Not just a piece of paper: Growing up with undocumented parents in the USA

Not just a piece of paper: Growing up with undocumented parents in the USA

Kimberly's father grew up in Mexico in a very small, tent-like structure. He spent most of his youth working and never attended high school. Her mother also lived in poverty. Although the couple wanted to start a family, they were convinced that Mexico could not offer their children the future they deserved.

The decision to emigrate

Twenty-two years ago, when her mother was pregnant with Kimber's older sister, the couple made a long and tiring journey across the border into the United States. Kimberly, who requests anonymity, was born in the United States and, along with her two sisters, is an educated U.S. citizen. However, her parents continue to live without papers; For more than two decades, they have worked under the radar in low-paying jobs that keep America running — as cleaners, in child care and in construction.

The fear of deportation

Although Kimberly says her parents are safe right now, she worries that could change at any time. Since US President Donald Trump began his hard line against illegal immigration and mass deportations, life has felt “unreal” and “like a nightmare” for her – and she fears losing her parents. "Now that I see how Trump is handling this whole thing, I think maybe it won't end well after all," she told CNN.

"What I see now is that we are losing a piece of humanity. Nobody thinks or sees you as a person, they just see you as a thing," she says. "My parents may not have papers or legal documents to live here, but they are still human... a piece of paper doesn't make you human."

A life in fear

Throughout their lives, Kimberly and her sisters often imagined U.S. immigration officials knocking on doors and pulling families out. "When I was a kid, I remember sitting in the car and constantly looking behind me to see if there were any police cars on the way. There were times when people would get pulled over without knowing where the police cars were coming from," she says.

“My family and I were always on alert to ensure that we not only drove safely, but also looked as normal as possible.” As a child, she could tell her parents were nervous, even though they tried to hide it. "It was the hardest thing to see how my parents reacted to the situation because as a parent you have to appear strong and make your children feel like everything is okay so they don't get scared. But I could see their emotions very clearly."

Hard work and support

Over the years, her family tried to live in areas with other Mexicans to support each other and better integrate. Her parents worked long hours and often came home late. Their employers had given them the paperwork to pay taxes, and Kimberly emphasizes that her parents have always contributed to the U.S. economy despite their undocumented status.

When the girls were old enough to be left alone for a few hours after school, their mother began working two jobs. “We spent maybe two hours before my mom came home, then she cooked dinner and took care of us before going to second shift while we did our homework and studied,” she says.

Concern about the future

Her parents thought about applying for green cards, but heard it could take years and they could be deported during the process - a risk they couldn't take with three young daughters. Today, Kimberly says she worries her parents could be caught in an immigration raid and taken to a detention center - or even deported - without any notice. In such cases, it would be difficult for them to communicate with them and ensure that they arrive in Mexico healthy.

The hope for a better future

“Now that I see what’s happening with ICE, it’s exactly how I imagined it would be as a kid,” Kimberly said. “My biggest worry was that my parents would feel like everything they did for us was in vain, but it wasn't because my sisters and I received a great education.”

However, if it came to that, she would consider moving to Mexico to be with them - a reluctant return after living so much of the American dream her parents had for her. "There were many moments when my parents thought about returning to Mexico. All we, my younger sisters and I, could do was cry and tell our parents that we didn't want to go back," she remembers.

Now, as a college student, she is preparing to do whatever it takes to provide for her parents, no matter what. “I am studying chemistry and am about to start my clinical training… so I hope that one day I will be able to care for my parents the way they did for me.”

"I'm really grateful that I was able to do this training and build my skills. Even if we have to go back to Mexico at some point, I know that I will be prepared for anything and that now I know how to advocate for things and that I was able to build a lot more confidence here and I hope that confidence stays with me."