Carlos came into the United States at 25 hoping for a better life with more stability and economic opportunity. While he is currently a business owner and has been able to build a temporary life, he is haunted by the constant reminder that as an illegal immigrant, he is prevented from forming true permanence.
During his time in the United States, Carlos has become extremely grateful for lifetime insurance, good schools for his kids and more accessible transportation. Seven years ago, he and his wife left their home in South America after they realized that they didn’t see any further opportunities to progress.
“[I] didn’t see a brighter future, other than the same culture repeating itself over and over again,” he said.
Carlos struggled at first in the U.S. due to the communication barriers presented by his lack of English fluency, but he now feels that he and his family have learned to co-exist in the United States. While he is more comfortable than he was upon first arriving, Carlos still lives with the fear of being deported every single day.
“I am very scared to be deported because of my kids, not because of my own soul,” Carlos said. “Because my kids and my wife have learned to be here and have a good life here, they don’t know anything else.”
Being undocumented, he struggles most with the reality that he can’t make long, concrete plans, never knowing how promising his future will be. While he has been able to involve himself in the community and establish himself economically as a business owner, he laments the fact that he can’t pursue any long-term aspirations.
Carlos’s fears have been heightened as a result of a close friend’s encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Weeks ago, his friend had a scheduled court appeal regarding his work visa in which he received a year extension to come back to court and see the judge again in the fall of 2026. Relieved that he was given a year extension, he stepped out of court with papers in his hand and was immediately detained by ICE officers waiting for him outside of the court. His friend was incarcerated and still is today.
Carlos, an illegal immigrant himself, understands that there are criminals who are immigrants that should be dealt with in order to strive for a better system in the U.S. However, he feels it’s unfair that enforcement has also been geared against illegals genuinely involved in the community and contributing to the American economy. Carlos believes that people need to have a more comprehensive understanding of the immigrant community.
“Us immigrants, we are part of the engine of the country,” he said. He believes that the immigrant community, especially a good amount of the lower income crowd, contribute to the economy and help push it forward.
Despite the fact that he isn’t here legally, he has opened a company, paid all his personal and company taxes and forged his own path in the community for the last seven years.
Carlos does not deny the frightening reality of his life, but he holds firm to the belief that undocumented business owners like himself help move the system forward, creating jobs for people no matter their skin color or immigration status.
