In U.S. illegally, student finds hope at De Anza

Immigrants come from different backgrounds, paths and places, but they all have one thing in common: they are looking for a better future. A De Anza College student who wishes not to disclose his name came looking for it as well, but the change in his legal status made achieving his dream more challenging.

“I was happy to see the world and travel, to learn new things,” said the student, 24, chemical engineering major. “I was eager to come and study.”

Born in Vietnam, he came to the United States in August 2010 with a student visa for San Jose City College. His legal status slipped out of his hands when he was dropped from a class. No longer a full-time student, he did not qualify for a student visa.

“I chose not to go back to my country,” he said. “I feared that my family would know, because they had high expectations of me.”

Upon learning about his new immigration status, he said he became sad and depressed. He didn’t know how he could let himself get dropped and misadvised by a counselor about his situation. He said he tried to isolate himself from people he knew because they would ask him how school was, and it was far easier to talk to strangers.

“I was living alone and every day I would wake up thinking about the past and about the future,” the student said. “I was so depressed. My mind was just blank, and I was living in my guilt and fear.”

Once his legal status was revoked, he said he didn’t have anything to do for two years. He worked under-the-table jobs and attended community library courses.

The student’s struggles became even more difficult after a car accident left him fearful of driving, especially with an expired driver’s license.

“I was afraid to drive for a month,” the student said. “I kept having nightmares about the reality I was in and the car accident.”

He said that once he hit rock bottom, he had to look for information and opportunities. This is when he found De Anza.

“De Anza is my only chance and my only hope, and that saved my life,” the student said. “Finally, my fear is over. I have accepted whatever I have to do.”

The student is currently an intern for Higher Education For AB 540 Students (HEFAS) at De Anza and helps many students file the AB540 application, better known as the Dream Act.

“If you isolate yourself, you cannot get help; you have to tell somebody,” the student said. “The situation is not as bad as you think. Many people and organizations are willing to help.”

He helps others receive financial aid, although he can’t receive it himself because he did not attend three years of high school and did not receive a GED in the U. S.

The student said he wishes to get his legal status back and a job in environmental sustainability. He said he has been accepted to San Jose State University and hopes to get his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.

“I want to work in the environmental field to make social change and help our environment,” he said. “I want to be openly accepted by society and contribute my talents or whatever I have to my community.”