Maria was 15 when she, her sister and mother arrived in the United States from Mexico in 2000. They never left after coming to visit her father, who had been living and working in the U.S. since 1991.
Although she was not comfortable sharing too many details, Maria and her family settled in Greater Cleveland, where she attended public schools, graduated from high school and attended Cleveland State University.
?I was lucky because my parents worked and could support me. I didn?t have to work until I was old enough,? she said.
For several years Maria, 32, worked in restaurants before taking a job in banking. She met and fell in love with a fellow CSU student about 10 years ago. The couple has been married for three years.
In 2012, when former President Barack Obama signed an executive order implementing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Maria and her sister qualified, applied and were approved.
?It wasn?t easy,? she said, explaining the lengthy list of documents, requirements and application fee. Also, it can cost nearly $1,000 to apply and qualify for DACA, she said.
Her medical and school records were checked; a full background check was done and she had to be fingerprinted by the FBI. The two sisters were granted DACA status and became part of the group known as ?Dreamers.?
?It can take about six months to get the DACA process completed,? she said, and it must be renewed every two years -- including the application fee.
Maria received help from Tania Nemer, immigration senior attorney, and the legal staff at Catholic Charities? Migration and Refugee Services to guide her through DACA and the green card process.
One time when she renewed with DACA, Maria said the government sent the paperwork to the wrong address, so her status expired. It took eight months to clear things up and in the meantime, she lost her work permit and eventually her job because her employer could no longer hold the position. She also depleted her savings.
After marrying, Maria decided to apply for a green card, which gives her lawful permanent residency in the U.S. She had to meet certain requirements, including obtaining travel documents, leaving and re-entering the country within a limited time window.
?It was hard,? she said, adding that she ran the risk of detention or not being permitted back in the country, especially if her travel documents expired.
Her husband insisted on accompanying her, so the couple traveled from Cleveland to Atlanta to Cancun, Mexico, then to Mexico City, New York City and finally back to Cleveland
