FanStory.com - Maria's Storyby HarryT

Maria worked in the bustling kitchen of the Palm Court restaurant. She had worked her way up to sous chef and was well-liked by the kitchen staff. She worked swiftly and effectively, demonstrating to the under-staff how to prepare dish after dish. She was known for her skill and dedication, and valued by the restaurant owner, but she carried a secret deep in her frightened heart. Maria Perez was undocumented; she lived in constant fear of being discovered by ICE and deported. The fear had metastasized since an anti-immigrant president was elected, promising to deport millions of illegal immigrants.

Every day, she woke up feeling like there was a fist squeezing her stomach. She knew that ICE focused on raiding restaurants and hotels looking for undocumented people. Her cousin, who was a worker at a downtown hotel, was swept up in a raid and deported to Mexico. Many stories were circulating about other immigrants being taken away, their lives uprooted in an instant. In one case, the father and mother were deported; the children, who were born in America, had to live with a widowed aunt. The thought of being separated from her family, of losing the life she had worked so hard to build, was a nightmare that haunted Maria every waking moment.

She took care to avoid unnecessary interactions outside of her family and trusted friends, some of whom were in the same situation as she, undocumented. She always had a feeling that someone might be following her. Trust was a luxury she couldn't afford.

One evening, as she was finishing her shift, the restaurant manager called a meeting. Maria was frightened; her heart began beating like a wild metronome as she joined her coworkers. The manager announced that there had been reports of ICE conducting raids in the area. He advised them to be careful about any gossip, to remain vigilant, and to be prepared for the possibility of a raid.

Maria felt a wave of panic wash over her, but she knew she couldn't afford to show weakness. She needed her job, and she needed to keep her family safe. The threat of ICE permeated the entire immigrant community, including those who were legal. Even the legal immigrants were fearful of ICE, who often didn’t pay attention to the status of immigrants.

After the meeting at the restaurant, Maria walked home, fearful that her time was running out. She had heard that the new president had promised to use the military to round up illegals. She had built a life here, made friends, and found a sense of belonging. But the fear of deportation was always there, lurking in the shadows, ready to take it all away.

No matter how cautious the employees were, the restaurant was raided and Maria could not escape. She was swept up with four other restaurant employees and sent to a detention center. Her husband went into hiding in the attic of a friend. Her children, who were born in the United States, were taken in by an aunt. After a week, Maria was put on a plane and sent to Mexico City. Her husband, after two months in hiding, decided to return to Mexico to be with Maria. They hoped that, one day, they both could return to America to be with their children, God willing.