April 2015
Page 14
My life as an immigrant: Senior shares how his status affects his future in college
Clare Kilmartin & Harley Nefe features editor & staff writer
S
enior Aaron Aguilar may seem like any other teenager at Northwest. He takes part in extracurricular activities, plays the alto saxophone, enjoys reading and playing video games and is an honor student. When asking Northwest band director Brian McMath to describe Aguilar, only positive traits came up. “Conscientious, a hard worker,” McMath said. “He’s a good musician.” However, many are unaware how Aguilar is different than most students at Northwest. Aguilar is an immigrant. “I’m legal in the country under this thing called the Referral Act,” Aguilar said. “As long as I’m studying, I can stay here without fear of getting deported.” Aguilar was born in San Jose, Costa Rica to parents Vinny Aguilar and Mirna Granados. Initially, Aguilar’s parents came to the States in 1994 to find work; however, they returned to Costa Rica to have Aguilar. In 2000, at the age of three, Aguilar and his parents returned to the States. “My dad wanted a better life and to live in a place that’s more secure,” Aguilar said. Aguilar’s mom cleans houses five to six days a week, and his dad works as an electrician. Aguilar’s parents were in the process of attaining their citizenship through the Sponsor Law. This law allowed for immigrants to stay in the country while working toward citizenship. However, after 9/11, the process was canceled due to security issues. “My parents were working on it,” Aguilar said. “[Then the government] made it 100 percent more difficult to get citizenship.” With the help of the Dream Act and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Aguilar is protected and able to remain in the country as long as he is studying and working toward an education. He, along with other DACA recipients, was issued a social security number, employment authorization and is able to receive a driver’s license. Unfortunately, because Aguilar is not a U.S. citizen, in the state of North Carolina, he cannot apply for in-state tuition or scholarships. Therefore, Aguilar cannot afford college. “I understand it. But I don’t necessarily agree with the fact that he’s not allowed the same opportunities in the sense of applying for scholarships,” McMath said. “In other states, if you’re there for ‘x’ number of years, then
you’re allowed to pay in-state tuition, and if that’s the case with everybody else, then that same right should be afforded.” An undergraduate in-state resident at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pays around $3,211.50 for tuition per semester. Though Aguilar has lived in North Carolina for more than 15 years, he will have to pay the out-of-state price of $14,102.50. That is more than four times as much. “It really disappoints me,” senior and Aguilar’s girlfriend Anna Fletcher said. “It’s kind of sad because he deserves everything.” Aguilar was planning on attending Appalachian State University to study nursing. “It’s hard because people are already getting accepted to college,” Aguilar said. “I had a plan, and it got shut down.” Although Aguilar is an honor student and could attend prestigious colleges and universities, he most likely will attend GTCC. He hopes to be able to transfer those credits to a university later on in his college career. “I got really mad at the system,” Aguilar said. “I’m more American than anything else.” Throughout Aguilar’s life, he has dealt with obstacles pertaining to immigration. While Aguilar has a social security number, he is often bothered in dealing with immigration papers and legalities. “Laws are draconian, and it’s abusive to a point,” Aguilar said. “[The government] is shutting down not only mine, but a lot of other people’s dreams.” Aguilar is restricted in many ways as an immigrant. Every two years, Aguilar has to fill out many papers. He also is unable to travel outside of the country to see family in Costa Rica. “I don’t remember anything but here,” Aguilar said. “I haven’t been able to see where I was born.” More than 16 other states have enacted legislation, which allows for DACA residents to be eligible for in-state tuition, and others have adopted policies to offer aid for the DACA residents. Aguilar has a cousin living in New Jersey who is also an immigrant; however, he is not facing the same difficulties as Aguilar in paying for college. In December of 2014, Aguilar traveled with Northwest’s marching band on a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A week prior to that of the trip, Aguilar found out that his family needed to renew their immigration papers, and the due date for the papers was the last day of the marching band’s trip. Aguilar, then, had a choice: either skip the trip or he fly back a day early. Choosing the
second option, Aguilar’s mother booked him a flight back to North Carolina, and with the help of McMath, Aguilar was able to make it to the airport in time for his flight back home. “I was happy to help out with that,” McMath said, “I made sure he got there and got everything sent in and good to go.” Although Aguilar and his parents are not applying for citizenship now, he is optimistic that he will be recognized as a citizen one day. “I’d like to see my parents become citizens as much as myself,” Aguilar said. Recently, President Obama and Congress have been working towards immigration reforms to the Dream Act. Although Aguilar sees the reforms as a step forward, he is frustrated with the recent changes. The changes only are applicable for people whose kids were born in the U.S., unlike Aguilar. “I feel like there’s more he could have done,” Aguilar said. “[I want the government] to open their eyes. There are people who want to go to college, to study and to better themselves.” At times, Aguilar questions whether he would be better off in Costa Rica. Although his parents came to the States for the ‘American Dream,’ he often feels put down by the government. “The American Dream is alive for the people who were born in this country,” Aguilar said. “There’s not much opportunity for immigrants in the country.” Furthermore, he has been subjected to racist treatment in the United States. Strangers have made derogatory comments because he is Hispanic. “Many people believe that every Hispanic person is Mexican and just put us all into this group of just ‘Mexican,’” Aguilar said. “Sometimes people here assume that Hispanics are just a bunch of lazy people, and some are, but a majority is just the average person. They have as much a right as I do being here.” Despite Aguilar’s situation, he doesn’t let it affect his academics. “It’s an undue stress, obviously, that he should not be having to go through, as well as his parents,” McMath said. “But I haven’t seen it affect him in what he does here. It’s not like his playing [music] has decreased. It’s not like he has a behavior problem. I would have never of known this was going on, which shows his character.” Through it all, Aguilar continues to keep a positive attitude and is making the most out of it. “I’ve decided that everyone has to start somewhere,” Aguilar said. “I will work as hard as I can.”
Photos contributed by Aaron Aguilar; Graphic by Nikole Nguyen