Guillermo Saldana, MS2, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
Growing up as a child with immigrant parents, I used to worry I would not see my parents after school. The deportation of one of my classmates’ parents back to Mexico was not uncommon. I first realized that deportation posed a threat to families like mine around the age of 8 when I would constantly see ICE raids around Dallas while watching the news with my parents. The families I saw separated by deportation growing up impressed upon me the possibility that a similar fate could be around the corner for my family.
My mother would rehearse scenarios constantly where either she or my father were to get deported. She gave me contact information for my relatives who lived in Dallas, drilled me on instructions on caring for my younger siblings, and told me I needed to keep working hard if their deportation ever came to pass. Everyday goodbyes to my parents before school caused me anxiety, with the possibility of deportation constantly looming over our heads, but I had to suppress my worries so that I could focus on learning instead. I knew I could not prevent my parents’ deportation. Focusing on school was hard at first, but as I aged, I could better avoid unnecessary ruminations about the situation and focus on the task at hand. After school, my mother’s daily pickups inspired relief; half the battle was over at this point, and I just needed to wait for my dad to return home from work. Once I heard his footsteps by the front door, I could relax. Every day posed its own set of difficulties, but I am blessed to have reached adulthood with my family intact.
Luckily, my parents now possess the legal right to live here in the U.S., and I can feel a little more peace. This experience was uncomfortable and frightening, but it helped me grow and develop mental strength. From a young age, I learned how to compartmentalize different thoughts and feelings. I developed the skill of blocking out all distractions in the outside world and focusing only on things that need my full attention. Learning to separate my home and school life proved necessary for my success in school. My journey has inspired my commitment to use medicine as a tool to fight for the rights and well-being of immigrant populations. Together we can bring hope and fortitude to these hardworking communities.
About the Author: My name is Guillermo Saldana and I am a second year medical student at Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine (Houston,TX). I am a first generation student, and son of Mexican, immigrant parents. Through medicine. I hope to be a vehicle of hope for those living in underserved communities and be a voice for all underrepresented minorities.
About the Work: This is a personal narrative on what it was like to grow up as a child of immigrant parents. I hope this short story can shed light into what many Hispanic kids around the country go through.
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