Advance Parole: The Opportunity

For five years now, the Mexican Consulates in the US and the IME (Instituto de Mexicanos en el Exterior) have organized an annual Dreamers Forum. In 2022 they invited current DACA recipients to apply for a three-day forum in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Making the Decision

I first heard of this back in 2021 and was not remotely interested in attending. The reasons (excuses) vary. I did not know expenses would be covered, I did not know anyone else who would be attending, I was dealing with burnout, and I didn't feel Mexican enough. A year later when I learned about the 5th Annual Dreamers Forum, I was at a different place in my life where I found mental space to think about and question where I come from and not feeling Mexican enough was what drove me to apply. 

In all honesty, I was upset with Mexico. There's a reason my parents left the country and a reason why they have not been able to return even though that has been their dream since the moment they left. I remember, when we still lived in Mexico, my father began to build a house next to my grandma’s property. When they came to the US, they began sending money to an uncle who was helping to build it while they were away. At some point, they stopped and my uncle now lives in that house with his family. I’ve realized my parents weren’t planning on staying here forever, they wanted to return. Feeling completely clueless about Mexico, its history, and its changes in the time I've been in the US (20 years) led me to have a hard time labeling myself as “Mexican.”

“What are you?” “Latina” “Immigrant” “Mestiza” “technically Mexican”

I applied hours before the deadline thanks to a call from a friend who said “If you apply, I’ll apply.” I was accepted and assigned to the group “Jovenes en la Política.” As the dates of the forum approached, we learned we had to create a project based on our group category and present it to the forum participants and Mexican government officials who would attend. Later on, we learned that a few members of our group would be invited and sponsored to travel to Mexico through Advance Parole (AP) to present the project to government officials there. 

I worked alongside DACA recipients from all across the US to create SomosDAYDA (Somos de Aquí y de Allá), a project to promote participation in Mexican elections from Mexican youth living abroad and descendants of Mexicans. To learn more about the project visit and follow our Instagram page: @somosdayda 

I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of the six team members who would be sponsored to travel to Mexico through this program. This would be my first time applying for AP and my first time visiting Mexico since I migrated to the US at 5 years old. The agenda consisted of a week of activities where the first 4 days would include conferences and info sessions, museum visits, and an opportunity to speak to senators and representatives. The remaining 3 days were meant to be used to travel to our hometowns or places of origin. 

Applying for Advance Parole

The AP application process was stressful and made it almost impossible to focus on anything else. My companeras and I found ourselves continuously having to advocate for ourselves due to a law office that took our case and never communicated with us, arguing their client was the consulate and not us, the applicants. They ended up sending out our applications a month before the trip and said the expedited process would have them arrive in about two weeks. Three of us never received our AP document based on that application even though we were approved. We took matters into our own hands when everyone else was telling us to simply wait for the document, although flights and stays were already booked. 

It's funny how patience seems easier when it is not your future on the line. 

We called USCIS and spoke to multiple officers while on the verge of tears during that last week before the trip and managed to get an appointment to apply for emergency AP, though still not guaranteed we would receive it. Our appointment was on a Friday morning and our flights were scheduled for the following Saturday and Sunday. Afraid we would miss our window, we took the chance and paid another $575 out of pocket to get our emergency AP processed. A few hours later we were called in with good news of the approval and to pick up our AP document from the USCIS office. We were going to Mexico!

Unfortunately for me, the money I used to process that emergency AP was the money I needed to go visit my Ranchito in Mexico. I would visit Mexico but not where I grew up, where my parents grew up, or where half of my family still lives to this day. My eyes filled with tears when my grandma asked, “Cuando llegas al rancho mija para decirle a Paty y Martin que vayan por ti?”

To be continued… (Experiencing Mexico)