Kimberly’s father’s house in Mexico was a very small “tent exterior” structure, she says. He worked most of his young life and never attended high school. Her mother also lived in poverty. They wanted to have a family, but after their own experiences, they felt that Mexico would not give their children a suitable future.
Twenty-two years ago, when their mother was pregnant with her sister, the couple went on a long, tired trekking across the border to the United States. Born in the United States, Kimberly requested anonymity, and her two sisters are now educated American citizens. Their parents remain undocumented. For over 20 years, they were under the radar and were in low-paid jobs that kept America running. Cleaners, childcare and construction underway.
However, Kimberly says her parents are safe for now, but she is worried that she could change at any time. She feels life is “unreal” and “nightmare” as US President Donald Trump began cracking down on illegal immigrants and began carrying out massive deportations after taking office in January.
“I see how Trump handles all this. I think it’s probably not okay,” she told CNN.
“What I’m seeing now is that we’re losing humanity. No one is thinking about it, or no one recognizes you as a person. They just recognize you as an object,” she says. “My parents may not have the paperwork or legal documents to live here, but they are human too. Paper doesn’t make you human.”
Throughout her life, Kimberly says she and her sisters have often imagined our immigrants and customs enforcers knocking on the door and pulling out their families.
“When you’re a kid, you’re in a car and people are pulled and you don’t know where the police cars are coming from, so always look back and see if there’s a police car,” she told CNN.
“My family and I were always on alert to ensure that we didn’t just drive safely, but also looked as normal as possible.”
As a child, she could say she was nervous despite her parents trying to hide it. “It was the most difficult to see how parents responded to the situation, because as parents, you need to look strong and everything is okay so that your child isn’t worried or not worried.
For years, her family lived in the place with other Mexicans, allowing them to support and blend in with each other. Their employers give them the documents to file their taxes, and Kimberly emphasizes that her parents have always contributed to the US economy by paying taxes despite their undocumented status.
When the girl was old enough to be alone for a few hours after school, her mother began two jobs. “We spent about two hours before my mom got home, then my mom cooked dinner and she made sure we were OK before we went to her second shift, and during that time my sister and I did homework and studied,” she said.
“My sister was four or five at the time, so when she asked when her parents were back home, I couldn’t give her a clear answer. She was just going home right away, and she couldn’t ask again and I couldn’t really ask her.
Her parents were thinking about applying for a green card, but they heard that it could take years before they were documented and could be deported during the process.
Today, Kimberly says he is worried that his parents will be cleaned up in an immigrant attack and will be sent to detention facilities or even deported without notice. In such a situation, she says, it is difficult for her to communicate with them and make sure they return safely to Mexico.
“Now, when I see what’s going on with the ice, it’s exactly as I imagined as a child,” Kimberly mentioned our immigration and customs enforcement. “My biggest worry was that everything my parents did for us felt wasted.
But if that happens, she will consider moving to Mexico with them.
“When my parents were thinking about returning to Mexico, when I was young, all my young sisters and I would do was tell them we would cry and we didn’t want to go back to our parents,” she recalls.
Now a university student, she’s prepared to do what she can to take care of her parents no matter what happens. “I’m a chemistry major and I’m about to start my clinical experience, and at some point I hope I can provide the way my parents have offered me.”
“I’m really grateful to have that education and building my skills. So, even if I have to go back to Mexico, I know I’m ready for something. And now I’ve got more confidence here, so I hope that confidence will stay with me.”
