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Immigration is About Hope for a Better Life

On a beautiful morning, as I was walking, hand-in-hand with my four-year old, Rae, she looked up at me and asked, “Mommy, anything I want to be, will I be it?”

I stopped in my tracks and said, “yes, you can sweetheart” and then proceeded in a very enthusiastic manner to tell her all of the things she could be – “you can be a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, the President of the United States!  Anything in the world you want to be, you can!” Thankfully, we were outside, because I was animated and gesturing up to the blue skies to emphasize that the world is hers.

I didn’t mention fish cleaner, or crab picker or laborer in my list of professions that she could pursue that day – not that there’s anything wrong with these jobs. But as my dad told me growing, up, “you need to go to school and study hard so you don’t have to clean fish like me all day, so you don’t have to work like me.”

And working like my dad and mom meant putting in 14-hour days, 364 ½ days a year, at our ethnic grocery store and fish market – Mendoza’s International – and still finding it hard to keep up with the bills and taxes. Struggling. Surviving.  My parents, Filipino immigrants, did not want that for their three children.

This is the same sentiment I hear from my clients. That’s why they’re here, living in the U.S. with no documentation.  That their struggles, their survival in the U.S. will lead to a different, better life for their own children.

It sounds cliché, I know, especially to the many people who are tired of the immigration debate, to those who want something done right now to deport those who are living here without documentation.  But it is a meaningful idea and one that will never, ever go away so long as we have mothers and fathers with their deep desires to protect and provide for their children.

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The picture I’ve included is one of me taking a nap on bags of rice we sold at our store. The grocery store was very much home for me and my family.  After school, it’s where I went every single day. As a kid, I wanted to play outside and have a “normal” life. Today, my husband and I have provided that for our kids.  Nothing makes me happier than to see them laughing and playing with their friends. When they were younger, my kids took naps on the warm sand at the beach steps from our home; we take family vacations, and they are living the dream (even though they may not know it yet).

So, it worked. My immigrant parents’ push to work hard in school and their daily struggles and surviving for us, led in large part to this life I’m living now.

This circle will never end and when our politicians talk about immigration reform and stopping illegal immigration, it’s one of the most important things for them to recognize.

Related posts:

  1. Watch Out for School Buses and School Zones
  2. Citizenship Day 2019
  3. Get Peace of Mind with Gardner & Mendoza
  4. One Good Reason You Need to Lawyer Up

Filed Under: Immigration Blog Articles

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Testimonials

Well, hard to believe… job done! I’m frank to admit I had no idea that it would be so involved compared to 10 years ago when I did the renewal myself. Happily I was fortunate enough to find the best people to help get it done this time. When I was a working stiff it was mostly as a field guy in sales & marketing. High tech communication in those days was a pay phone in customers’ lobbies, so someone back in the office skilled in dealing w/problems was absolutely essential when I couldn’t be contacted. Most of those who supported me that way were good at what they did, some were outstanding. None were better than you!! This tedious & sometimes worrisome process would have been unbearable without your keeping it, & me, on track. So we want to extend our thanks to you and Radlyn. Hoping for Gardner & Mendoza to continue the good work for many years to come. - Anonymous
Gardner and Mendoza Law Firm is a great law firm no matter what kind of situation you may be in! For example I had court today, John Gardner, my attorney represented me today and got the charged dismissed totally the first time we both appeared in front of the judge in Virginia Beach Traffic Court. He uses every bit of knowledge he can to help you get the best results!! He also works very well with Latinos! They have a Spanish speaking person in their office at all times!! - Sebastian
My husband and I had a great experience with Mrs. Mendoza. She provided excellent information and a sense of urgency with every step of our immigration process. Her team was always supportive in getting us the information we needed throughout the whole process. This legal firm also treats their clients with the highest levels of respect. In all of Virginia I would say that the Gardener & Mendoza team is the best recommendation for same sex immigration cases and for immigration cases in general. It was a pleasure to work with them. - Anonymous
I Highly Recommend Radlyn Mendoza, An Excellent Immigration Lawyer. My wife and I were very worried about my wife’s immigration and legal status. We were quite impressed with Attorney Mendoza during our initial consultation. She proved to be a smart, knowledgeable, and very capable immigration attorney. She and her staff were very helpful and responsive to all of our requests. Kudos to her and staff, especially Leesa, for successfully handling our case. Thanks for a job well done. - Thomas and Cheong W.
My daughter received a reckless driving ticket going 60 in a 35 mph zone, so understandably, I was very concerned. In court, Mr. Gardner was able to get the reckless driving charge and ticket completely dismissed due to his knowledge of what the police officer had to present in court. Mr. Gardner was a familiar face to the judge and the clerks in the Virginia Beach courthouse. When we contacted John Gardner’s office at Gardner & Mendoza, he and his staff made us feel comfortable by explaining the whole process to us. His track record and the reviews online helped make the decision to choose Mr. Gardner over other attorneys easy. I highly recommend Mr. Gardner. He gave us peace of mind and won the case too! - Michelle

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909 First Colonial Rd., Suite 100
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
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Our main law office is conveniently located in the Hilltop section of Virginia Beach, near Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and Oceana Naval Base.

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