One valley graduate opens up about his journey as an undocumented student
Born in Michoacan, Mexico, Samuel Martinez and his family emigrated to the United States when he was only 1-1/2 years old.
“They wanted a better life ’cause it’s hard over there in Mexico,” Martinez said.
It’s a dream Martinez’s family shares with more than 11 million other undocumented people living in the United States.
Martinez and his family settled in Mecca in 2001. Both his parents work blue collar jobs, and had little to no educational opportunities in Mexico, which is why Martinez’s parents value the power of education and push him to excel in school.
Martinez recently applied for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was immediately threatened after President Donald Trump was elected into office in November, but Trump has promised to keep the DACA program active. Regardless, many immigrant families, like Martinez’s fear their rights will be revoked.
Other 17-year-olds are thinking about their social media. I’m thinking, ‘Hopefully my parents don’t get caught today cause then they’ll get deported and hopefully I don’t get deported’,” Martinez said.
Luz Gallegos, community coordinator for TODEC, an immigration legal center in Coachella, says after the presidential campaign school attendance and DACA applications dropped in Riverside County.
Martinez is the first in his family to graduate from high school and will be attending college in the fall, but still, the path to citizenship is narrow.
“I continue hearing people say why don’t you go through the system, there is no system unless you have somebody petition you like your wife, husband, child, brother, or sister,” Martinez said. “There are so many things that could be done but if you don’t have those or even if you do, you might not qualify.”
Meanwhile, Martinez is working to inspire others to aim for higher education and make his parents proud.
“I know there are a lot of people who don’t want to continue college because they’re scared they are going to get deported and I want to show them you can continue your education and live a better life.”
