Undocumented Immigrants Share Their Stories
By Michelle Macias

Story Created: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:55 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:55 PM CST

A man living in the U.S. since he was 10 worked under the impression he was a U.S. citizen. He was arrested and found out he was actually living in this country illegally. He was deported.

Four other undocumented families could also be deported, even though their children are U.S. citizens. These parents are pleading to federal officials to let them remain in this country.

Unfortunately for Brian Cadena, there is no hope. Even though he was only 10 years old when he illegally crossed the border with his mom, there is no law that protects him from deportation. And the mothers of U.S. Citizen children are faced with the tough decision to move their very ill children back to their country where they may not survive.

Cadena says he was full of mixed emotions the day he found out he wasn't a citizen of the United States. He never had problems with the law until he got arrested for the first time. He was put behind bars for domestic violence. But his charges were dismissed for insufficient evidence. But, instead of being freed, he was then detained by federal officials because of his immigration status.

[b]“The judge told me I could go home, but then I came to find out ice was holding me so.â€