Law School Fund
Donation protected
My name is Juan Gonzalez and I am an undocumented immigrant that will begin law school this fall. I am asking for your help in this endeavor. My background and immigration status have provided both the toughest obstacles and my greatest asset, resiliency. Law school, however, is expensive and student loans aren't an option for me due to my immigration status. Any and all help is appreciated. Below is a bit about my background if you care to learn more about my story.
My first steps were taken in Jalisco, Mexico [where I was born]. My father obtained a work visa years before I was born and had gone back to Mexico to renew his visa when he was confronted by my grandfather. My grandfather told my father that while his family was able to afford housing and food, there was still an essential part of our family that was missing. My father was given two options upon his return to Mexico: stay with his family in Mexico, or take us to America. He chose the latter option. He was able to renew his work visa, but he was unable to obtain visas for the rest of the family [which meant that we would have to be undocumented, in America].
We moved to Southwest Detroit, and that is where I grew up. My father’s work visa expired after a few years. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to adjust his status before then. So, my family and I had been condemned to a life in the shadows. Growing up undocumented, in an area where there are other people are living in similar situations, can make things slightly easier to cope with, however, that doesn’t erase the fear that lurked behind every moment of joy. The fear that at any moment my parents could’ve been taken away from my siblings and me. I was raised to keep my immigration status a secret, and discussion about contingency plans were kept brief at best and usually avoided altogether.
I moved to Melvindale upon the start of my adolescence. Moving out of Detroit was a culture shock due to the demographics of each city's school system which were vastly different. I began to realize the reasons why I had to keep my status secret from others, which wasn’t clear at first in DPS, bigotry and prejudice. While racism wasn’t as pervasive and consistent as others have faced before or in other places, it was nonetheless present and put my family in constant risk of deportation.
Lessons were learned and slowly I grew up in my new school district making friends along the way. High school was when my immigration status would first begin to limit the opportunities available to me. It was when my friends began getting their licenses and first jobs that I began to realize the situation. Nevertheless, I was persistent and obtained a job at a restaurant as a dishwasher after interviewing on spot after walking in and being informed that they were short-staffed for the night. I learned rapidly the intricacies of working in a restaurant kitchen on a busy Saturday night, the hard way. After a long night, I was told to show up in the morning. Filled with excitement I went home to rest up for my first full day of work, not knowing what would await me in the morning. Upon showing up, the restaurant owner informed me that they would require my social security card as they had been raided by ICE the prior year. I told them the truth and they had to fire me just one day after starting due to my immigration status. I began to realize the impact of being undocumented. It would take the support of my friends and strong mentorship that would lead me to finish high school and consider a college education.
I enrolled in U of M Dearborn but lacked a vision of the future because I could only plan so far in advance due to my immigration status. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which was an executive order put in place by the Obama administration, changed my life for the better. DACA was deeply flawed as it created a good vs bad immigrant narrative and left still millions with no support but it did benefit me temporarily. I was able to obtain a job, my license, and for the first time in my life, I was able to step out of the shadows. After about a year of working jobs to put me through school, I obtained a job at Quicken Loans where I was employed for 5 years. I may have worked there longer but events ignited a fire in me that forced me to change course.
President Trump was inaugurated January 20th, 2017 and a week later he issued the executive order known as the Muslim ban. I was not surprised because the president’s election campaign was based on the demonization of immigrant groups and he told the nation exactly what he would do once in office. It was less than 2 full days before a federal judge in New York granted an injunction halting the executive order. The following day I called Wayne State University to begin my re-enrollment into school in order to become a part of that system that can hold the president himself accountable. I have learned about other occasions in the past when the judicial branch took action in the name of justice. From the Brown v. Board of Education that put an end to the Jim Crow era to the Plyer v. Doe decision that allowed me to attend school in the United States as an undocumented immigrant, the law has arisen in me a thirst for knowledge and a passion that has made clear what I want to do with my life.
Upon returning to school, I also continued to work full time at Quicken Loans to be able to afford the tuition. It was only once I had no other option but to leave work in order to finish my bachelors degree that I quit my job. My past has taught me resilience and dedication beyond measure and it will serve me well once I begin using my law degree to help others.
My first steps were taken in Jalisco, Mexico [where I was born]. My father obtained a work visa years before I was born and had gone back to Mexico to renew his visa when he was confronted by my grandfather. My grandfather told my father that while his family was able to afford housing and food, there was still an essential part of our family that was missing. My father was given two options upon his return to Mexico: stay with his family in Mexico, or take us to America. He chose the latter option. He was able to renew his work visa, but he was unable to obtain visas for the rest of the family [which meant that we would have to be undocumented, in America].
We moved to Southwest Detroit, and that is where I grew up. My father’s work visa expired after a few years. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to adjust his status before then. So, my family and I had been condemned to a life in the shadows. Growing up undocumented, in an area where there are other people are living in similar situations, can make things slightly easier to cope with, however, that doesn’t erase the fear that lurked behind every moment of joy. The fear that at any moment my parents could’ve been taken away from my siblings and me. I was raised to keep my immigration status a secret, and discussion about contingency plans were kept brief at best and usually avoided altogether.
I moved to Melvindale upon the start of my adolescence. Moving out of Detroit was a culture shock due to the demographics of each city's school system which were vastly different. I began to realize the reasons why I had to keep my status secret from others, which wasn’t clear at first in DPS, bigotry and prejudice. While racism wasn’t as pervasive and consistent as others have faced before or in other places, it was nonetheless present and put my family in constant risk of deportation.
Lessons were learned and slowly I grew up in my new school district making friends along the way. High school was when my immigration status would first begin to limit the opportunities available to me. It was when my friends began getting their licenses and first jobs that I began to realize the situation. Nevertheless, I was persistent and obtained a job at a restaurant as a dishwasher after interviewing on spot after walking in and being informed that they were short-staffed for the night. I learned rapidly the intricacies of working in a restaurant kitchen on a busy Saturday night, the hard way. After a long night, I was told to show up in the morning. Filled with excitement I went home to rest up for my first full day of work, not knowing what would await me in the morning. Upon showing up, the restaurant owner informed me that they would require my social security card as they had been raided by ICE the prior year. I told them the truth and they had to fire me just one day after starting due to my immigration status. I began to realize the impact of being undocumented. It would take the support of my friends and strong mentorship that would lead me to finish high school and consider a college education.
I enrolled in U of M Dearborn but lacked a vision of the future because I could only plan so far in advance due to my immigration status. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which was an executive order put in place by the Obama administration, changed my life for the better. DACA was deeply flawed as it created a good vs bad immigrant narrative and left still millions with no support but it did benefit me temporarily. I was able to obtain a job, my license, and for the first time in my life, I was able to step out of the shadows. After about a year of working jobs to put me through school, I obtained a job at Quicken Loans where I was employed for 5 years. I may have worked there longer but events ignited a fire in me that forced me to change course.
President Trump was inaugurated January 20th, 2017 and a week later he issued the executive order known as the Muslim ban. I was not surprised because the president’s election campaign was based on the demonization of immigrant groups and he told the nation exactly what he would do once in office. It was less than 2 full days before a federal judge in New York granted an injunction halting the executive order. The following day I called Wayne State University to begin my re-enrollment into school in order to become a part of that system that can hold the president himself accountable. I have learned about other occasions in the past when the judicial branch took action in the name of justice. From the Brown v. Board of Education that put an end to the Jim Crow era to the Plyer v. Doe decision that allowed me to attend school in the United States as an undocumented immigrant, the law has arisen in me a thirst for knowledge and a passion that has made clear what I want to do with my life.
Upon returning to school, I also continued to work full time at Quicken Loans to be able to afford the tuition. It was only once I had no other option but to leave work in order to finish my bachelors degree that I quit my job. My past has taught me resilience and dedication beyond measure and it will serve me well once I begin using my law degree to help others.
Organizer
Juan Gonzalez-Martinez
Organizer
Lincoln Park, MI