Dear Angy,
I am an 18 year old living in New Jersey. With Christie as our governor, there is no way the Dream Act is going to pass. I go off to college in less than a year, and I am really worried as to the limitations on my opportunities. For one, what do I label myself when filling out an application? I have an expired visa but I don’t have a social security number. And my family and I do file for taxes each year, and I have a job at Staples. That confuses me even more. Does having a social security number secure me?
Thank you! -Jen

Jen,
Thank you for your email, being brave and open about such a confusing issue.
I don’t know if the way things are in New York is the same in New Jersey, here, if you have an expired visa there are more chances of getting into private universities. When applying I believe you are labeled as the visa which you came into the country with even if it’s expired.

Don’t forget to be open with the administrators and staff in school about your situation. Many times they’ll offer more help and find ways of getting you into the school of your choice at a smaller or no cost. Don’t be shy to say you’re undocumented. As confusing as it may be for you it is hard for them too, staff many times are not properly prepared when it comes to having undocumented students. I know being undocumented and stating it is scary but if you don’t ask for help it is difficult to know that you need it in the first place.

Start creating a folder or file with all those important documents like your parents taxes, your IDs, passport etc so when you meet with school staff or any other administrators it’s not a hassle and you’re forced to make two or three trips. These school visits can be pretty annoying. It’ll be less stressful if you have everything at hand.

Having a job or an expired visa doesn’t take away from the fact that you are still undocumented. Being undocumented, regardless of how you came into the United States or what you’re doing now, still puts you at risk. I know many folks talk about being privileged or advantaged because some youth have jobs or came with visas but at the end of the day we are still undocumented, we can still be deported, we are still limited, confused and excluded.

Finally, I don’t really believe a social security number makes anyone ‘safe’. Many documented people are still being discriminated against and harassed even though they have papers. There are records of citizens being wrongly detained under secure communities and other similar programs. Having a social may secure you a job; however, documented people can still be fired or denied from jobs, be rejected from schools and even be homeless. Many United States citizens can be wrongly deported as well. Having a social security number doesn’t take deportation away especially in a mixed status household. For example, my siblings are citizens and they fear that our family can be separated because of deportation; even though they are documented, deportation is still an issue. Finally, many documented youth are being denied opportunities because their parents are undocumented. As you can see our immigration system is so flawed and administrators are racist and stereotypical that everyone is getting screwed over regardless of immigration status. These are things we want to highlight as proof that we need real change, and we need it now.

Jen, I understand that navigating this system can be stressful, annoying and confusing but it can be done. We just need to be patient and resourceful. When one door shuts another one opens, and if it doesn’t then we create the exit. Don’t stress out too much and take it one day at a time. Putting all your hope and resources into the Dream Act, federal or state level, can have an emotional toll on anyone. Don’t sit around waiting for it to pass because honestly we don’t know if it ever will pass. Yes, we can advocate and push for it but we also need to live our lives and not stay stuck in one place waiting for one bill. I know this may sound harsh but the Dream Act isn’t the only way out and we have seen this in 2011 with the rise of many state bills. Hang in there! and feel free to email me if anything.

Best,
Angy

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