America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.

- President James Madison

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.

Anonymous - Washington, DC

How many hoops do we have to jump through? You don't know in how many ways you can fail to stay legal in the US nowadays until you take a look at how many hoops I have jumped through and still failed to keep a legal status in the end... Read More

Marc Brands - Wheeling, WV

...During my career at Carnegie Mellon University I decided I should apply for permanent residency...Only at that point I realized enormous bureaucratic hurdles that had to be cleared.

....As got off the plane in Phoenix I received the news that the DOS revoked their initial July posting and made all immigrant visas unavailable and that the USICS would reject any applicant's application...I was devastated, angry and almost in tears. The DOS incorrectly estimated the demand of immigrant visas and thus had published this unprecedented movement in the July Visa Bulletin but then revoked their decision.

...My situation is just one story of millions, literally. I can not think of any immigrant that I know personally that does not have some sort of horror story of their own...

Anonymous - Eden Prairie, MN

...Then after one week I just calculated how much money and effort I had spent for last 2 to 3 weeks.

Lawyer fees to file AOS, EAD and AP for myself and my wife - $3600
Medical Exam - $375
Photo - $90
Fedex Air Express - $90 (3 times we have to send the details to lawyer)
Copier and other services - $20
I took off on 2 days - 16 hrs of work(16*45) - 720
Taxi(my wife has to travel to get some of the paper work) - $175
USCIS filing fee - $1300 (which they may or may not return)

So a total of $6280 which I had spent for this because of this July visa bulletin...

Anonymous - Anaheim, CA

My parents came to the U.S. illegally to pay off their debts in our country. They divorced and my mom married an American three years ago. He helped me to to support paperwork to U.S as an international student and my mom sponsored my green card. I got approved, but have to wait for at least eight years to get one! I have been here for three years now. I am living with my father who has no way how to obtain legal documentation. We have to lie on daily basis to be able to support ourselves, earn some money, and pay for my nonresident tuition...

Anthony & Vanessa Mansfield - Davenport, FL

We sent our applications for AOS on July 2nd and the applications arrived the following morning. We had no idea about the revised bulletin until several days later! We have been on J1 visas (not subject to HRR) since August 2004 and they expire on Sep 9. We tried for H1B but the cap was met on the 1st day. We are high school math teachers and make a significant difference to the lives of the students we teach. When the July bulletin was released in June we dismissed other visa options as we believed we were able to file AOS...

Anonymous - Washington, DC

I came in the US as a minor with my mother. I graduated in the top 10 of my class and was offered full scholarship to the top schools but I couldn't go because of my status. I am now married to an Army soldier. We've been married for 3 years and have a child together but I'm still in deportation. I support my husband 100% and I love this country. My son is US citizen and there's no way his father is letting me take him to Africa. I want to be able to go to college and give my son a chance in this country as well.

Aaron Yaw - Maybelvale, AR

My name is Aaron Yaw and I am writing to you in regards of the immigration bill that is in congress and about my family. I am a United States citizen by birth, my wife is a Mexican citizen, two of our kids are United States citizen’s by birth, and our new born is a Mexican citizen by birth. My family is currently going through the immigration process and we have been for three and a half years now. I have been separated from my wife and children for one year and two months now... Read More

Luciana Botello - Phoenix, AZ

My story is simply this one, just because im not a citizen or resident i did not have a chance to get a scholarship that i was offer for college. I was really disappointed because i work and studied just as hard as a resident or a student that was born here. It's not fair that just because i was not born here takes my chances of getting the same chances.

Anonymous - Buford, GA

I am a U.S. citizen. My stepson, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, has just completed high school with a 3.0 average. He wants to attend college... Read More

Anonymous - Florida

I have been sponsored by my US Citizen Sister in 2001, and I have to wait 12!!! Years to get my visa... Read More

Anonymous - Georgia

My husband came to America almost twenty years ago as an 18 year old with the idea he would make more than enough money to send home to take care of his ailing mother and his older sister... Read More

Anonymous - Nevada

My husband was deported 5 years ago... Read More

Anonymous - New Hampshire

I am illegal here ( overstays ). I had college diploma from Sydney, Australia. First time I came here just for holiday, but I met friends and one of them I married... Read More

Anonymous - Ohio

Hi am a 19 year old female who is in the U.S. illegally. I have been here for 14 years, I was brought here by my aunt... Read More

Maria - Phoenix, AZ

My mom met my dad here in the United States, they lived together for a while, then my mom got pregnant with me... Read More

Anonymous

At my wedding I made a promise to my husband, before God, our priest and the entirety of our family and friends, declaring that the only force strong enough to separate us would be death. It is now six months later, and I have learned that even Death is no match for the U.S. immigration system.... Read More

Melany Hansen - Oakton, VA

I have 4 children, two of which are adopted from Guatemala. I was introduced to a young woman and I'd like to share her story with you and ask for your advice to her...Read More

Kavi - San Jose, CA

The Immigration system is so broken here - that people like my husband, who is still on an H1-B visa after 8 years of having worked in the United States, spend tens of thousands of dollars trying to obtain a Green card and then several H1-B extensions... Read More

Kanwaldeep Arneja - North Billerica, MA

I came to US in 2003. I have struggled, worked my way up in the company, played by the rules and have given my best to assimilate in this country. Out of many countries I could immigrate to, I chose US for many reasons. But the top reason was its warmth towards immigrants and its genuine promise that if you work hard, there are opportunities and then no limits... Read More

Anonymous

...Mrs. K who has no criminal history, remains in Romania to this day with the couple's young daughter separated from Mr. K and her son. The couple has no recourse for bringing Mrs. K to the United States to rejoin her husband and son... Read More