Por Jessie Ríos Benitez
Click here for English version
Click here for the documentary MACONI
Gloria Hernández comparte la historia de su hermano Juan Hernández quien fue migrante en Norristown, PA, en el panteón de Maconi, Queretaro. Fotografía por Obed Arango 2023.
El cortometraje del testimonio de Salvador captura las dificultades que enfrentan muchos inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos. Dejando su vida atrás en México, Salvador se fue con la esperanza de una vida mejor. Pero, desafortunadamente, tuvo que enfrentar muchos obstáculos. Cuando entró al país, tuvo que encontrar la manera de seguir adelante. Sin mucho apoyo, llegó a los suburbios de Filadelfia y encontró la manera de trabajar sin saber el idioma. Las personas que conozcan a Salvador, lo describen como un hombre trabajador y confiable. Aunque Salvador trabajo duro para seguir adelante siendo indocumentado, el y su familia enfrentaron muchas obstaculos.
El papá de Salvador fue asaltado antes de entrar al trabajo, y esto dejó un temor para su familia. También el hermano de su cuñada fue asaltado y asesinado. Siendo indocumentado, Salvador recibio su sueldo en efectivo y esto causo un temor de ser asaltado. Desafortunadamente, si fue asaltado y lo robaron. Aunque la experiencia del asalto fue muy traumatizante, Salvador pudo aplicar por la Visa U y recibir una tarjeta de identificación del estado. Al escuchar el testimonio de Salvador, pensé en muchas cosas. Con ser indocumentado, me recordo de la experencia de mis papas y todo lo que tuvieron enfrentar para estar adonde estan hoy. Ser indocumentado en este pais es muy dificil, especialmente si no conoces el idioma y tener una familia que depende de ti. Tienes que dejar a tu familia atrás, y te vas con la posibilidad de no volver a verlos otra vez con la esperanza de encontrar una vida mejor. Pero al ver a Salvador reunirse con su mamá después de tantos años, se llena de muchas emociones, incluyendo alegría y tristeza por el tiempo perdido.
El cortometraje también me recordó de un estudio que hice durante mi tiempo en Carolina del Norte. Contactamos a todos los departamentos de Sheriff en Carolina del Norte para preguntar sobre el proceso de aplicar para la Visa “U”, y si ofrecen información sobre la visa a inmigrantes que calificaba para la visa. De este estudio, aprendimos que muchos departamentos no estaban familiarizados con el proceso de la Visa “U”. La Visa “U” puede ayudar a muchos inmigrantes, pero muchos tienen miedo de hablar con la policía.
A pesar de todo lo que tuvo que enfrentar Salvador, le gusta ayudar a la gente de su comunidad. Personas como Salvador son la razón porque un lugar como CCATE puede tener el impacto que tiene en su comunidad. Inmigrantes pasan por muchos obstáculos, pero sí pueden conectar con otros enfrentando los mismos problemas, pueden encontrar una solución juntos y dejar un impacto en su comunidad.
English Version:
Panteón de Maconi fotografía por Obed Arango, 2023
Reflections about the Documentary: MACONI
The short film of Salvador’s testimony captures the difficulties faced by many immigrants in the United States. Leaving his life behind in Mexico with the hope of a better life, Salvador settled in the Philadelphia suburbs, unaware of the upcoming obstacles inherent in his new life and undocumented status. Without much support and with no knowledge of the language, Salvador sought to find a way to move forward and eventually found a way to work and live despite said barriers, earning him community reverence and common descriptors of “reliable” and “hard-working.” Alas, as hard as Salvador worked to stay afloat as an undocumented worker, this work did not save him and his family from the many obstacles that plague today’s immigrant and undocumented populations within the United States.
Previous family experiences had left Salvador and his family traumatized and in terror of simple existence. From his father’s assault before work to his sister-in-law’s brother’s assault and murder, the fear of assault and discrimination ran high. Certain conditions of the undocumented status also contributed to this danger and unease; in Salvador’s case, seeing as he had to receive his salary in cash, his biggest fear was being assaulted and having this salary robbed from him— a fear that later became reality. This traumatic assault experience, fortunately, revealed a silver lining and allowed Salvador to apply for a U-Visa and receive a state identification card.
As I listened to Salvador’s testimony, I was brought back to my parents’ experience as undocumented individuals and everything they had to face to get to where they are today. Being undocumented in the United States is incredibly difficult, especially if one does not know the spoken language, does not have immediate family and support in the area, and has a family depending on their success in the new country. One must leave their life and family behind and accept the possibility of never seeing them again if it means giving rise to a better life someplace else. Thankfully, in Salvador’s case, he was ultimately reunited with his mother after many years of fighting and working for this “better” life. In a touching moment, Salvador brimmed with feelings of joy, gratitude, and sadness for the years lost, all present at the same time.
Watching the short story also happened to remind me of a study I conducted during my time in North Carolina where we contacted all Sherriff’s departments in the state to ask about the U-Visa process, and if information regarding this visa was routinely offered to qualifying immigrants. From the study, we learned that many departments across the state of North Carolina were not even familiar with the U-Visa process. Said visa can help countless immigration cases, but often goes unmentioned and avoided due to immigrants’ common fear of deportation and persecution when facing the police or governmental departments.
Thankfully, Salvador and other immigrants like him that are brave enough and choose to share their stories are the reason why a place like CCATE can have the impact and power it does within the community. As immigrants face countless obstacles across the country, they instinctually connect with other immigrants through their similar approaches and struggles in existence, ultimately opening doors to different collaborative solutions and leaving a monumental impact on their community.
Jessie Rios Benitez
She is a second-year master’s student in social policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2) at the University of Pennsylvania. During the summer of 2024, he carried out an independent study for CCATE. In addition, Jessie has worked as an intern with Comunidad Colectiva, a grassroots immigrant rights organization based in Charlotte, NC.
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