Brought to This Country when I Was 2, Now I'm 21

[kdoremus1]

I was brought to this country with my mother, father, and two sisters. My father had a working visa and brought me here. I received a social security but nothing else. My father and my mother separated and he left me and my family in this country.

I have attended school here 1 - 12. Now, I'm graduating college with a bachelors in criminal justice and a minor in pre law this year with honors and I want to attending law school. However, since I'm a illegal citizen I can't afford to go to law school. I was fortunate to receive a private scholarship to receive my bachelors degree because I graduated with honors in high school. All I pay out of pocket is a 1,000 dollars a semester.

I have been working minimum wage since the age 13. I pay taxes. I work hard for everything I got. I have been offered scholarships to attend graduate school but I can't take them because I'm not a citizen. I have great credit because I was able to open a account with my social security.

I really want to continue to go to school or even start a career, but not being a citizen is holding me back. I can't get an I'D. Can anyone please give me advise, my life is on the line. I already believe I'm a citizen of this country but I just need a piece of paper to prove it.

[LawResearcherMissy]

I already believe I'm a citizen of this country but I just need a piece of paper to prove it.

Unless you had a proper visa for entry, then a green card, then you went through Naturalization, no, you are not a citizen. You are here unlawfully, and that is going to cause you problems until you get things sorted out.

Your unlawful presence did not begin until you turned 18. Had you gone back to the country of your birth, then obtained a proper visa to attend school here, you would have a much easier time of things. As things stand, though, you've triggered a 10 year ban on re-entry. You are currently subject to deportation. Unfortunately for you, your options are to stay here, fly under the radar, and hope you don't get caught, or return to the country of your birth, wait out the 10 year ban, and return legally once the ban is lifted. Unless and until the DREAM act is finally passed, there are no other options for immigrants brought here as children.

[aaron]

A couple more possibilities that "aren't for everybody" - if somebody enters the U.S. legally and marries a citizen, they can seek to adjust their status based on marriage to the citizen. After leaving the U.S. it's also possible to seek a waiver of the period of ineligibility resulting from overstay, but in most cases that's a long-shot - the conditions for getting a waiver are difficult to satisfy.