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US immigration reform: Two Young DREAMers

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In 2011, the coming out of two undocumented Filipino migrants received public attention. Their disclosures have had an impact on the current political debate in the United States on immigration reform. These are the stories of two “Joses.”

Jose 1

At the age of 12, Jose used a fraudulent traveling document to enter  the US. He was able to attend US schools and graduated on top of his class.

Jose was forced to live a life of lies and deceit after he discovered that he was “undocumented” at the age of 16. He concealed his immigration status and instead made a decision to study and work hard. He became a journalist and was part of the team of the Washington Post that won a Pulitzer Prize. His belief then was that if he  achieved enough, he would be rewarded with a pathway to US citizenship.

On June 22, 2011, in an article he wrote for New York Times, he came out and admitted he was undocumented. He said that he was done running and was exhausted. He advocated the passage of a bill that would help individuals who are similarly situated. He still remains in the US Department of Homeland Security has issued no deportation order against him .

Jose 2

The case of Jose 2 is distinct in many ways. He arrived in the US with his parents when he was 15 years old. He entered with a valid visa. His parents filed an application for political asylum and were able to obtain employment authorization. Jose attended US schools and completed a bachelors degree. He was able to get a job as a “dental assistant.”

The family’s application for political asylum was eventually denied by the immigration service on the ground that his family had not met the requirements that would constitute “persecution.” His parents returned voluntarily for the Philippines. But young Jose stayed on in the US.

Unlike the first story, this second Jose tried to keep a very low profile. His US employer filed a petition for him to be able to get a visa and this petition was approved. But current immigration law still does not allow him legal status. His appeal was dismissed and he was ordered to leave last November 2011. After much lobbying from friends and supporters of immigration reform, the Department of Homeland Security extended his stay in the US for another year.

The DREAMers

The two Joses are the real life stories of Jose Antonio Vargas and Jose Librojo. They spent most of their growing years in the US and have promising careers. They are DREAMers, children who were brought to the US when they were young and whose decision to migrate were not their own. They are  being penalized by law for decisions or mistakes made by their parents.

Unless the Development, Relief, Education for Alien Minors  (DREAM) Act is passed into law, thousands of individuals who are similarly situated will face the same predicament.

This New Year, I remain hopeful that somehow a resolution to undocumented children will be adopted. The cases of the two Joses are stories of courage. Their coming out of the dark enlightens many of us about the realities being faced by young and talented individuals whose dreams are shattered because of a dysfunctional system. There is a glimmer of hope that this will change.  Happy New Year to all!

(Tancinco may be reached at law@tancinco.com or at 887 7177 or 721 1963)

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Tags: Immigration , Jose Antonio Vargas , Jose Librojo , US

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  • Anonymous

    Working in America Sucks!  If you are now earning P25K, don’t ever attempt to come to the U.S. A Lot (meaning majority) of Filipinos here  work 2 jobs coz it’s not enough for them to survive… I’d rather have a small business in RP and have full control of my Life… 50 million Americans are now living in poverty.

    • roy

      Working in the Phils Sucks! Kong totoo na nasa US ka ang swerte mo naman. cgoro nakapunta ka lang dyan dahil penetisyonan ka lang at hindi ka nagmigrate dahil sa skills at profesyon mo. hindi mo ba alam gaano kahirap pagpunta dyan! hindi mo ba alam millions of visa are queeing in american embassy around the world waiting for approval. dito ako ngayun sa middle east ang hirap kahit ilang taon pa kami dito hindi maging permanet resident/citizen kasi racist/discrimation ang bansa na ito. kapatid ko sa pinas dating electrical engr sa napocor sahod nya 40,000/month pero umalis nasa canada na sila ngayun pati pamilya nya. Kong sa pinas ka magtrabaho/negosyo pagkatapos magaral ng mga anak mo magbroad din sila yan ang iisipin mo. ito ang tandaan mo na kahit mas mayaman na bansa kagaya ng taga hongkong,poland,italy,malaysia,japan,singapore,south korea, etc.. ay pumunta parin sila sa USA,CANADA,AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND,UK

  • Dave Francis

    President Obama has persistently promised that his aim is to pass any form of
    Amnesty, and that he is accomplishing this without the consent of Congress. It
    is obvious that this has been approved for the abundant votes for President
    Obama’s reelection, as this will accommodate all those here illegally and
    favorable to families with roots here. I just want to know how the Obama
    administration is going to add $2.6 Trillion dollars to arrange this covert amnesty,
    since Robert Rector of the prestigious Heritage Foundation has reported.  For decades now the majority of Americans have
    been blatantly clear, that they don’t want any amnesty and just to follow the
    law. Not only is this a key issue–but in a Rasmussen national telephone survey
    released in November  shows that 65 percent of voters oppose birth-right
    citizenship, for babies of illegal alien mothers.

    Of course now we have to depend on the new presidential candidates, to rescind
    any laws that are inherently not constitutional? We have already seen the court-forced
    appropriations of taxpayers’ money to support not only the 20 million illegal
    aliens who have arrived here and stayed, but the most deplorable judicial
    response to the 14th amendment. It’s clear that Americans are angry at having
    to pay for the smuggled babies of illegal alien mothers. These Individuals have
    violated our laws to enter the United States and in thousands of cases intentionally
    becoming pregnant, so they have a chance to override the citizenship law and
    able to stay. Once pregnant, illegal females are usually not applicable for
    deportation, so then they can take full advantage of the child’s right to
    citizenship. Owing to the massive expenditures to county and municipal
    hospitals, each year over 300–to 450.000 illegal alien mother or parent can
    ride the child’s welfare, food stamps, low income housing. That only
    ‘Birthright Citizenship Bill’ (H.R.140) can rescind this judicial misinterpreted
    assessment piece in the 14th Amendment.

    Along with ‘Legal Workforce Act,’ (H.R. 2885) or publicly known better as
    Mandatory E-Verify, we can begin to arrest and eventually halt illegal
    immigration. If our incoherent lawmakers introduce the Lamar Smith bill in the
    House, then aliens now working illegally throughout the United States will be
    unable to find work. The core problem is that businesses have ignored these laws,
    because they were able to strongly influence Congress. But with H.R.2885 passed
    in Washington, these company owners will be facing harsh penalties, including
    prison. There is relevant information for you to read at the pro-sovereignty and
    limited legal immigration at NumbersUSA web-pages.

    The liberal press and open border opponents have in desperation tried hard to asphyxiate
    these mentioned laws, explicitly Mandatory E-Verify. This is predominant policy
    of the Left wing in the Democrat party who has been incessantly pressing to
    stifle the TEA PARTY. They cannot comprehend that tens of millions of people
    are joining the TEA PARTY or that the TEA PARTY is succeeding in its
    recruitment of uncountable numbers of ordinary voters. Thousands of citizens
    and legal residents of all nationalities have been greeted and are now paralyzing
    the ‘Pro Quid pro’, or simple put “favor for a favor”; what has always been the
    established way of corruption in Congress. The TEA PARTY is ‘everybody’ in America,
    which is an every racial mix and not just white people? Although special interests
    have rotted away at our politician’s sense of integrity, a new hierarchy of
    earnest TEA PARTY leaders is overhauling the House, with their honest tenancy. Long
    term career politicians have seen the writing on the wall and packing their bags,
    already assured of a new job at the distasteful K street lobbyist Den. The
    legislator  favor-buyers have already
    made millions from their special privileges, but the door is closing and a new ‘hopefully’
    honest tier of fresh faces are in the Senate and House, by the behest of the peoples
    vote.

    Everybody is complaining about both parties in Washington, but are hesitant to
    find a few minutes to contact their Senators or Congress persons at 202-224-3121,
    demanding their lawmakers vote for both federal mandatory E-Verify and amending
    the ‘Birthright Citizenship’ Bill. These two laws must find passage before the offset
    of the 2012 election. Once enacted into law a massive exodus will commence, as
    illegal aliens and family members will return to their country of origin. The average
    American does not seem to understand they have all the power in their VOTE?
    They remain unconvinced that their angry voice can change the insidious direction
    we are facing in a Socialist inspired future, evident of this engorged current
    government who are changing the ‘Rule of Law’.

     

    To ALL CITIZENS! BE WARNED! ILLEGAL ALIENS DO VOTE AND WILL
    DO IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS.

    • Anonymous

      hahahahahahaha. this is effing hilarious.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ISXEO7Q5XWZP5OXBC7DNZ6PDDA joshua

    White americans are feeling threatened by minorities, this is the reason why they don’t want easier granting of immigrants. They wanted to maintain a ” slavery ” like wage for illegal immigrants and deport them as they wish..cheap illegal laborers are better than unionized laborers.

    • roy

      yan ang opinyon mo. Mas mabuti pa ang mga White. kasi pag  sa aseans/arabs boss liit magpasahod at may mga maid pa. Sa pinas panay rally sa US embassy ang mga aktibista pero hindi nagrarally sila sa aseans/arab/chinese embassies na liit magpasahod at ginawang slave ang mga empleyado at wlang benespiyo. sabihin nalang natin ang mga chinoy companies sa pinas yan. pero sa mga american companies kagaya ng Lexmark,Lear,Fairchild,texas instrument na mas mataas magpasahod at magandang benepisyo pa..kaya hindi tayo aasinso kasi may ugali tayong kastila. crab mentality,inggitira,tsismoso kahit mali ayaw aminin.

      • Anonymous

        “kaya hindi tayo aasinso kasi may ugali tayong kastila. crab mentality,inggitira,tsismoso kahit mali ayaw aminin”

        Ugaling Kastila is not the cause of being in poverty, you are misguided and would only want to point a finger away from the source of the problem.Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, these all has ugaling-kastila and it is more evident that Spanish-traits is being practiced until today. And yet, they are much better than us.
        The real cause is ‘us Filipinos’.
        We complain more instead of ’riding the waves’ and acting for the better.
        We point a finger instead of admitting and correcting the defect.
        We cling to a position and practice denials instead of showing remorse and delicadeza. 
        We always find excuses for our faults and shortcomings (hindi ako magwawagi sa ganyang pagsubok kasi mahirap lang ako eh; dito pa rin kami sa minahan ng ginto kahit nag landslide na kasi wala na kaming ibang mapagkukunan ng ikabubuhay eh; okay lang na pumunta sa bansang magulo kasi triple naman ang bayad eh; huwag ka ng mag-aral babae ka, kasi mag-aasawa ka rin lang naman ng maaga eh; huwag kang umangal na mambabae ako, kasi lalaki naman ako eh, atbp.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t allow yourself to be treated “unfairly”! Don’t be an illegal alien!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ISXEO7Q5XWZP5OXBC7DNZ6PDDA joshua

    If one is a white person from australia, New zealand or UK, one gets almost an automatic investor’s visa for just as little as 5,000 USD, but not other colored person, this is how ” fair ” they call thmeselves.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t allow yourself to be treated “unfairly”!  Don’t be an illegal alien!

  • Anonymous

    You called this “dysfunctional system” poor you.

    Law is Law.

  • Anonymous

    Great piece. I wish them the best of luck with their endeavors. Don’t ever give up!

    • Anonymous

      Art, I take a contrary position when it comes to lawbreakers.  I wish them nothing but bad luck when they try to take advantage of you or anyone else.

      • Anonymous

        Well, you’re obviously not Christian or religious then. But I don’t feel taken advantaged of and I’m sure many others don’t. The future will let us know who’s right and who’s wrong.

      • Anonymous

        Art, you are obviously not a Christian or you would be more familiar with the 10 Commandments:
        Thou shalt not steal
        Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
        Illegal aliens violate both of these – apparently with your approval.

  • Anonymous

    What’s got religion or being a Christian got to do with this article? Christianity condoles breaking the law? as basic immigration law? What I know of Christianity is keeping in-line of the law of the land: “Give unto Ceasar’s what is Ceasar’s…”
    I implore, please do not cite your religion for secular views. Much better, cite human rights and civilized reasoning, not religious.

  • http://twitter.com/tacodeque uiac.elpaso@yahoo

    This is a great story.  There are many others like the Jose’s.  I wish them the best of luck and hope they find the correct guidance and assistance they need for there immigration matters.  Legally the two young gentleman were dealt with by the law correctly.  US Immigration Law has only one interpretation.  Weather it be accepted by others or not, the law is written.  In my professional opinion I believe that DREAM Act would benefit our country, and contribute to the “present” illegal immigrant population. History shows us that “EDUCATION” is the avenue that contributes to progress in any civilization. 

    Jorge Zamaripa
    Director
    Unidad Immigrant Advocacy Center
    former U.S. Immigration Inspector /Department of Justice

    • Anonymous

      Jorge, your “professional opinion” is biased in favor of the illegal alien.  The dream act puts illegal aliens in the college seats that should be occupied by American citizens, legal immigrants or legal foreign exchange students.  This is definitely NOT civilized behavior. 
      There is no justification for someone who claims to be a “former U.S. Immigration Inspector /Department of Justice” to discriminate against those who abide by the law in order to provide preferential treatment to law-breakers.
      Note:  The United States is not the only country that offers education.  Illegal aliens can aquire education in their own countries.

      • http://twitter.com/tacodeque uiac.elpaso@yahoo

        Abused Citizen,  Your “Abused Opinion” is a burden that can be resolved.  Pick up a fact’s book, and ask yourself why the Department of State and US Embassy would issue out visas to fill those seats in our nation’s schools. 

        Really, your claim against children should be reconsidered.  In the education field where I “Make a Difference” we reflect on the performance of the student and welcome anyone foreign or native.  In the future your threat of deportation against immigrants will be considered racism.  And racism is a crime. In the future you could be identified as “Abused Criminal”.

        Albert Einstein, would love to share his “professional foreign opinion” with you.  Maybe the topic could be ignorance.

        My offer stands.  One free consultation.

        Take Care,

        Jorge Zamarripa
        Director
        Unidad Immigrant Advocacy Center
        915.239.1681

      • Anonymous

        Jorge, 
        Thank you for demonstrating the reason I selected “Abused Citizen”.  It is exactly because arrogant American government officials, such as you represented yourself to be,  abuse citizens with irrational logic such as that you have so eloquently displayed. 

        The reason foreign students are granted visas to study in the United States is so that they can take their aquired knowledge, return home and use it to make their countries better places for themselves and their fellow citizens.  I support this because these people are honorable, respect America, American law and Americans.  Colleges and Universities like these students because they pay higher tuition than Americans or legal immigrants.

        The reasons legal immigrants study in America is because they are honorable people who have made a decision to legally immigrate to the United States.  I support these people’s aspirations because they have, by their actions, demonstrated respect for America, American law and Americans.

        However, illegal aliens have demonstrated by their actions that they are dishonorable, despise American citizens and just wish to steal whatever they can from whoever they can with no regard for the legal immigrants, foreign exchange students or American citizens who suffer as a result.

        No where in any of my post was there any mention of race.  Typically, those who raise this issue believe that they have no logical or rational argument with which to defend their position.  Consequently, they make false accusations of “racism” in the desperate hope that they can intimate people.  You fit this profile.

        When it comes down to who will be judged guilty of a crime, it will not be me for your trumped up charge of racism.  It will be YOU for being a traitor to the United States and it’s citizens.

        By the way, I appreciate your offer of a free consultation.  However, for the value that would be received, your services are grossly over priced!

  • Anonymous

    The immigration officials should decide and make the cases of these two Joses legal. They are not burden to the tax payers of this country (US). They should realize that many illegal aliens in the US are receiving benefits and are being protected, that’s a big joke.  

  • roy

    sa trabaho ko may mga kasama akong taga el salvador, chile at spain yun ang sabi nila exactly the same ang ugali natin sa kanila. at sabi nila kaya mahirap din sila at malaki ang gap sa mayaman at mahirap. may mga maid at liit magpashod ang boss. Totoo naman ang mga sinasabi nila. Kaya lahat ng may kultura na kastila are all craps&corrupts! Lahat ng mga sinasabi mo sa ay yan ang ugali ng mga kastila. dapat ibinta nalang ang pinas at wag sa mga kastila at dun sa mga US/Australia/Canada/UK//New zealand



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