Lupe's Story

Ten years ago, Lupe immigrated from Mexico without documentation. A few months ago, a new family moved into her apartment complex. The mother said Lupe was an “illegal” and made fun of her when she responded in broken English. The neighbor knocked on the door last Saturday. When Lupe answered, the neighbor started yelling at her for “parking in the place everyone knows is her spot.” Lupe apologized, but the neighbor kept yelling, so Lupe stepped outside to move the car. When Lupe stepped outside, the neighbor pushed her and told her that she should go back to her country and that people like her weren’t “welcome here.” Lupe got up and quickly went inside.

When Lupe told her friends, they were sympathetic but told her that this sort of thing always happens. They warned her that getting the police involved could create more trouble for her. Lupe’s co-worker encouraged Lupe to report it to the police. Lupe wants to stop the harassment but is worried that she may get in trouble because of her immigration status - and she also wants to keep her life private. She also wonders if she is overreacting. Her co-worker suggests that she talk with an attorney and gives her the name of a Spanish-speaking attorney. Lupe reaches out to the attorney, who helps her understand the local law enforcement’s relationship with immigration enforcement agencies and answers questions about reporting a crime and how victims’ rights may be able to keep some of her information private. The attorney also provides Lupe with a referral to another attorney who specializes in immigration law and who can explain what laws might provide immigration relief.