“One day, we were both at a party. He came up to me and said, ‘Do you want to dance?’ He looked so handsome. So I said, ‘Yes.’ That’s how we met. “I was 18 or 19 years old. I saw him before in the … Continue readingLove takes them from Mexico to U.S.
“He likes to watch CNN, Fox, all those channels that talk politics. He said that helped him learn how our government system works.” “When I was becoming an American citizen, they made you learn history, how the government is set up, and who all the … Continue readingHe learned a lot about this country from watching TV
“I came to Baytown from Guanajuato, Mexico, when I was 18. I’m the oldest of 10 children, and I was the only one who came at the time. I didn’t speak English and I didn’t know anybody. But I was looking for a better life, … Continue readingStrong work ethic pays off for small business owner
Ahime Ornelas was born in Mexico, but she has lived in Baytown with her family since she was about 6 years old. After her parents became U.S. citizens, they put their daughters on the path to citizenship as well. It was a long road, but … Continue readingDreamers can excel with an opportunity
“I think I was in my third year of teaching at Travis Elementary. My sister also was teaching there. We had a great partnership. I taught reading and writing, and she taught math and science. “One day we walked into a faculty meeting, and everybody … Continue readingBecoming U.S. citizen brings tears of joy
“As a teacher, every year I meet students from other countries who would be beneficiaries of DACA. Some of them are very afraid. I’ve had students come to me crying and saying, ‘Miss, are they going to have to deport my parents?’ “You have to … Continue readingTeacher offers hope for undocumented students
“I don’t like to say this because a lot of people who are undocumented are so talented and hard working. But I was pretty ready to just leave the country after graduating college. The climate of immigration was so tense. I was feeling desperate. I … Continue readingJourney to citizenship takes many turns
“I’m originally from Egypt. But ever since I was a kid, I was a big fan of American movies. My dream was always to come here one day. “When I was in my mid-20s, I had my bachelor’s degree in accounting but the job market … Continue readingEgypt native gladly serves his new country