Growing up as a Korean American, I knew something was different about our family’s sense of belonging. I knew that my family made sacrifices to come to the United States for a better life and education, but there also was a lot that I didn’t know. There was an underlying fear or a sense that whatever secrets my family held were somehow more complex than others. Without a proper understanding or the words to describe our legal status, I knew never to ask my parents for permission to go on out-of-state field trips or any excursions that required taking a flight.
At the time, I didn’t know the impact that being an undocumented immigrant would have on my life.
My parents’ way of making their immigration dream come true was to overstay our tourist visas and find a sponsor for a green card. This was going to be a challenge, yet a worthwhile investment of time and money for them. You see, my parents had heard of many others in the community who came on tourist visas and found sponsorships. The ’80s and ’90s saw many recently-immigrated Korean Americans opening their own businesses, which qualified them to sponsor other Koreans to immigrate. These sponsoring businesses would, in return, receive a handsome amount of money from the families and have a diligent Korean-speaking employee.
This seemed like a feasible plan until September 11, 2001. Never in our lives could we have imagined that tragedy and what it would mean for my family and all undocumented immigrants. Immigration laws became harsher, and the economic challenges slowed down my parents’ plans of obtaining a proper sponsorship. When they finally found a sponsor — a clothing factory in Los Angeles — I had already turned 21 years old.
Turning 21 seems to be a big deal for most people in the U.S. Having reached the legal drinking age, it’s a time of celebration. It is a time when friends and family might take you out clubbing or you have your first legal sip of alcohol. There is a sense of…
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