Immigration is one of the more contentious topics in our country today, but this week with many perspectives to the fore.
We鈥檝e used Painesville, in Lake County, as a way into the discussion.
Nearly a quarter of the Painesville population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, and some are in the country without legal status鈥ike Rosie.
ROSIE: 鈥淭his is not our country, but we adopted it, and we love it here, because we live here, our kids live here, they were born here. And this is our main concern it鈥檚 not about us, it鈥檚 about our kids, because they are our future.鈥�
Rosie and a few acquaintances met to talk to me about their thoughts on immigration, and on the immigration climate around Painesville. Rosie says there is a sense of fear among some in the community who are here without residency or work permission.
She says she felt fear when she crossed the border, not knowing where she was, and what would happen. But the fear now is different.
ROSIE: 鈥淚鈥檓 not scared so much about me, but I鈥檓 scared about my kids, because they were born here. They go to school, they have dreams, too. They want to go to college. One of them want to be a [veterinarian], the other one wants to be an architect. Their dreams now are my dreams. I鈥檓 not worried about me anymore. I鈥檓 going to do whatever I can for them.鈥�
Rosie relies heavily on her faith, knowing that whatever happens is because it was meant to be. And she recognizes not being documented puts her at risk.
ROSIE: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really work. I work for my kids: I鈥檓 taking them to practice, taking them to school. I do like a little things under the table, you know鈥擨鈥檓 not supposed to say that, but you know鈥攍ike housekeeping, like to get at least bread on my table. And I鈥檓 talking about food. I鈥檓 talking about shelter. I鈥檓 not talking about like big trucks. I鈥檓 talking about like regular food. Maybe because I don鈥檛 work, I鈥檓 not paying taxes right now, and鈥 know people are always saying 鈥榓h, but they don鈥檛 pay taxes, they don鈥檛 pay that,鈥� but you know I鈥檓 trying to help the community as well. I do a lot of volunteering time at school, at church, and at the free clinic I can translate, they call me and I can call鈥攂ut I鈥檓 paying back to this country.鈥�
Rosie has been in Painesville long enough to remember immigration raids about ten years ago, that led some people to fear answering the door in case it was a federal agent. Since President Trump has taken office, Rosie thinks some behavior has shifted.
ROSIE: 鈥淵ou know what changed the most? There was like racists around, but it wasn鈥檛 like really showing up. Now like Trump like open up, like maybe people would think about it, you were walking at a store they would see you 鈥榦h, they are Mexican, okay that鈥檚 fine.鈥� And now like he open like the Pandora Box, is that how you call it?鈥�
Candelaria Hernandez agrees that she feels things have changed since the President has taken office. After being here nearly 10 years, she鈥檚 facing deportation on June 23, to be sent to her mother near Leon, Mexico鈥攚here many in Painesville鈥檚 Hispanic community have a connection.
She says only her mother is there, in a village without electricity, or running water.
An older son has legal residency so he鈥檒l stay, but her 8-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen, has to go with her mother.
This situation did not arise from the Trump administration, though. Hernandez received her deportation order in December, under President Obama. She received a GPS ankle bracelet a year ago, under President Obama.
Hernandez says more was expected from President Obama on immigration, because much was promised. The Trump Administration last week did say it was not immediately doing away with DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, put in place by President Obama.
But the current White House did say it was dropping plans for DAPA, a similar deferred action for parents of U.S. citizens.
Rosie and Hernandez both say there were big hopes for DAPA:
ROSIE: 鈥淲e were like really hope in the DAPA, and then we were like so happy, we were excited. We were making like 鈥榦h, I鈥檓 gonna go and get my GED, and then I鈥檓 gonna apply for school, and then I鈥檓 gonna do this鈥nd then everything stopped.鈥�
Some don鈥檛 think the current climate around immigration has much to do with President Trump, Obama, or even local Painesville policies of reporting certain crimes to immigration authorities.
Oscar Ornelas has been in the U.S. more than 26 years, and he鈥檚 been a citizen since 2007.
ORNELAS: 鈥淚 assume all this changes came from 2001 when the terrorists attacked the Twin Towers. So I think all the changes came from that period, from George Bush. Obama, like you mentioned right now, he was the president who deported more people than other presidents, in his period. Obama is under the order of the Congress and other politicians groups. So it鈥檚 very difficult for a president to move by their self. And I just want to add this, if the government gives us the opportunity to educate the people, I think the crime will be less, less, and less. Kids need to find the way to be more for this country, but if we stop their dreams they鈥檙e gonna step back and do something wrong, something different.鈥�
The focus on the kids is evident for mothers like Rosie, and another who鈥檚 been here 11 years named Faviola. The mother of five boys says Painesville鈥檚 Hispanic community is vital to the city鈥檚 future:
FAVIOLA: 鈥淚鈥檝e had my house, already I lived in there for 11 years. I鈥檓 stay here, you know. I have five boys. I support my kids in school. I volunteer when people need me. I鈥檓 not a criminal, you know. I鈥檝e not kill anybody, I鈥檓 not robber, you know鈥he Painesville community is a lot of Hispanics. Business is Hispanics. The community they can be empty, and what happened the community empty? It鈥檚 like Cleveland, empty buildings, empty house.鈥�
ROSIE: 鈥淎nd there鈥檚 a difference, you know. The landscapings, and the houses, you know, we are rebuilding the houses. They were like tearing down, so you can see a lot of difference. But I mean we鈥檙e doing good, but they just see only the bad stuff. It鈥檚 like when you have a box of apples. If one is rotten, the other ones are gonna rot not. You take it out soon, you can eat it good, and then they think we鈥檙e all the same. But it鈥檚 not about race. It鈥檚 about human being.鈥�
