Thread: "Undocumented" students face uncertain future

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A game of dodgeball last semester in physical education class turned foul when a boy screamed, "Protect the border! Protect the border! Kill those Mexicans!"

Maria Flores, a senior at Urbana High School, said she walked up to him and told him to say it to her face again. Then she slapped him.

"I was so mad I had tears in my eyes," she said.,

Since Maria and her family came to the United States illegally from Mexico City in April 2004, Maria has struggled to be a regular student attending high school. In the fall of 2006, her father was deported when her mother was eight months pregnant with Maria's brother. Maria asked that her parents not be identified.

The 17-year-old wants to go to Parkland College after graduation. How she will pay for her college education, her family does not know. According to them, she will have to work before she can enroll in the fall.

Maria's face shows her dimples when she talks about the things she loves, such as her dreams of being an archaeologist. When she talks about the ruins of the Aztecs and Mayans, her voice fills with pride for Mexico and its culture.

"If you can see one of these ruins, you will fall in love," she said. "They are amazing."

But while most seniors in high school are worrying about graduation and college applications, Maria's future holds too many unanswered questions.

"I don't know if I can go to college or not – there's too many issues," she said. "I know my illegal status is a problem because it's very difficult to go to college without papers. I can get scholarships but not from the government, but I don't know where is the right place or the right person to talk to."

Reo Wilhour, associate director of admissions at Parkland College, said undocumented students can attend Parkland if they meet three requirements under state law.

To be eligible, students must have attended high school for at least three years and graduated. During that time, they must have lived with their parents who worked and lived in the district. The parents must sign an affidavit promising to apply for legal status as soon as they're eligible to do so.

Keith Marshall, an associate provost at the University of Illinois, said undocumented students also can apply to the UI. "University of Illinois does not consider the status of a student, whether they are documented or undocumented aliens," he said. "So they can submit an application like any other student."

A student's legal residence is not factored into the admission process other than in determining in-state or out-of-state tuition, Marshall said.

He thinks so few undocumented students attend universities because they cannot apply for federal student aid, which requires a Social Security number. "It presents a challenge to a lot of people to attend universities without any form of financial aid or inability to work or make money," Marshall added.

Maria has not yet applied to Parkland or for any scholarships. She plans to ask her guidance counselor at Urbana High School, Samuel Furrer, and university students from La Casa Cultural Latina for help.

Because Maria failed a few classes, she took Recapture, an after-school program for students who are not meeting graduation requirements.

After all the make-up work, Maria was able to finish her work and graduate with her class, and with her family watching proudly on May 27.

Though Urbana has seen an influx of elementary-age Spanish speakers, Furrer said he hasn't seen many yet at the high school level. However, Furrer said, the school has had non-native speakers "who don't have great English skills, and they have applied to college, and they have gotten in, and they have done fine."

Waunita Kinoshita, the only English as a Second Language teacher at the high school, had Maria in her class since Maria started at Urbana High. She said Maria was shy and quiet in the beginning but became more confident as she practiced talking with other students.

But Maria feels a barrier between herself and the other students at school who do not know about her family problems at home. "I don't have friends at school," she said. "I talk with everybody and have a lot of conversations, but not friends."

When she first arrived, Maria said she was frustrated because she could not express or defend herself or Mexico when other kids made fun of her or of her native country.

"It's really difficult when you move from one place to another," Maria said. "It's even more difficult when you move from a place to a different country with different language and different people."

One of the biggest shocks was the drop in her grades.

"In Mexico, I was 'smart,'" Maria said, smiling. "Really good student. When I came here (to the United States), all my grades dropped."

One of the few pictures from Mexico that Maria has now is one of her in sixth grade. She and five other classmates are standing tall, each proudly wearing a crisp white and blue uniform. It was a great honor, she said, to participate in this weekly ceremony where the students would gather on the patio and sing a hymn. As the student with the highest test scores, Maria said, she got to hold the Mexican flag.

Her mom, noticing the picture on the table one spring evening, picked it up and looked at it fondly. Maria translated that her mom, who speaks almost no English, said she was always proud of Maria because every time she'd go to talk with Maria's teachers, they would tell her what a good student she was.

Maria finished ninth grade in Mexico and came to the United States with two months of the school year left. After two months of school, she went on summer break and started her sophomore year of high school in the fall of 2004.

Maria said she failed a few classes, such as world history and physical science, in her first full school year in the U.S.

"I didn't understand anything the teacher was saying," she said. "Other students laughed at that. It was not fun. I can't defend or protect myself. I can't do anything. That was really sad because you can't do anything. Not because you can't, but because you don't know how to do it."

Maria also lost her self-confidence.

"I can't feel sure to be in front of the class because I feel embarrassed," Maria said. "It's not the same thing, talking to one person who will be more understanding of my mistakes."

She said in Mexico she loved to sit in front of the class, to speak in front of people in Spanish. In Mexico she had taken a few English classes as a foreign language course.

"Last year in my speech class, I almost cried a few times because I can't express myself," Maria said. "I missed a lot of words and expressions."

Maria's confidence grew when she began to pick up more English from school, television and books.

Now she is the president of the Latin American club at school and participates in marches, such as the one on May 1, rallying for illegal immigrants' rights. She also helps translate for other students. In her pre-algebra class one April morning, Maria explained a math problem to a classmate in Spanish.

Maria is passionate about Mexico and about the current legal debate involving immigrants illegally crossing at the border.

"This country was founded by immigrants," Maria said. "(But Mexicans) are treated like criminals. Maybe the crime is trying to have a better life.

"Some people say (illegal Mexican immigrants) came to this country to take away others' opportunities," she said. "But they don't know us. They don't know about our problems. We came to be free. They don't know we pay taxes but can't get back the money."

As she talked, her big brown eyes reddened.

"There is a lot of discrimination here, and it's hard to live in a culture like that," she said. "That's also why I want to be an archaeologist. Not only because I love it, but because I want people to know where my culture came from."

Maria said she misses Mexico.

"In Mexico, I was free," she said. "I'm not here. I watch everything but I can't go anywhere."

"I have everything around me but I can't get it."

She is worried because she does not know what will happen after high school. She does know that she does not want to be "like everybody else," she said, referring to the other illegal immigrants who work in construction or at factories or restaurants.

Maria saw what it was like inside a U.S. factory in the summer of 2005.

"That changed me. That really moved my heart," she said. "Because I saw how (the factory workers) were working really hard, how our parents are working really hard for us. I saw really old people working there, and I don't want my parents to become like that."

This is Maria's drive to succeed. "Lo que no te mata, te hace mas fuerte," she said, which means, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

Maria knows her future is riddled with difficulties.

One Sunday in April, Maria went to Chicago to buy her prom dress. The following Tuesday, federal police raided a shopping plaza in Little Village, the heart of Chicago's Mexican community.

"I was there," she said. "That could have been me."

Maria said obstacles always seem like the hardest thing at the time, but she believes she'll overcome them.

"Because I know myself," Maria said. "And I know when I want to do something, I don't care what will happen or what I will lose, I will do it."

News-Gazette staff writer Amy F. Reiter contributed to this report.

No, we are the ones with the "uncertain future"

"In Mexico, I was 'smart,'" Maria said, smiling. "Really good student. When I came here (to the United States), all my grades dropped."

Then Go back to Mexico then..

"In Mexico, I was free," she said. "I'm not here. I watch everything but I can't go anywhere."

Same whining...... You are here illegaly in the first place using our tax dollars to go to school. Why don't you go back to Mexico and complaint to your own government? Don't play the typical "poor me" here..The solution is simple: Go back home... Get real

A game of dodgeball last semester in physical education class turned foul when a boy screamed, "Protect the border! Protect the border! Kill those Mexicans!"

Maria Flores, a senior at Urbana High School, said she walked up to him and told him to say it to her face again. Then she slapped him.

I wish that had been my kid she slapped she wouldn't be here telling her little sob story to anyone in the US.

Maria's face shows her dimples when she talks about the things she loves, such as her dreams of being an archaeologist. When she talks about the ruins of the Aztecs and Mayans, her voice fills with pride for Mexico and its culture.

"If you can see one of these ruins, you will fall in love," she said. "They are amazing."

I don't know if I can go to college or not – there's too many issues," she said. "I know my illegal status is a problem because it's very difficult to go to college without papers. I can get scholarships but

Gee so much misplaced pride in a country that treats them like pond scum and could care less if they survive and she expects US to take care of them and provide her with a college education.

When she first arrived, Maria said she was frustrated because she could not express or defend herself or Mexico when other kids made fun of her or of her native country.

"It's really difficult when you move from one place to another," Maria said. "It's even more difficult when you move from a place to a different country with different language and different people."

One of the biggest shocks was the drop in her grades.

"In Mexico, I was 'smart,'" Maria said, smiling. "Really good student. When I came here (to the United States), all my grades dropped."

How twisted is this child's logic? Messyco is inferior in every way in comparison to the US. You would think by now that it would sink in that their false sense of pride is unmerited. I personally would be ashamed if my native country treated me like crap, the president wrote maps to get rid of me and my family, friends and neighbors, and my parents had to smuggle me into a foreign country that doesn't want me either. How sad are these people?

If daddy was deported, why was not the whole family? The anchor hadn't been born yet and the family was all here illegally. There was no reason for them to be left behind.

As for poor Maria not knowing how she will be able to afford college. Well, welcome to America girlie. Most of us, and our kids, don't know where the college money is coming from....especially now.....either.

Here's a thought. Instead of expecting your college education to be FOR FREE, try working and paying for it yourself like most other college students have to do. It shouldn't be hard......as we are all continually reminded by illegals and supporters: They are here to work, not take, and work waaaaay harder than supposedly "lazy Americans".

I'd suggest she get started....college is expensive. Maybe the money being shelled out on prom should've been saved for education, hm?

This just burns me up........everything should just be handed to them with no price tag attached.

This just burns me up........everything should just be handed to them with no price tag attached.

Its amazing isn't it? Instead of demanding freebies in Messyco they risk their lives escaping it yet they are proud of it? Fast forward to the deliberate invasion of the US and wanting to steal everything that our ancestors and the African Americans' ancestors have built on their backs because all the heavy lifting has been done.

Whose lazy?

A game of dodgeball last semester in physical education class turned foul when a boy screamed, "Protect the border! Protect the border! Kill those Mexicans!"

Maria Flores, a senior at Urbana High School, said she walked up to him and told him to say it to her face again. Then she slapped him.

"I was so mad I had tears in my eyes," she said.,

Yep. If that had been my son I would have filed asault and battery charges and she would have been led away in handcuffs.

I think I would have been the one led away in handcuffs and she would be getting up off the ground looking for her teeth, while praying for ICE to show up and deport her.

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

This just burns me up........everything should just be handed to them with no price tag attached.

Its amazing isn't it? Instead of demanding freebies in Messyco they risk their lives escaping it yet they are proud of it? Fast forward to the deliberate invasion of the US and wanting to steal everything that our ancestors and the African Americans' ancestors have built on their backs because all the heavy lifting has been done.

Whose lazy?

That's precisely what it is........we've built it and they want it. And, since they've been programmed for years with "See? See what those Americans have that we don't? That all could've been ours, and would've been ours, but THEY STOLE OUR LAND" they seriously believe they are entitled, that we owe them.

Don't they have Universities in Mexico? Couldn't she apply there? I am sure that they have some fine curriculum in Archaeology in Mexico. In fact I am sure that there are some American students studying the subject in Mexico to be closer to the subject matter.

If she really wants to study the ancient ruins of Mexico, then I can't think of a better place to do it than in Mexico. She won't even need a passport. I am also sure that tuition is much lower there.

Of course all of this stuff is just more BS being shovelled out to the media, and they just gobble it up. This girl and her mom must laugh their heads off at night at the "stupid gringos", "We lie and they believe it. We steal and they give us what we stole. We cheat the system and they change the rules. Don't they know anything?"