Immigration Orphans – Making a Positive Difference in their lives!
By David Triana
Have you ever asked yourself what YOUR CHILDREN would go through, if you were ever taken away from them suddenly, escorted out of your own home as they watched, or while you were at work?
Currently in the United States, there are over 5 MILLION kids, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic, born in the U.S., who have either one or both parents who are undocumented. Thousands of those children are “immigrant orphans”, indeed, they have experienced what I am asking you to think about via the question above.
The tragic and shocking situation of “losing” their parents is traumatic, stressful on its own, but, that is just the beginning, for many of these children will either go into the foster care system or will eventually have to leave THEIR COUNTRY.
Is affecting the lives and future of over 5 MILLION U.S. citizens a real solution to a problem we, all of us, have allowed to fester for decades and decades? Do we, as a nation, no longer possess the ability to find a solution to a problem that takes into consideration the human beings, especially the U.S. citizen kids, whose futures we will surely affect? Come on America….YOU, are better than that!
Yes, America is better than that I know, for there are still many people like Nora Sandigo, who are making a difference in the lives of such kids, many of them who call her “The Great Mother!”
Nora is originally from Nicaragua and lives in Miami. She is an exemplary human being and she is the legal guardian of over 900 of the so-called “Immigrant Orphans!”
Nora was born on the 4th of July. In 1979, when the bloody Nicaraguan Revolution tore apart her community, her father sent her to live in Venezuela with her older sister. In a September 2014 interview with PEOPLE Magazine about that day, Nora said, “She gave a big kiss to her dad to say goodbye…..and never saw him again.”
A few years later, Nora made her way to the United States and started working for an organization that helped refugees. Because I was born on the 4th of July, she told PEOPLE Magazine, “my dad told me that day was a very important one for Americans, and that I needed to do something beautiful…because she was born on a blessed day.”
Soon after arriving in the U.S., Nora founded American Fraternity, an organization that helps immigrants integrate and adjust to our society, culture and legal processes.
How did her becoming a Legal Guardian to immigration orphans start?
It started back in 2009, after two young and very scared children knocked on her door to let her know that their Nicaraguan mother was being deported.
When both parents are deported, the children either go into foster care or have to leave the country, unless they have a legal guardian.
Nora promised those kids back in 2009 that they would “never be alone” and she kept her promise. She became their legal guardian and eventually adopted Cecia and Ronald Soza.
As the legal guardian of a child, that person assumes the responsibilities all real parents have: Decisions on education, granting permission to participate in activities, health care decisions, food, etc.
Nora is constantly on the phone, she carries a couple of them, always ready to fulfill all those responsibilities. The kids live all over the U.S. and range in age from a few months to 17 years old.
For those that live near Miami, she hosts bi-weekly parties at her house where the children and their other relatives can come to relax, have fun and forget, if only for a short time, of their tough situation.
She is also their biggest advocate and regularly participates in meetings with all levels of government officials or supporting organizations and causes on behalf of these kids. She does her very best to prevent that more U.S. citizen kids will become “Immigration Orphans.”
In December 2014, PEOPLE Magazine recognized Nora as “Hero of the Year” at their PEOPLE Magazine Awards.
Most Americans expect a sensible solution to the illegal immigration issue. Ronald Reagan, a President who exemplified a common sense approach to governing, signed an immigration reform bill into law back in 1986, this law allowed over 3 MILLION individuals to stay and eventually have a chance to become legal residents and U.S. citizens. Many of them are now successful business owners, doctors, lawyers, teachers and plain Joes and Janes.
How sad that 30 years later, some Americans would be willing to destroy the future of over 5 MILLION U.S. citizen kids, or, force many of them to become “immigration orphans”, rather than help find better solutions.
For our nation, it is a blessing that there are still people like Nora Sandigo, willing to make a positive difference and offer up real solutions through advocacy. But while that happens, to offer up immediate solutions and help the children as she does.
¡Hooray for The Great Mother…and May God continue to bless her efforts!
For more information about Nora or to donate to her mission: See websites at end of Spanish version.