By Sarahi Perez

Alma Alfaro is a charismatic student at John F. Kennedy High School and aspires to attend college. However, she has experienced many obstacles in her life due to her immigration status. “I lived in Mexico until I was about 7 years old and I loved my life there, but my mom wanted something better for us,” said Alma.
Her mom decided to move to the U.S. in search of better opportunities for her children. “Crossing the border was scary because there were wild animals, clothes all over the ground, and we also saw a dead body,” remembers Alma. “At the time, I was too young to understand what was actually going on.”
All these experiences were only the beginning of her long journey. “The first day of elementary school was awful because I did not know what anyone was saying,” remembers Alma.  Despite the language barrier, she began to love school and began to succeed. During her freshman year of high school she was accepted into a program that would help her find internships and jobs.
Alma recalls being confused when asked about her social security number (SSN). “I didn’t have a SSN and the coordinator ripped my paperwork up in front of me and said I was wasting my time.”
After this experience, Alma realized that she needed to fix this problem or else her dreams of going to college would never be fulfilled.
Alma and her mother talked to different lawyers and came to the conclusion that it would be too expensive for them to go through the process of getting Alma legal status.
It was during a church service at St. Agnes of Bohemia in Little Village that Alma first heard of The Resurrection Project (TRP). After hearing about the variety of immigration services TRP provides, she decided to attend a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) workshop with her mom.
“The Resurrection Project was a great option for us because they not only helped us through all the paperwork, but we were able to get a loan, start a payment plan and obtain financial aid,” said Alma.
Alma’s DACA process took about a year for everything to be processed. Even after she received her social security number, she was still fearful of being deported.
“Laws can sometimes be unfair and only consider some people while excluding others,” noted Alma. According to her, these exclusions are also reflected in the views people have of immigrants. “Being called an illegal alien is hurtful and I think that we should have the same opportunities as any other human being,” said Alma.
By obtaining her DACA status, Alma feels more confident in herself and in all the things she can accomplish.
“In elementary school I was not able to travel to a Washington D.C. trip with my classmates because of my immigration status,” remembers Alma. She felt left out and confused.
Next year, Alma will be able to participate in a trip her class is taking to Paris, France. “DACA has really helped me in school because without it I would not be able to participate in the same things as my classmates.”
Most importantly, “I wouldn’t have the opportunity to take the ACT prep course that will help me score well on the test and apply to better colleges,” says Alma.
Today, Alma works at JC Penney and is able to save money for college, and help her mom financially. “My mom is a single parent and it’s amazing how she manages to overcome all the obstacles in her life. “
Alma has many plans for her future and would like others who are facing similar situations not to give up. “DACA brings endless opportunities and I feel that just because we are immigrants, it does not mean we can’t be successful.”