Faces of Dreamers

Betzabeth

I think my daughter understands the sacrifice I’m making is for both of us.

Betzabeth

A single mother pursuing a master’s in social work at the California State University Long Beach, Betzabeth struggles to balance parenting, schoolwork, and work. She works part-time as a counselor at a nonprofit in Los Angeles on top of a working 20 hours at her internship.

“Sometimes I feel guilty for not being able to spend more time with my daughter because I am very busy studying and working, but I think she understands the sacrifice I’m making is for both of us,” she said in an interview for the Times of San Diego. To make ends meet, Betzabeth shares an apartment in South Los Angeles with her mother and two sisters.

Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Betzabeth has been part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for the past eight years. She has already renewed her status three times—paying a total of $1,485 in renewal fees. Thankfully, the financial burden has been eased by nonprofit support.

“The first two times CHIRLA [the Coalition for Immigrant Human Rights in Los Angeles] paid for my renewal,” said the native of Puebla, Mexico. “And this last time the Dream Center from Cal State Long Beach provided the funds, and I went to USC to get help to fill out my renewal a legal clinic.”

Now Betzabeth is just waiting and hoping that she’ll have another chance to renew her status and continue living in the United States.