Aliento Voices: Jael Camacho
My story in this country begins all the way back in September of 2004 when my parents made the decision to cross the border and come into this country. They left everything behind: their lives, family, and friends. When my parents arrived here, we lived in my grandparents small apartment. It wasn’t anything too much, but just enough to keep a roof over our heads. My parents worked day and night to try to give me a comfortable life as well as my grandparents. In the blink of an eye, four years passed and I began to attend Kindergarten without knowing much about my status. I would always say and dream that one day I would graduate from high school and move on to college. Then, in 2009, my grandma unfortunately passed away and it was a very difficult year, especially for my mom and grandpa.
Time went on and everything for me was as usual. Wake up in the morning, go to school, go back home and do homework and spend time with my parents and sleep then repeat. However, in 2011, my parents and grandpa decided to go on a family vacation. We would first be going to Las Vegas because my grandpa wanted to see “las luces” (the lights) then we would head to California. As we were arriving to Las Vegas, a sheriff stopped us and when he did his routine, he asked if my grandpa had papers or a license but because no one had anything, he called ICE.
We were then taken by ICE to detention centers where we would be transferred to 3 different locations. I would come to realize how this system is set up in a way that they would do anything so that immigrants would sign their voluntary departure and be deported. My parents kept saying no and after 3 days, we were transferred to Phoenix where upon arrival we were released. Since that moment I came to realize my immigration status but never did I ever question it because I was still small and also because I believed there was a purpose for it, perhaps something that I would learn from down the road. Things are the way that they are because there is always a purpose for everything.
Then, as time passed by, I would always look back to what happened in 2011 and not fully realize how vital it would play in my future. When I finished 8th Grade, it was time for me to move on and look into my future. Because I was aware of my status, I knew that I had to apply for DACA but unfortunately in 2017, before I turned 15, DACA was rescinded. At that moment everything changed because I didn’t know what I would do without a SSN, work permit, license, and the ability to fly. Factors that would contribute to my ability to go to college if I was to go out of state, which were a better option since Arizona had very limited opportunities.
I came to the conclusion that this was telling me that I would just have to work harder for me to achieve my dreams of going to college. In these last four years, I have learned that the past administration really hated immigrants and didn’t want to do anything for them despite constant talk from the former President that he “was working hard.” Just a bunch of lies. In my first three years of high school I did everything that I could do to get good grades and really just do my best in school if I really wanted to go to college. Then, in my last year I learned about Aliento and this opened my eyes and the opportunity to do something about immigration in this country.
Since 2011 or the last nine years, I have done nothing to contribute in any efforts for an immigration reform to happen because I was scared and afraid to speak about it and also because I was a young boy “parte de la bola.” However, I have learned that Aliento gives individuals just like me the ability and power to speak about it without any fear because Aliento has been more than a community its been a family. And now that the former President is out of office the new President, Joe Biden, has the ability to not only propose an immigration bill but to pass it. And it is an obligation since he ran and promised that he would do something about it. That he has learned from his mistakes and that he wants to make things better. An immgration reform bill that will help all eleven undocumented immigrants in this country come out of the shadows. However, it will come with a price in the Senate since it will need the support of some Republicans.
Jael Camacho on election day!
The road ahead will be challenging but not impossible. All we have to do is take action now rather than later. This would not only help me but my parents as well. They would have the ability to come out of the shadows and be able to obtain a work permit without the fear that after work they would be detained and deported because of their status but that they could come back home safely. It will also give the ability for my parents to potentially buy a new house and maybe even a new car because they will have a SSN and license. Just imagine, if immigrants had the ability to buy houses and cars, this would help the U.S. economy because more people will be able to purchase these things. They will be able to travel and see many of their family members that they haven’t seen for about 17 years. They would also be able to start a retirement plan so that they could start planning on retiring in the distant future.
While for me, I would be able to pursue higher education like a Masters as well as allowing me the opportunity to find work in this country. I would also be able to purchase my first car and house and give back to my parents since they have done so much for me all of these years, now it's time for me to return them back that favor. Before I end, I just want to say that I don’t necessarily have faith in men, especially politicians since they could say and promise all of these things but what I do know is that if we put enough pressure on them something could be passed. I personally believe if something were to be passed in Congress, politicians shouldn’t be applauded but instead it should be activists and immigrant groups just like Aliento and many others that have been in the fight for years. It's not just the time, it's the right thing to do.