Latinos speak out on illegal immigration By Julia Torres Barden CONTRIBUTING WRITER "Latina girl" (above) faces an uncertain future because she's here in the country illegally. Latina girl* is young, vibrant, confident - and scared. She follows the rules - studying hard in school, getting good grades, volunteering in her community, respecting her teachers and adoring her parents - while breaking the law. She has dreams of being a doctor and pursuing the American dream - but she must stay invisible for now. She is 18, Hispanic, illegal and living in the shadows - caught in the middle of the current illegal immigration crisis in the U.S. and in Chesterfield County. Questioning numbers According to a recent study authored by Dr. Qian Cai at the University of Virginia, it's unknown just how many illegal Hispanics live in Chesterfield County. The legal Hispanic population is estimated at 14,757, comprising 4.3 percent of the county's total population as of 2006. But legal Hispanics think those numbers are way off. Michel Zajur, president of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, located here in the county, places the updated number of legal Hispanics at closer to 25,000. Santacoloma "There are more legal Hispanics than illegals arriving because there is a lot of migration from New York, D.C. and California…people who relocate here for the quality of life where living expenses are cheaper." Legal citizen, Rosa Segovia, a native of El Salvador, disagrees, saying, "I think the [ratio of legal to illegal Hispanics] is 1 in 10. She added, "The plan is not to come over here and take over. They just want a better life for their kids." Carlos Gomez, a legal Hispanic from Columbia and owner of a cleaning company, shares the same idea. "I have engineers, lawyers, business people cleaning bathrooms when they arrive here. They only last a year with my company until they figure out the system and start their own companies. Did you realize that illegal immigrants don't have to be legal to start their own business in this country?" County response Mirroring national trends, immi- gration is becoming a hot issue in the county. Last year, the county enacted new ordinances to help curb the influx of illegal immigrants after a report revealed they cost the county $2.1 million annually. That accounts for less than 1 percent of the county's annual budget. But that figure doesn't include the cost of educating illegal children since the school system can't legally inquire about students' immigration status. The board of supervisors is also forming a new Multicultural Advisory Commission in response to the growing number of Hispanics - both legal and illegal - who are migrating to the county. "We're taking a more inclusive approach," says County Administrator Jay Stegmaier. The county hired a Hispanic liaison in 2005, a position currently held by Juan Santacoloma. "Ninety-five percent of the calls I get from Latinos are looking for help or solutions with the DMV, taxes, immigration, jail, police, health care, education, transportation, and I never ask them about their immigration status," says Santacoloma. Legal Hispanics weigh in Legal Hispanics in Chesterfield have their own opinions about the volatile issue of illegal immigration. Midlothian resident Eugenia Lockett, a native of Mexico with American citizenship, explains the relationship between her country and the United States: "Mexico does not like the idea of illegal immigration. It's embarrassing, and it takes the young men away from the Mexican workforce. If they would stay and work just as hard, the Mexican economy would improve. Immigration is not a problem exclusive to the United States, it's a worldwide issue." Zajur echoes this. "I've heard them [Mexico] say that most countries don't build walls [in referring to our shared border]. That's why a relationship between countries is important." Carmen Serrano, legal and a native of El Salvador, explains, "I can see both sides [of the illegal immigration issue]. I agree with the laws to send them back because of our tax structure. But what upsets me the most is the children brought here who didn't know any better. They can't go back to their countries because they didn't grow up there, and so they wouldn't know the culture because their American culture is what they know." Caught in limbo regarding his application for U.S. citizenship, Eugalio Navidad says, "The immigration system is in chaos right now. I started the process five years ago when I paid a D.C. lawyer good money. She just told me she wants more money, even though when I started she said my case would be an easy one. When you move here, you have to start from zero. I feel like I have to work twice as hard to get respect and be treated like a normal person." Being labeled Challenges with regards to immigration status sometimes even affect U.S. citizens. Pastor Victor Torres, Puerto Rican born and therefore an automatic citizen by birth, describes a situation when ignorance of Puerto Rico's United States Commonwealth status caused confusion and embarrassment for his family. "My daughter was at the DMV getting her driver's license when she called me to say, 'Dad, they won't accept my birth certificate as proof that I am an American citizen.' I got in my car, drove down to DMV, asked to speak with the supervisor and had to ask, 'Did you know that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States?'" "Illegal immigration is not just a Hispanic problem," adds Torres. "We hardly ever mention the other countries included in this problem, which leads to my question: why are Hispanics targeted?" According to a Southern Poverty Law Center Report, "Anti-immigrant sentiment is fueling nationwide increases in the number of hate groups and the number of hate crimes targeting Latinos." "Only this year have I seen it become so hostile for illegal Hispanics here in Chesterfield," says Zajur. "I just think that because of the [talk] radio shows, Americans feel threatened by different languages and feel we're losing the American culture." Rosa Segovia is also concerned. "I worry about my friends who are illegal. I tell them, 'Just because you are illegal, you still have rights.' I tell them the men in uniforms don't have the right to break down your door." Out of fear of reprisal, one Puerto Rican asked not to be identified for this story. "You can't bring your ways [customs] here," she says. "You've got to acclimate to the customs and the laws in this country. That should prevail where you live at right now, in Chesterfield and in the United States of America." An uncertain future As Latina girl prepares to graduate from a high school in the western part of the county - an atypical part of Chesterfield where many don't realize illegal Hispanics live right next door - she is anxious about her prospects. "I get scared about my status. My parents are worried because we [the children] can't do what we're supposed to be doing - going to college or getting good job opportunities. This annoys me because I've been trying really hard to get good grades and, in the end, it seems like a worthless effort." "I always pray to God that this government will pass immigration reform," she continues, "and then I will be able to go to college to study medicine. I want to be a doctor - maybe a pediatrician or a cardiologist. I worry that Chesterfield will become one of the counties that stops being a welcoming place for immigrants." *Name has been changed to protect identity.