R. Ozuna* has little connection to her home country of Mexico.

Since she was a young girl, Ozuna, the daughter of illegal immigrants, has been immersed in American culture. Growing up picking apples in Eastern Washington, she has no memory of Mexico, a place she has not been since leaving at age 2.

Now a 20-year-old WSU senior management operations and entrepreneurship major, Ozuna is driven to succeed, preferably in the U.S.

“I think one of the reasons I succeeded academically was because my parents told me I didn’t belong here,” she said. “They imposed this fear on me, because they said these people could send us home.” Three years before Ozuna’s birth, her father began picking pears at an orchard in Southern California. Ozuna’s mother moved back to Mexico City when she was pregnant with Ozuna.

Though the family was temporarily separated, Ozuna’s family saw the economic opportunity and risks associated with crossing the border as worthwhile.

“We were low income there, which is even worse than being low income here,” she said. “(My father) had been a construction worker and a police officer, but it was all corrupted. Even if it barely paid more here, it was better.” After a short stint in northern California, the family migrated to Washington state when Ozuna was 4 years old.

For the next decade, the family, including Ozuna’s three younger brothers, migrated from orchard to orchard in Eastern Washington, including Royal City and Othello.

“We’d have to relocate every year because of my dad’s job availability,” she said.

Ozuna spoke no English when she enrolled in elementary school. She said her classmates treated her as if she had a disability, which motivated her to learn the language quickly.

For her parents, however, English was difficult. Even today, Ozuna helps her parents read labels at the grocery store and answer questions on medical and legal documents.

“Ever since I was a first grader, I was their interpreter,” she said.

Having grown up around large immigrant populations, Ozuna never saw herself as different from her peers. The effects of her undocumented status never affected her until she applied for college.

Because she is not eligible for financial aid, she had to search for donations. Though she found a few scholarships, she has paid for much of college on her own.

Each summer, Ozuna works long hours with her family doing agricultural work. This routine has not changed since she was 13 years old.

“It’s the worst type of labor imaginable,” she said. “But it taught me a lesson because I know it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life.” She also saved money by taking Running Start in high school, which reduced the amount of time she would need to spend in college.

Ozuna was required to sign an affidavit when she came to WSU to become a 1079 student. Her transcript states she is a citizen, though there is nothing listed under her social security number.

While this option exists at WSU, social security numbers are required on U.S. passports. As a result, Ozuna will not be able to study abroad, one of her lifelong dreams.

These issues would be cured with the potential passage of the DREAM Act, which is being considered by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The DREAM Act would put children of illegal immigrants who attend college or join the military on a path to citizenship.

“Honestly, with the Bush administration we knew it wouldn’t pass,” she said. “We are extremely excited with the Obama administration because Democrats tend to support the DREAM Act.” Though she is involved in multiple WSU student groups, most of her friends don’t know she’s a 1079 student. She said she only speaks about it with her roommate, who is also a 1079 student, and about their future if the DREAM Act doesn’t pass.

Ozuna said she would like to stay in the U.S. either way, but she acknowledges it would be difficult if she is being paid under the table.

In the future, Ozuna said she would love to work for a government agency or corporation and wants to work on issues relating to international business and social justice.

“The U.S. is the only thing I know. America is the only thing I know,” she said. “We pay our taxes, so I don’t think we owe America anything. We just want to work.”
*The source’s name was changed to protect her identity.