Support for a Dreamer

Sue and I had the great honor to be invited to offer our support today for a young man we very much admire. He was brought to this country on a visitors’ visa by his parents when he was eight years old. He has grown up here, and he was such an outstanding student that he was offered a generous scholarship to attend a fine private university. He married a citizen of the USA, and they have a six-year-old daughter who is the light of his life, but before he could attain US citizenship, he and his wife divorced. He is now working full-time as a school teacher at a bilingual school (like the one Bella attends), and he is enrolled in study for a Master’s degree in teaching.

Our government has moved to deport him, which would separate him for life from his daughter, as he would be prohibited from returning to the USA, and his ex-wife would not allow her daughter to travel to Mexico. His lawyer argued that losing her father would present a severe hardship to his daughter, who is a US citizen. A psychologist testified that separation from a parent in childhood often leads to developmental and emotional difficulties. 

About 24 people, including the Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, the young man’s school principal, and some friends and family sat in the courtroom today to witness the proceedings. Four witnesses were called. The judge said he will review the case and issue a verdict, but he did not say when that will happen. 

Outside the courtroom, the young man asked if we could go down to the lobby and have a prayer together before leaving the building, and he asked me to make photos. He is a "Dreamer." I have donated today's photographs and copyright to the young man, so that he can control whether the photographs will ever be posted or published in the future. I have processed the extra, showing the entire group who came to support him, in high contrast so that no faces are identifiable.

My heart is heavy tonight as I reflect on a government that separates children from their parents in the name of "justice."