Ena Vizcaino-Perez
Immigration is a top issue in the national political arena, therefore, its effects are felt locally in Hillsborough County. There is great ignorance in this country about the process of immigration and how it fits into the local environment. Unless this ignorance is broken down and members of our community gain knowledge about these procedures, neighbors throughout the Tampa Bay area will not truly understand each other. I’m here to teach a few things about how immigration works in the United States, by narrating my story as an immigrant.
This story begins in my native country, Colombia, where my family and I endured numerous difficulties that centered on finances. My grandparents migrated to the United States long before I was born, so they filed immigration paperwork for their children to come too. Our immigration paperwork was filed during the summer of 1995 and that same process finished successfully in the fall of 2005. After 10 years’ worth of waitlists and fees to pay per person, our immigration visas were approved and we were finally on our way to pursue the American dream. It seemed that the most difficult part was over, but the biggest difficulty was about to come.
My dad, my sisters and I arrived in Miami on January 22, 2006, with 4 suitcases and zero money. I was enrolled in school and started my classes. While attending school, I met other kids who were also immigrants –mostly Cubans, who speak with a different slang. I did not feel in place. Besides, I was also trying to learn a new language and assimilate into American culture. Bullying was a part of my daily adaptation process. I graduated from high school and enrolled in Hillsborough Community College. After completing my Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts, I transferred to the University of South Florida and graduated with my first bachelors in international relations.
My dad was the only parent in the U.S. Since our arrival, he always worked in immigrant-dominated jobs, like warehouse worker, janitor/custodian, and housekeeping. These jobs pay at minimum wage. Although he put in great effort to learn English, it is not at a level where he is able to obtain better-paying jobs. Since there was a great financial hardship, my dad applied for government assistance and food stamps, but he was denied due to his ‘resident status’ or because he was a green card holder. My older sister learned English very well and because of that, she was able to get better-paying jobs than my dad. For that reason, a lot of the financial responsibilities laid on her, making her work full time during the day and go to college at night. This did not leave her with much time to enjoy the pleasures of college life.
After five years of living in the U.S as residents, we finally qualified to become U.S. citizens. My dad, older sister and I filed paperwork for U.S. citizenship. My little sister was still a minor, so her process went along after my dad became a citizen. With citizenship status, I started to see a difference in the things we were able to obtain. For example, I was able to get public healthcare insurance, which I was previously denied due to my ‘resident status.’ I was able to apply to different internships that are only for U.S. citizens, and most importantly, we were able to vote.
Our current situation is not perfect, but progress can be felt. There is still a long road to fix immigration, but I hope that with my story, I can bring knowledge about the process and the struggles that immigrants endure.