (Valentine’s Day) as my mom was picked up from our home by ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) and Toledo Police officers. My mom was held in several different jails all across Michigan. Her health, mentally and physically, started to deteriorate. My dad and I were hurt so much since we could do absolutely nothing to help her. After 6 long months in which it seemed like there was no end in sight. My mom was never granted the right to have a court hearing or placed on bond. My father decided that it was time to go back to South Korea. It was the only way that my mom could get out of jail. On August 11, 2005, my parents voluntarily deported themselves. I stayed behind in the United States because it was the only home I’d ever known, and my parents knew that it would be an immense challenge for me to live in South Korea. I would not be able to survive the rigorous educational system in South Korea as I never really used Korean. At the Detroit Metro Airport, my parents were saying hello to a nation that they had not lived in for 20 years. I stayed behind saying hello to an entire new life without my parents.
I’ve gone on legislative visits, rallies, and written to elected officials for my parents to come back to the United States faster than their ten year bar created by the 1996 immigration laws. Then I did something else that was different from anything else I have done concerning immigration and my parents. Recently I went on a tour called Dreams Across America. The Dreams Across America Tour was a journey where a cross section of 105 American immigrants came together from ten different cities all across the United States and rode on trains to Washington D.C. Each one of those 105 immigrants were messengers who shared personal stories to communicate the need to change our current immigration laws. We met in Washington D.C. to let the public and our elected officials know what our current immigration laws do to families, and how it hurts all Americans-U.S. born, like me, as well as immigrants.
My dream was to bring my parents back to the United States, but I also realized that it can’t be just about my family in this immigration struggle. The Dreams Across America Tour opened my eyes to others people’s immigration struggles, and made me realize that I am not the only person struggling because of current immigration laws. One person I met was Hang Youk, a Korean who came from Houston, Texas. Hang’s family was being sponsored for green cards through his father. On June 2, 2000, Hang’s father was gunned down in a convenience store, and immediately following, Hang’s family received a notification from the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Services) that their request for permanent residency had been denied due to their father’s death. Hang still attends university, but his family’s immigration status is undocumented. Now Hang was on the Dreams Across America Tour to keep the hope alive that his family would not face deportation or discrimination and to tell the true human side of immigration. His story reminded me that our immigration system in place is unjust and needs to be changed. Dreams Across America made me realize that we all need to do our part to continue working together as a whole toward comprehensive immigration reform. It also helped strengthen my ideals to continue fighting for my parents, but also for other immigrants as well.
Our current immigration laws affect all Americans. I am a U.S. born citizen, but I am separated from my family. I am currently doing an internship for NAKASEC (National Korean American Services and Education Consortium) to learn more about immigration reform. After a month here, I will head off to South Korea for one year to be with my family and make up for lost time that we couldn’t spend with each other. I am also leaving behind the friends, school, and life I always knew back in Toledo, Ohio, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I hope that I can still do my part to help push for immigration reform and for me to return to America after that one year in Korea, with my parents by my side.

when i came to the U.S from Mexico all i wanted was to succeed and make a better life for me and my family. When i came to this country i passed hard times looking for work and a place to stay a few months later my wife and my two daughters came, thanks to god they came safe and we were united once again. we had a hard time looking for a place to live and for work. my wife and i both started working in construction while we left our children with babysitters. when my older daughter was 10, my wife was pregnant and we had twins a boy and a girl. today my daughters are both attending school one is going to start her very first year as a freshman in high school and the other is going to 5th grade, and the twins are hopefully going to start pre-school soon, my wife is a house mom and i have a succesfull construction company and i own two houses. the reason im writing this is because i think we should keep families together and because i worked too hard in this country to just let everything go. i dont know what i would do if they seperated me from my children. right now wejust want to be legal here in the united states. we want our family to be succesfull and stay together.

Javier, I am a US Citizen by birth and immigration denied my husband re-entry into this country in August 2006. Now, after one year of struggling with college, my job, and trying to raise 5 children alone, not to mention los que haceres de la casa, I finally get to pick my husband up in August 2007. Emailing my senators and congressmen and telling them that tax payers will pay out of pocket for these children to eat and get medical care, and then the long term effect of losing their father and growing up in a single parent home (which will continually take money out of the tax payers pocket in the form of teenage pregnancy and arrests for drugs, gangs, etc) finally paid off.

My children and I have suffered for a whole year and now they are in therapy for the psychological damage they have suffered because they are unable to comprehend why their father could not come home.
But wait, I get to pick him up at the Consulate, but I have to repay all the fees all over again. So after all the pain and suffering it is still never ending. According to the Consulate, your application is only good for one year, and if one year passes (which happens often because they are understaffed to handle the workload) you have to repay all the fees again. ***SIGH***

I also wanted to post on your forum about the current immigration bill in the hopes to educate you and your members and visitors to your sight.

"The Grand Bargain was incorrectly portrayed by the press as a predominantly pro-immigrant bill. It most decidedly was not. The bill was an assault on due process, judicial review, civil rights, family unity, free enterprise, cultural diversity, etc. The debates surrounding the bill had a disturbing anti-immigrant tone, and I don't mean anti-"illegal" immigrant. Debates on the internet, the radio, the tv and even in Congress frequently danced dangerously into anti-Latino and anti-Muslim territory.

We should all breathe a sigh of relief that this battle ended in a draw. But this is not the end. We can take a moment to rest and then start thinking about how to prepare for the next battle in this political war.

Something important that was revealed in the public debates is the general lack of knowledge and understand on the part of the public and the press on what the facts are. We who understand that immigrants are not evil people to be feared, and we who understand what the law is now need to be focusing on educating the public so that people can make informed decisions. Here's what to do:

1. Educate yourself first. There is a lot of bad information out there. Don't assume that something you heard somewhere is the truth. Get primary sources to back up what you believe to be the facts. By "primary sources", I mean the Immigration and Nationality Act, empirical studies and stories told by immigrants and their families based on first-hand experiences. Ask immigration attorneys, university professors and non-profit agencies for help locating primary sources. Attend lectures and information sessions provided by such people. Warning: news articles are rarely the primary source of information on immigration topics today.

2. Educate the press. Find out which reporters in your local area write the immigration articles. Start sending pleasant, informative letters to them. Make sure the reporters are informed about upcoming lectures and information sessions in your area. If you find a knowlegeable person (maybe college professor) in your area, make sure the reporters get the expert's contact information.

3. Write articles and letters to newspapers. You can't get your letters published if you don't write one. Don't just send one to one newspaper once. You have to keep trying. Keep your letters brief, to the point, and informative.

4. Network with a few like-minded people in your area and hand out flyers outside the polls on election day. When people are on their way to vote they are already thinking about politics and will be more open than usual to reviewing policial literature. There are usually two election days a year: the Primaries and Generals. Election day is always a big day for political movements, regardless of whether any key candidates are running.

5. Blog. Post on forums. Make internet videos. The internet is a powerful tool. Use it.

6. Educate your friends and family. Even if you can't get them to agree with you politically, at least make sure they're informed."

I came to the U.S. in 1995 to seek medical help due to an illness. I lift two kids at home in Guyana.My wife accompanied me here.

Shortly after arriving here I was approched by a congregation in New York with a proposal that in exchange for me working as Yoth Pastor, pastoring the youths in the congregation they would sponsor me to get my Green Card. I accepted and we started the long processof filing. We were denied over and over again to make a long story shot. This did not stop me from serving the congregation. I loved the people and knew this was what I was called to do. I was going to do this no matter what my status was.

It has been over twelve years now, I still have not been able to have my status adjusted, but I am still am serving the people of this great nation, but I miss my kids who are growing up without their parents this is the one regret i have but it has never stoped me from serving the Body of Christ.

The passage of a comprehensive immigration bill would not only help me but alot of other people like me.The one thing I have been able to observe with the current system is that itis broken.I've lived in this country kept out of trouble paid taxes and have been and am continue to serve the people of this country. I work not only to organise community events here in the States but I've been organising overseas outreach activites to my home country and we are planning to not only continue to reach out to the people of Guyana but to other Third World and Underdeveloped countries.

I emplore the elected leaders of the people to do the right thing, pass a bill that would allow the undocumented immigrats a chance to legal status. Seperating families is not what I think the people of this nation wants.Where there are strong families we will have strong communities and thus a strong nation.

Please do what is right pass the bill.

Rev. Miguel

Hola:

Soy originaria de Mexico y he vivido desde hace 7 anos aqui en los Estados Unidos. Cuando
vivia en mi pais jamas imagine que yo tendria que verme "forzada" a emigrar al "Norte" (como
asi decimos en mi tierra). El dia que emprendi mi viaje a "la tierra del sueno americano" mi
alma estaba rota en mil pedazos, de antemano yo sabia que este no era del todo seguro, cuan
do uno cruza la frontera de forma ilegal se corren muchos riesgos y mi mayor temor era que
me fuera a pasar algo malo y entonces mis anhelos de poder ayudar a mi familia hubiesen sido
en vano, pero gracias a Dios estoy aqui. Emigre a la edad de 20 anos porque la situacion de
mi familia durante los ultimos anos no habia sido muy buena: Mi madre ha padecido de un male
star que le crea un dolor en la boca al grado de que ella lloraba de dolor deseando morir,
a veces ha pasado por varios dias sin poder provar bocado y ni siquiera una gota de agua, mi
padre tiene un taller mecanico del cual ya no obtiene ganancias suficientes,mi hermano menor
que como pudo se graduo de nivel bachillerato hace un par de anos, no encontro trabajo pero
se ha dedicado poco a poco a abrirse paso por sus propios medios dedicandose a la venta de
antojitos mexicanos y pues yo...Que al ver que no la hiba hacer sin mas pues me vine a E.U.
Durante estos siete anos he pasado de todo, el no tener trabajo, el no poder dormir nada mas de pensar que al final de mes me fueran a desalojar de mi apartamento por no poder pagar
la renta, el tener que batallar por no tener carro para tratar de llegar a mi lugar de emple
o, el tener que trabajar en dos restaurantes de tiempo completo para poder solventar mis ga
stos, el tener que estar lejos de mi FAMILIA y... Que no daria yo por volver a verlos!
Yo no estoy de acuerdo cuando el AMERICANO dice que venimos a robarles sus empleos, no es justo, ellos no se maltratarian las manos recolectando las frutas y verduras del campo, ni
tampoco se matarian trabajando en un restaurant,en lugares de construccion o haciendo la ya
rda bajo temperaturas elevadisimas. Los latinos inmigrantes somos una gran fuerza laboral
que ha sacado adelante a este pais, no estamos pidiendo que nos mantengan,lo unico que pedi
mos es solo un poco de dignidad, ya no queremos vivir en las sombras, que cada manana cuan
do salimos a trabajar vamos con la sosobra o el temor de que ya no regremos y nos deporten
.Cuantos padres han sido separados de sus hijos?... Acaso a esos ninos no les han violado su
s derechos como ciudadanos americanos que son?... Habemos muchos que estamos esperando una
oportunidad para volver a reencontrarnos con nuestros padres, hijos, hermanos. Creo que ya hemos estado pagando "el sueno americano" a un precio muy elevado, alejandonos de nuestras
familias, haciendo a un lado nuestras costumbres para poder adaptarnos a un estilo totalmen
te diferente de vida y el vernos forzados a tener que desenvolvernos en un diferente idioma.

La fe sigue viva...

Mientras en el Senado el debate acerca de la propuesta de Reforma Migratoria parece haber pasado al archivo del olvido, en medio de la población existe una mezcla de preocupación y de ilusión. Se puede traducir en desconcierto, pero las ganas de informarse saltan a la vista cuando asistimos a los foros de inmigración ‘Siempre Unidos’, que la Asociación Campesina, la Coalición de Inmigrantes y el periódico La Raza Hispana vienen ofreciendo en distintos puntos de Florida Central.
Es loable ver el trabajo del staff de la Asociación Campesina y de los líderes comunitarios como Tirso Moreno, el padre Roberto Morales, la hermana Ann Kendrick, Juan Pablo Chávez y mención aparte para los abogados Charles Conroy John Barry, unos verdaderos paladines de la lucha social, quienes además cumplen esta labor sin la más mínima intención de lucrar con la necesidad de los indocumentados.
Debemos resaltar también la labor de los medios de comunicación hispanos que apoyan sin ningún tipo de restricciones esta causa como lo canales de television Chanel 13 en Español, Azteca América, Univisión, Telemundo, las estaciones radiales La Que Buena, La Ley, Onda Mexicana y Furia Mexicana.
Es que tal como se lo comentaba a Sharon Miranda , Ancla del Chanel 13 en Español y a Alonso García, conductor del programa Viva Orlando, que transmite Azteca América, en esta lucha no me anima más que servir a la comunidad, sin ningún vestigio de querer comercializar con el tema.
Simplemente porque cuando en 1999 llegué a los Estados Unidos, después de muchos años de haber trabajado como periodista en mi país, tuve que realizar distintas actividades en las que se me presentó la oportunidad de aprender de decenas de personas como yo, que emigraron de México, Centroamérica, Sudamérica. Trabajé haciendo labores de jardinería para la empresa ‘Forever Green’ en la que conocí de cerca la realidad de mis hermanos inmigrantes y supe de sus necesidades, de sus ilusiones, de sus tristezas, de sus sueños, de sus temores, sus recuerdos de la tierra añorada, de sus cariños, de sus historias, mientras recorríamos en camiones las calles de Miami, la Ciudad del Sol.
Era gente de rostro curtido por el tiempo, bronceados por el intenso sol, con callos en las manos y quizás en el corazón. Los habían de todas las edades, de todos los colores, hombres y mujeres. Eramos las Naciones Unidas sólo que ropas de obreros.
No fue un tiempo fácil, recuerdo que el calor era agobiante, sudaba mucho y eso me permitia esconder que mientras picaba la tierra lloraba, porque se me venían a la mente la imagen de de mis hijos, al mayor lo dejé de 8 años y al pequeño de 8 meses de nacido. No hubo nada más fuerte que la situación económica de mi país, la que me empujó a tomar la decisión de emigrar en busca de oportunidades. Las cuales agradezco a Dios se me presentaron.
Económicamente no soy un nuevo rico, y estoy lejos de serlo, el Sueño Americano, es aún un sueño para mi, sigo siendo un tipo producto de la clase media , alguien que tiene que trabajar para conseguir el pago de la renta, del auto, mantener a la familia, alguien que tiene que lidiar con las alzas de la canasta básica, de la gasolina, del alquiler de vivienda y la falta de programas de salud accesibles para el bolsillo de quienes comenzamos en estas tierras.
Sin embargo, me siento millonario en el corazón, porque doy rienda suelta a mi vocación de servicio por una causa que la siento mía, es mía, por lo que viví, y porque veo reflejado en cada uno de los padres que son separados de sus familias ese inmenso dolor que es tener a los hijos lejos.
A mis pequeños los volvi a ver después de seis años. El mayor ya era un adolescente de 14 y el menor había cumplido 6 cuando pude sentirlos nuevamente entre mis brazos y gozar del cariño de ellos sin tener que recurrir a la fría tecnología.
Emigré por voluntad propia, pero era necesario hacerlo, no podia permitir que ellos vivieran para siempre una historia de carencias y de inseguridad, por eso me la jugué y tuve que pagar el precio de conformarme verlos crecer oyendo sus voces por teléfono, a través de fotos ó por cámaras de internet.
Ese tiempo es irrecuperable, pero Dios cura heridas y nos da fortaleza para recomponer el camino. Estoy seguro que si juntáramos las lágrimas de todos los inmigrantes haríamos un nuevo océano.
Definitivamente creo en la justicia divina y en la capacidad de raciocinio de los hombres para interponer a sus intereses personales el futuro de 12 milllones de personas que merecen un trato digno, que contribuyen a la economía del país, siendo una notable fuerza laboral, que también aportan valores morales y culturales, como la unión familiar, lazos que en el caso de los latinoamericanos son como una filosofía de vida.
Esto no es izquierda, no es derecha, aunque los políticos lo vean así, no es cuestión de géneros, ni de razas, ni de nacionalidades. La única bandera que debería flamear es el amor al prójimo, tal como nos enseño el más grande de los hombres, y darle un trato de seres humanos a personas como yo, como usted.

-Gerardo Mejía-
Periodista de La Raza Hispana
Orlando,FL

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-