The end of summer is an exciting time for students as they connect with classmates, begin new classes, and continue to pursue education to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to have that same optimism when looking towards my own future. I am an undocumented immigrant, meaning that nothing is certain for me. When I was a child, my family and I left Mexico and came to Colorado in search of a better life. If Congress fails to provide Dreamers like me with an earned pathway to citizenship, my hard work could be for nothing if I’m forced from my home here in the U.S. before I have the chance to truly begin my career. This is unfair and harmful to me and all Coloradans. We need change so that the hard work of thousands of undocumented immigrants in Colorado is not wasted. 

I came to the U.S. in second grade, undocumented. I’m now 25 years old, and for the last nine years, I have endured a bureaucratic maze that may or may not lead towards U.S. citizenship. I still await my naturalization, but I hope that soon enough other immigrants can join me when our U.S. Congress finally creates a pathway to citizenship for millions like me.