my dad was a legal “dreamer” before becoming an illegal alien & finally an American citizen.
the secret file.
I always wondered about the laminated miniature 1.5” x 1.5” copy of my dad’s honorable discharge paper from the U.S. Army that he kept in his wallet (I turned the house upside down looking for it… it’s here somewhere.)
I never asked about it and he didn’t talk about it.
~~~
I like the term “dreamer.”
I think the term was designed for us to “Like,” our empathic right brain soaking up the intoxicating imagery…
a deft appeal to our “American Spirit,” the idea that in an environment respectful of our God-endowed natural rights, freedoms, that dreams can and do come true (see also the “American Dream.”)
The Dream Act, introduced in 2001, remained a dream until its terms were memorialized by Obama in a 2012 Executive Order, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.)
In 2017 Trump rescinded the program pushing for formal legislation on the issue.
was this the plan all along to sell us their version of The Dream in order to manage our social evolution, massage us into the planned eventualities, acceptance of “The Great Invasion” and its grim aftermath?
was the rusty skeleton of “The Great Wall of Trump” also part of the plan, a costly, intentional fool’s errand ?
is the bi-partisan transhumanist endgame Biometric ID incorporating CBDC for purposes of 24/7 surveillance and control of the beleaguered who survive regardless of status or intent?
is the effective elimination of boarders in preparation of a One World Government (aka New World Order) the finishing touch, a dab of powder on the shiny, blushing whore Babylon the Great?
do we have a country anymore? did we ever? have we been purposely manipulated, the peoples of ALL “countries,” to usher in a nightmare?
are we really independent? what exactly are we celebrating today as we teeter on the brink?
God first. Always.
~~~
a few weeks ago one of my cousins left me a message asking if I still had some old family letters.
not sure exactly what she was looking for I decided to make an inventory of family memorabilia in my possession.
rummaging through the photographs, letters and documents I came across an unfamiliar beige file.
much to my surprise it’s contents painted the story of the hurdles my dad overcame on his path to citizenship.
August 1946 my dad entered the United States at Brownsville Texas legally on an Ecuadorian Visa as a teenage student headed to college in Washington State.
Apparently he tripped up, accidentally failing to check in with US Customs on re-entry into the United States July 4th 1947 after a geology class field trip into British Columbia Canada trigging a cascade of legal action with the potential to culminate in his deportation.
thereafter, concurrent with his undergraduate and then graduate studies, my dad (with the help of his sister-in-law’s family) fought the bureaucratic red tape on every aspect of his existence from permission to seek part-time and summer employment to reporting all travel intentions in order to comply to remain in the United States.
compounding the issue was the expiration of his passport of his country of birth, Czechoslovakia.
seeking protection under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 dad was assisted by Hugh Butler a U. S. Senator from Nebraska, a friend of the family, corresponding directly with Mr. Butler who helped him navigate the system.
ultimately the United States Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service deemed dad as not eligible under the Act, he was denied application for adjustment of status under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 as the country of Ecuador, his temporary residence prior to entering the United States, would have accepted his return.
the prescribed outcome must have been unacceptable to dad. shortly thereafter his strategy pivoted to seeking citizenship through military service.
upon completion of his education dad reported for basic training prior to his assignment to the Yuma, Arizona Army Base where he worked in a laboratory testing fuels and materials.
~~~
knowing my dad the experience had to have weighed heavily on him, the prolonged uncertainty motivating him to do everything possible to correct the situation.
the legacy, an inadequacy that material proof was required to support his lawful existence here.
that he didn’t speak of the story leading up to his service meant it was something he preferred not to remember.
what he made clear for the remainder of his life was his honor to have served the American people and to have become an American citizen in the process.
I miss you dad.
Wow, Kitten, that's made me cry it;s so beautiful and such an insight into your father. I'm glad you loved him so much, he looks a truly lovely man. You have some wonderful memories of him XXX
Great Dad Story!! To be a natural citizen born here, we don’t realize how lucky we are. That Senator who helped your Dad shares my Birthday 🥳 nice history lesson.