Families, immigrants struggle as politicians feud over reform
Startled by sharp knocking on the door of her family’s Florida City home at 5 a.m., Brenda Perez, 20, jumped out of bed on a chilly Monday […]
Read moreCategory: Out from the Shadows (2014)
Stories and images of strife and struggles in South Florida’s young immigrant community
Undocumented status often a surprise to young immigrants
Wedged between a small office desk and an oil painting of two dismal-looking farm workers, two stuffed boxes overflow with the files of nearly 200 undocumented immigrants […]
Read moreSupport groups provide stability for DREAMers and friends alike
Brothers Francis and Jorge Tume, six and seven years old, couldn’t wait to get to Miami to reunite with their father, who the year before had fled […]
Read moreResearch connects anxiety with undocumented transitions
A smile masks the memories of Tomas Pendola’s painful past, his struggles as an undocumented immigrant in a world dominated by American culture. His transition eyeglasses hide […]
Read moreMany proponents of reform see a “brain drain” in deportations
Activists and some politicians who support the DREAM Act in Congress argue that a huge brain drain would result from sending as many as 2.1 million undocumented […]
Read moreSocial media survey supports aid to students in the shadows
For about 140,000 DREAMers who live in Florida, the DREAM Act, first introduced in 2001, would have created an opportunity to continue their educations in U.S. colleges […]
Read moreHow two sisters deal with different immigrant legal statuses
Sisters share childhood secrets, shopping trips, cultural heritage, even the occasional favorite outfit. But in Miami, Suany Galo, 16, and her big sister Reyna Lopez, 20, do […]
Read moreMeet a DREAMer who never let his status get in the way of education
On the first day of fall semester of 2012, the Florida International University campus was crawling with eager freshman. Missing from their ranks, however, was Tómas Monzón, […]
Read moreFlorida allows undocumented students to get in-state tuition
In a move that surprised many political observers, Florida’s Legislature recently passed a law, effective July 1, making undocumented immigrants eligible to pay in-state tuition at the […]
Read moreUndocumented students blend easily with peers
A scared six-year-old dressed in dull clothing to avoid attention, Walter Velasquez clutched his mother’s hand as they boarded a bus in San Pedro Sula to cross […]
Read moreSupport declines as more and more children cross the southwest border
A new tide of undocumented children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border appears to have eroded bi-partisan support for immigration reform. The latest arrivals of children without parents or […]
Read morePublic increases support for reform on immigration
Recent polls indicate a dramatic shift in public opinion favoring immigration reform with a sizable majority crossing the lines of race, political party, region and age. According […]
Read morePolicy change expected to pump billions into the economy
Mariana Martinez paid her own tuition at Miami Dade College after her family’s support ran out after the first semester. Now 22, she has worked as a […]
Read moreObstacles deter many students headed to college
In 1987, Diana Monroy emigrated to the United States at just 10 months old. Her family settled in Miami, the place where she would be raised and […]
Read moreLGBTQ students lead complex lives as ‘undocuqueers’
The combination of being LGBTQ and undocumented, nicknamed “undocuqueer,” means battling not only homophobia, but also the stigma of being an undocumented immigrant. Comprised of 52 affiliate […]
Read moreParents of immigrants struggle to help their children succeed
In 1992, at the age of 18, Saul Alemàn fled his hometown of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. After three days of fearful running from immigration control, Alemàn […]
Read moreCommentary on immigration often gets it wrong
As is the case with most hot-button political issues, opposition to the proposed federal DREAM Act and Florida’s new in-state tuition law for undocumented students is being […]
Read morePolicy change expected to pump billions into the economy
Paola Pardo, 24, was getting married to her best friend. As an undocumented immigrant living in America, she felt this was the only option to pursue her […]
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