13-year-old author Estela Juarez opens up about a new book and her mother’s deportation – The 74
Estela Juarez vividly remembers the night an immigration officer knocked on her family’s front door in Florida and revealed her mother’s secret.
After a traffic stop in 2013 revealed her undocumented status, Alejandra Juarez, 43, faced by the officer, and ultimately deported to Mexico in August 2018 following strict Trump administration measures immigration policies.
“Although my mother is a military wife and has no criminal record, she was deported,” Estela, 13, told 74. “I think it’s very important that people understand how our Immigration laws not only harm undocumented immigrants, but the entire family as well.”
Transforming her childhood love for journal writing, Estela now shares her story as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant in “Until Someone Listens”, a children’s book co-authored with Lissette Norman.
With illustrations by Teresa Martínez, Estela remembers her mother’s journey to permanently reside in the United States.
After living apart from his family for more than three years, the Biden administration granted Alejandra a one-year humanitarian parolewhich was recently extended until May 2023.
In the meantime, Alejandra has joined Estela’s book tour not only to advocate for her own residency in the United States, but also for comprehensive immigration reform.
“The feedback we’ve gotten from a lot of die-hard Republicans and former Donald Trump supporters is that when they hear our story from a child’s perspective, it changes their minds,” Alejandra told the 74. “And that’s my hope – as Estela tells her story, immigration rules can change.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Le 74: For Estela, tell me more about “Until Someone Listened” and why writing a book was the best way to capture your story.
Estela: I know there are many children in the same situation as me. I wanted to create a book in a way that could inspire other kids and let them know that there is someone out there going through the same situation as you.
What is the key takeaway that you would want someone reading “Until Someone Listened” to understand your story?
Estela: I would like them to know that my story is one of many. And by reading the book, I hope they understand how our immigration laws really, really hurt families.
You write in your book “Some see people like my mother as ugly weeds that need to be pulled out of the ground. But they’re not weeds. They’re wildflowers, all with pretty shapes and colors, each of a different beauty. What were your thoughts while writing this?
Estela: I know a lot of people think my mother doesn’t deserve to live in this country and be with her family here. She contributes so much to this country that most people see her as a criminal – but she’s not a criminal and she does no harm.
After his election in 2016, former President Donald Trump adopted a “zero tolerance” policy for undocumented immigrants that placed Alejandra on a high-priority deportation list. For Alejandra, tell me more about what was going through your mind when it happened.
Alejandra: The best way to explain it to you is that I couldn’t believe it. Even when I was kicked out, I thought they were going to take me back. I thought they were going to say we made a mistake. It took me a year and a half to realize that it had really happened. I just couldn’t believe it. The cruelty of the Trump administration to do this to a stay-at-home mom with no criminal record and, on top of that, a military wife. I couldn’t understand it. So much wickedness and cruelty.
Your story has been shared through not only a book tour, but also a Netflix Documentary and even the Democratic National Convention. With that in mind, what is there in your story that no one asks or realizes it’s important to ask?
Estela: Most people should know that my father is a veteran. Although my mother is a military wife and has no criminal record, she was deported. And I think it’s very important for people to understand how our immigration laws hurt not only undocumented immigrants, but the whole family.
Alejandra: What nobody asks is how many people like us there are. People want to believe that we are just a few. There are over a million undocumented people with an American child. So, as Estela mentioned before, our story is one story too many.
About your father Estela and your husband Alejandra, I understand he is a naturalized US citizen, served in the Marines and voted for Trump in 2016 because he thought he would protect military families. What’s your hope for the Biden administration when it comes to US immigration policies?
Estela: I know this administration has a good heart and I know they care about military families. I hope that by hearing my story they can change these broken immigration laws, because that’s the only way my mother can stay here permanently. It is not only important for us but for many other families to be reunited again.
Alejandra: I have hope for this administration. I believe they have the heart and the intention to change their broken immigration laws. I know Congress needs to act. We did Estela’s first book tour to two schools and just got back. The feedback we’ve received from a lot of die-hard Republicans and former Donald Trump supporters is that when they hear our story from a child’s perspective, it changes their minds. And that’s my hope – by telling his story, immigration rules can change.
You speak of your experiences with such courage and conviction. Where does your strength come from?
Estela: For me, I started to really use my voice and spread the message about my mother’s story when she was deported. I saw how, even after she returned, the trauma she had. It always stays on my mind and really burns my fire to want to keep sharing my story.
Alejandra: I am a very spiritual person and my strength comes from God. There is no way to fix this problem unless immigration laws change. 32 lawyers told me there was no way I could come back. So the fact that I’m back and I’m here thanks to Estelle’s video that was in the Democratic Convention makes me think things can change. I mean, if I was able to come back even temporarily, then maybe there’s a way to fix the immigration laws permanently. So it gives me strength and courage to know that it can be done.
What advice would you give to someone in a similar situation who is too scared to share their story?
Estela: If you’re too scared to fight, just know that I’m fighting here for you and won’t stop until I see more families reunited. Even if by some miracle my mother is allowed to stay here permanently, I will never stop fighting until the immigration laws are changed.
Alejandra: The first thing I would tell them is that silence is useless. So we have to keep talking. You must continue to write. One of the things I’ve talked to a few kids about when we visit schools is to ask Google who your local legislator is and send them a letter. By sending them letters, we put pressure on legislators to change the laws. The only way to make sure the laws change is to put on enough pressure and get people talking.
What do the next steps look like as you continue to push for comprehensive immigration reform?
Estela: I am currently writing another book for adult and teenage audiences which further details my experience as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant. I also hope to see more child authors share their story and see other people get inspired by my story.
Alejandra: I want Hispanic children to write and read. This is the main. We need to be more educated. I want first and second generation Hispanic kids to think “if she could do it, I can do it too”. The fact that we went to a book fair with 50 other authors, only five of them were minorities and Estela was the only child. For me, we must be an example for children. And then, of course, inspiring kids to push for immigration laws to change. But the bottom line is that we, as Hispanics and as a minority, need to educate ourselves and start reading more.
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