Real Immigrant Stories

The people below are not alone.  Our broken immigration system affect tens of millions of lives every year.  Too often, their stories go untold, please read what they have to say.  Do you have an immigration story that you would like to tell?  Click here to share your story.

Reynaldo DeSilva

Born in Manila in 1953, this is the story of Reynaldo DeSilva.  With a wife and three young daughters, he immigrated to the United States of America in 1986 seeking Political Asylum for his family.  Left fatherless as a young child, he was forced to go to work at the age of seven to help support four younger siblings, while living in conditions that most Americans would consider inhumane.  After living in fear for his family’s welfare for more than a decade, he petitioned for Political Asylum from the United States.  Upon their arrival, he was issued a work permit and a valid Social Security card.  Sheer perseverance and determination kept him working two fulltime minimum wage jobs to support his family.  Even though he held two full time jobs, in the beginning he was forced to move his family into the Salvation Army for several months. He often volunteered what little free time he had to help feed the homeless in their soup kitchen.  Although he had learned to speak English, he was unfamiliar with American terminology.  This caused him to fail the Department of Motor Vehicles written exam seven times. Being a man of high moral ethics he refused to drive the used vehicle he had managed to buy until he had a valid driver’s license, therefore, he continued to walk miles to his jobs. On the eighth attempt he passed the exam and was issued a drivers license.  After the birth of his fourth daughter, his wife abandoned him and their children. Once again, he was forced to bare the burden of sole support for four young children, just as he had done for the beloved siblings he left behind in Manila.  In the following years he held multiple jobs, capitalizing on every opportunity to advance himself while filing and paying his share of Income Taxes. As the children grew older, he attended a two year technical school at night and graduated at the top of his class.  He went on to obtain multiple certifications in the field of commercial maintenance.

In 1999 he met and later married his current wife, an American citizen. Taking over the role of stepfather to her four year old daughter, he now supported seven family members.  High work ethics and personal integrity quickly propelled him through years of solid employment. Now coveted by employers, he obtained his current position as a certified full charge maintenance manager in 2003. Greatly admired and respected by his superiors, the 131 residents he serves at the apartment community where he is employed and his fellow parishioners, he unselfishly offers his assistance to anyone in need and enriches the lives of everyone he meets. As a highly responsible parent, he has put one daughter through nursing school and is currently paying the tuition of another daughters second year of college. He has walked two daughters down the aisle. He is proud to be the loving grandfather of four young grandchildren. In 1990, after living and working in this country for over four years, the Department of Immigration and Naturalization denied his Political Asylum.  He immediately appealed that decision. The appeal was denied in 1994. A second appeal was filed that same year. Although this appeal was subsequently denied in 2001, there was never a deportation order issued and he continued to work under a valid Social Security card.

In November of 2008, with the assistance of a United States Immigration Attorney he attempted to file for his green card.  He and his wife were assured that their nine year marriage would be sufficient to fulfill all legal requirements to obtain the card.  After the United States Immigration Attorney filed the procedural paperwork, an “order of supervision” was put in place by Immigration Officials.  This order required that he report to his local Immigration office in January 2009, March 2009, May 2009 and August 2009.  Promptly reporting to the first three ordered dates, the Department of Immigration recorded the fact that he was reporting as ordered.  During this time, the Attorney advised them that the supervision order could also be appealed and no further contact from Immigration Officials were received by either themselves or the Attorney.  On June 24, 2009 he received a telephone call requesting his presence at the local Immigration office the following day to change dates on his current Immigration paperwork.  As ordered, he and his wife reported to this office the following morning. Upon arrival, he was escorted to another room for what was perceived to be a short meeting.  An Immigration Officer then proceeded to inform his wife that he had been arrested and would be transported to another facility for deportation. In conclusion, this law abiding and well respected husband, father, grandfather and friend of many is now in jail awaiting deportation with little to no recourse.