Courtesy photo
Steven Taborda speaking about his mother’s deportation and his father taking sanctuary during a news conference in August.
COMMENTARY: Before May 9, 2017, I was 15 years old and my family was living in harmony. Everything was going well. However, around 8 a.m. on May 9, everything changed.
I was attending a physical therapy session at Mountain View Hospital in Las Cruces. When my therapy session finished, I received terrible news: both my brother and mother were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). My life has not been the same since.
When my dad told me about my mom and brother, he was shaking. He was unable to speak properly. He was giving me all his belongings such as credit cards, money and things he’s had for years, things that were very important to him. As a 15-year-old, my dad giving me all his belongings felt like I was on my own as of that day, and I was scared.
As we exited the hospital, two men approached us without uniforms or identification and asked my dad to accompany them. My father refused as he pleaded that I had to be taken to school and someone had to take care of me. He was able to take me to school, but all day my heart was pumping. I was in survival mode, not knowing what was going to happen when I got out of school.
Fortunately, my dad entered sanctuary. Even though I’m an American citizen, I entered it with him.
To survive after May 9, I had to rely on different people. Different people had to take me to school. It was harder to go shopping for groceries. It was harder to be with friends outside of school.
I decided to live in a sanctuary with my dad solely to be with him, and it was a great decision. Before turning 16, I was pretty much able to go anywhere I wanted, such as a gym, with friends, or a store. But everything has changed now because of the location and my lack of ability to ask someone to take me there. For almost anybody I know it would take around half an hour to get here, which I believed would be a burden on their schedule.
Overall, I am pleased to live in the sanctuary — it is quiet and peaceful and right now. I have my dad and the tools I need.
But I am unable to think about the future. When I think about the future, I worry about my family. I worry about my dad, who is the only parent here with me. Even though my dad was with the Red Cross for over 20 years and served in several disasters in the United States, he is in danger of deportation. Even though he is an active member of the religious community in Las Cruces, he could be taken from me.
We do not think about the consequences and risk a lot to help undocumented immigrants. On one hand our volunteer work could be dramatic. My dad, as a volunteer in the Red Cross, was able to feed hundreds of people, perhaps thousands, in need during just one disaster. But that doesn’t seem to count.
I am learning that the immigration system is unfair because even people with over a decade living, paying taxes and giving back to the community are unable to stay. It is a waste of money to get rid of someone who is not doing wrong, but, in fact, doing the opposite. Getting rid of law-abiding undocumented immigrants hurts communities, families and even other citizens who were helped by those immigrants. Tearing apart law-abiding citizens is unjust.
For instance, my brother was only 4 years old when he was brought to this country. It wasn’t his fault; he was brought here and this country came to be the only country he knows. Since he’s been deported, he worries and cries a lot. I’m only 16, but I don’t want to see my family continue to suffer.
Before May 9, I was a typical teenager. Now I have the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Steven Taborda is an American teenager living with his father in a sanctuary. Agree with his opinion? Disagree? NMPolitics.net welcomes your views. Learn about submitting your own commentary here.