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The past 24 hours I have tried very hard to not pay attention to the news cycle. But I cannot deny that each period of a new immigration restriction tweet followed by tenuous clarifications, takes a toll on my personal wellbeing tied to my ability to continue to reside in the US.
What some of you may not know is that I’ve been an immigrant in the US system on and off for 15 years. This is half of my lifetime. Many in tech enjoy the privilege of having companies pay armies of lawyers to get them through the permanent residency process.
My family is not privileged, and so my life has been a ride. Not all visas allow their holders to work or make money. Not all visas grant SSNs. Not all visas give you the ability to apply for loans. No visa or green card ever gives you the right to vote in anything.
Work visas are tied to employment, so layoffs affect legal status and your ability to remain in the country. No amount of merit or technical ability gets you around this, unless you know how to figure out the legal system. And that requires money and lawyers.
Every day with a new situation, I worry whether I have to suddenly pack up and leave tomorrow. Even though there’s a semi-high likelihood that various potential changes don’t affect me, I cannot help but think of the families and children who have tried their best to stay here.
There’s really no happy note to this. The best we immigrants can all do every day is sit down and ride it out. So that’s what I’m doing. That’s what we’re doing.
But boy there’s an awful lot of ice cream and beer being consumed in the meantime.
But boy there’s an awful lot of ice cream and beer being consumed in the meantime.
