The Struggles of a Jamaican Immigrant

Orrello Lonstonrik was a man in his forties who was tired of being out of work in his village in Jamaica, though he did love selling the mangoes that grew on his part of the island. But so many people had their own mangoes; and though he had been selling to some restaurants in a few towns over, one restaurant closed and another mango selling guy won over the other restaurants, so now he was in bad fortune.

He had a friend in Mexico who was a high up official who got him into the country, even without all the right documents. But once in Mexico, Orrello just could not seem to settle down and he was overwhelmed by all the Spanish language which he just had a hard time to really adjust to. He just did not see himself being able to learn this language and wanted to be somewhere that he could speak English; for that was his language, though he did speak some of the village dialect of Jamaica.

The friend official had a plan to get him to the Texas borders without getting caught by the immigration border patrol. Orello was excited. He had heard great things about America. He had no money, but he would try to find a job right away. And he had big ideas about sending for his dear wife Maria and their child Senico once he was established and able to bring them over.

Orella did not find himself any work. Instead he was in a jail in Houston, Texas where he had been transported. He had been told that he had committed a federal offence against the federal immigration law. He pleaded, “But what did I do? All I wanted was a better life for my family and me.” The officer responded, “You did not enter with the proper legal documents.” An experienced federal immigration attorney will be able to help you secure the proper legal documentation and may be able to help you avoid deportation.

But what was Orello to do with no money?