Growing up, Yuma was a wonderful, tight-knit agricultural community. 

Every weekend, my family and I would cross the border to eat tacos and walk in the park. In those days, it hardly seemed like we were moving between different countries. 

But one day, I remember seeing the Twin Towers on TV. Ever since then, everything became stricter. 

The lines to enter the US grew longer and we now had to carry our passports. As we waited for hours, we no longer played music and danced like we used to. 

Everything had changed. 

My name is Isael Gomez, and I am an Immigration Counselor at CPLC Family Immigration Services. 

When I started working at CPLC, I saw how the rising anti-immigrant sentiment was taking its toll on my community.

People were scared their residence permits would be taken away. Others thought their applications would be automatically rejected. 

I told them, “No, Señora, no le van a quitar sus papeles. Todo va a estar bien.” 

“No, ma’am, they will not take away your documents. Everything will be ok.” 

COVID further slowed the process. People called us, confused their appointments with government agencies had been delayed, frustrated they hadn’t heard back. 

But whenever they finally hear positive news, it’s so special.

Like Ramona, an elderly widow who feared she’d be rejected because she was Mexican.

When she finally earned her citizenship, she started bringing me coffee. Every. Single. Morning. 

For years. 

“No Señora,” I begged her, “you don’t have to do that.” 

“Mijo, if you hadn’t helped me, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.” 

When I was younger, I heard someone say, “si no vives para servir, no sirves para vivir.”

“If you don’t live to serve, you are not fit to live.” 

It has become my lema, my life motto. 

It encapsulates the character of Mexicans. We work hard. We sacrifice for others. And we don’t give up. 

My dad dedicated himself 100% to working in the fields to support his family. He gave us every opportunity he could. 

Because he lived for us, today I live to help other people like him get closer to their American dream. 

Like I tell the immigrant families who visit my office, al final, todo vale la pena. 

In the end, everything will be worth it.