Legal Question in Immigration Law in California
here for 18yrs..wat do i do?
hello...ive been here for well over 18 years...scince i was about 5.my parents brought me here illegaly through the border.i dont have a criminal record,completed high school,and wish to continue doing greater things.ive been told scince i came here without a visa that i cant pursue anything leagaly at the moment.the way i see it is that i came here by force and with the best intentions by my parents put me in a situation that makes me a criminal.i wanted to ask you if theres ANYTHING that i can do to start a process for a green card or anything that will allow me to work legaly here?im from south america,chile and im not to sure wat the rules for immigration from there to here are.ive completed high school here and this is the only home i know.if u can do something then i would gladly go through u sir.hopefully you can give me some good news were others have not.good day to you.
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: here for 18yrs..wat do i do?
It doesn't matter if you were brought here as a child, you can't get your papers here. Technically, you violated the immigration law by being here illegally, but it's too much of a stretch to say you're a criminal! The DREAM Act might pass, but at this point probably not because of opposition from conservatives in Congress. You could be petitioned by a spouse or a permanent employer and then try to get your papers from the US Consulate in Chile if you can prove exceptional hardship in being separated from your family in the U.S.
Larry 'Liem' Doan, Esq.
Re: here for 18yrs..wat do i do?
You should wait for the DREAM Act to pass. It will benefit individuals in your situation.
Thanks.
Re: here for 18yrs..wat do i do?
I know that you mentioned work, but perhaps additional schooling is an option for you to consider. Even if you without authorized status in the U.S., if you want to pursue a higher education degree in California you may be eligible for a waiver of nonresident tuition. You would need to have attended and graduated from a California high school, apply for and be accepted to a qualified California institution of higher education, and meet a few other criteria. But if you do qualify, you could pay California resident tuition. There currently is a large difference in tuition fees between residents and non-residents.
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