Senator Helps ASU Grad Become Legal Resident
Email ABC News on Campus reporter Nathan O’Neal blogs:
When Arizona State University graduate Oscar Vazquez (at left), 24, made the tough decision to self-deport back to Mexico, this crossing was much different from what he had experienced when he crossed the border illegally with his mother 12 years ago. He was doing what he said was the “right thing” – leaving the country to come back as a legal resident.
He left his wife, Karla, and their infant daughter in Phoenix, to return to a Mexico that he did not know.
“It was a gamble we had to take because that was the only choice that we thought was reasonable for us to be able to have a better future here in this country,” said Vazquez, who is now back at his Phoenix home.
Vazquez was honored at the ASU graduation commencement in front of President Barack Obama in 2009 for being a top-performing student. He also attracted attention when his underdog high school robotics team won a national collegiate competition, beating a team from MIT.
Knowing that it would be impossible for him to apply his engineering degree in the workplace because of his legal status, he decided to admit his illegal presence and apply for a waiver to the 10-year bar on entrance to the United States.
Vazquez spent just under one year in Magdalena de Kino in Sonora, Mexico, looking forward to visits from his wife and daughter, both U.S.-born citizens, every couple of weeks.
His personal story about his legal status has also previously been featured in articles in The Arizona Republic, CNN and ABC News on Campus.
That media coverage, Vazquez said, helped get the attention of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois). “Sen. Durbin called the Homeland Security … and I think that’s what made everything change, what sped up the process,” he said.
On July 14th, Oscar’s wife Karla received a letter notifying them that his waiver had been approved. “I was so happy, I just kind of wanted to take off and take him the letter as soon as I could,” Karla said.
She wanted to see his reaction in person, but it wasn’t until she was able to visit Oscar in Mexico that she got the chance to surprise him with the letter. “I just wanted him to see it for himself,” Karla said. “It was just a better reaction … just see him kind of smile.”
By August 30th, Oscar was back in Phoenix – a wait of just 361 days and a far cry from the 10-year wait originally expected.
He hopes that his story is something that will help balance the “anti-immigration sentiment in Arizona.”
“It’s nice sometimes to show that there are students like me – and there’s a lot of us – are here to do the right things,” Vazquez said. “We had no choice on whether to come here or not, we were brought here as kids and we still pursued our schooling … we try to do the best we can.”
Oscar hopes to put his engineering degree to practice in a job or possibly join the military – but now he has something he didn’t have a year ago: options.
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So why couldn’t the AZ senator’s help this guy out? He was living in Phoenix and did graduate from Arizona State University.
Posted by: Frank | September 13, 2010, 11:38 am 11:38 am
Wow that is amazing he came here at the age of 12 to the U.S. a country he did not know, and learned English, and became a top student in a high demand field. He is definitely a great asset!!!
Posted by: phantomniter | September 13, 2010, 11:59 am 11:59 am
We are honoring an illegal alien; how many taxpayers dollars were used to help pay for his education one way or another.
There is something so wrong with this story. We should not be honoring or celebrating illegal immigration. They need to enter the country legally the same way my wife did.
Posted by: really | September 13, 2010, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
I love it when I go to read a story on ABC and a corporate advertisement media clip automatically blasts through my speakers. Who at ABC thought that this was a good idea?
Posted by: Fan of Jefferson | September 13, 2010, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
seriously, really? he was 12 years old! how in the hell is that something that we should hold HIM responsible for. how is it OK to punish a KID for a decision his or her parents made?? we should be praising people who DO THE RIGHT thing and self-report and try to make it right by doing it legally…now that THEY have the choice. when he was 12, he didn’t have a choice. now he does, and he did exactly what he should have done. i cannot for the life of me understand why you would crap all over that.
Posted by: cr8nguy | September 13, 2010, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
oh and one more thing….since when is GREED an American value?? taxpayer dollars spent on his education? that’s pathetic.
Posted by: cr8nguy | September 13, 2010, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
This is where the realm of possibility expands. This guy admitted his illegal status, went back to Mexico, and put his faith in the system to work out right. Now it has paid off big time for him. He is back in the US, legal, and has a world of options. I hope other illegals take his example. When the US can control its borders, there is more room to help those who deserve it. However, when hundreds of thousands of intruders scoff at our immigration laws, the only recourse is to put teeth into enforcement. I have lived in lawless nations and nations of laws. Laws work better: much, much better…
Posted by: Sean O'Brien | September 13, 2010, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
This gentleman was a kid when he came to this country brought to the US by his parents. He was a victim in a way, he had to come with his parents. Yet when all is said and done this young man made a way for himdself and did the right thing. He went back to a country that was strange to him and let the process start. You ask why didn’t an Arizona Senator help this young man. I think what anti – immigration BS that is happening in Arizona would be political sucide if one of them were to actually step forward and help someone like this.
Posted by: K.McClure | September 13, 2010, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
I’m glad to see a least one senator was willing to do the right thing and reunite this man with his family in the country where he grew up and has already proven himself to be an asset making positive contributions to our society. Thank you Senator Durbin.
Posted by: ahumbleopinion | September 13, 2010, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm
“We are honoring an illegal alien; how many taxpayers dollars were used to help pay for his education one way or another.” — You mean the taxpayer dollars that his parents payed while living in this country? Legal resident or illegal alien, paying taxes is unavoidable.
Posted by: ShannonInCT | September 13, 2010, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
“I had to feed my family so I stole to get the food”. “I wanted my kids to have nice things so I stole them”. “I wanted my kids to have a better future so I stole it for them”. Its still stealing, whatever it is. We don’t let criminals keep what they steal just because they did it for their kids right? That includes citizenship. You cannot steal the most valuable thing American has to offer and give it to your kids.
Posted by: Joey Bag O Donuts | September 13, 2010, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
so Joey, ready to give the land back to the Native Americans? It does logically flow.
Oscar appears to be a genuine person of character. And I’m glad he’s in the United States.
Posted by: Storm | September 13, 2010, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
I’m happy for this young man and his family.
But why didn’t this young man do the right thing as soon as he came of age? Why did he wait until he had a college degree before going back to Mexico to follow the rules?
Finally, the US only lets in a finite number of people per year from other countries. I wonder who has to wait now that this young man was moved to the top of the list.
Posted by: malcat | September 13, 2010, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
Senators Kyl and McCain are trying too hard to please their right wing cronies. Neither one could be bothered to do what Seantor Durbin did.
Posted by: Bob Ramos | September 13, 2010, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
“give the land back to the Native Americans?” Nope we don’t have to and here’s why. First its moronic to use our 21st century reality to judge the actions of 18th century Americans. Second the native Americans much like the native Hawaiians lost their lands fair and square the same way that they had gained them. Native American tribes fought and took lands of weaker tribes and exploited their captives and made no apologies. That was acceptable at THAT TIME, same for the native Hawaiians. King Kamehameha one by one overpowered and TOOK all of the islands until they were all under his rule. That was acceptable at THAT TIME and its moronic to suggest that as a way of excusing today’s criminal behavior.
Posted by: Joey Bag O Donuts | September 13, 2010, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
I like this kid, let him come back legally on a visa for now but don’t give him citizenship automatically that would be an injustice to all of the honest, patient LEGAL immigrants who respected our immigration laws and waited their turns. We CANNOT reward the children of criminals with the very gift of American citizenship that their parents STOLE for them.
Posted by: Joey Bag O Donuts | September 13, 2010, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
ShannonInCT | Sep 13, 2010 1:40:39 PM – Do you honestly believe that illegals are all paying taxes? Since these folks have no legal right to work here they are either being paid under the table or they are working using someone else’s Social Security number, contributing to the problem of identify fraud.
Posted by: Pat | September 13, 2010, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
Thank you Sen. Durbin!!! This is the type of young person we WANT to be here…maybe we can trade Levi Johnston to the Mexicans!
Posted by: natFrankie | September 13, 2010, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
Will the Senator from Illinois go to bat for “bland” criminals or just take on cases that will curry favor (votes) from the likes of this and millions more illegals? Hmmmm
Posted by: s | September 13, 2010, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
My wife and daughter will have to wait for their visa. Only been waiting 30 months now and we just had to refile because the papers ran pass the time. This is what I get when I am white born and raised, legal doing my paper work spending the $1000′s it cost to process a legal visa and we give an illegal a free ride. You people are SICK. What gave that thief the right to move to the head of the line? What gave that thief the right to by pass the laws the rest of us have to follow?
Posted by: Mike | September 13, 2010, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm