Ivan Godinez Reyes, 27, will spend his first Fourth of July without a threat of deportation with friends at a traditional American barbecue.
For years, I was unable to use his identity in immigration stories because he was undocumented.
That is now in the past.
On Christmas Eve, Reyes was notified of acceptance in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gives a two-year reprieve for a specific criteria of youth brought to the U.S. by their parents without legal documents.
Since he was 14, Reyes lived in Tulsa, graduated from high school and worked fast-food and cash-only jobs to pay his way through Tulsa Community College.
His celebration of American life is not limited to a single day.
"It's really everyday things," he said. "Some of us are able to get better jobs and get driver's licenses, which is huge. Just that license alone opens doors to a lot of things. As soon as I could, I was able to apply for jobs anywhere I wanted.
"This changed everything for us. It's not just the Fourth of July. I see our world opening up in ways every day."
Daring to DREAM: Through the years, I've met immigrants of all ages from across the world and at various stages of legal residency and citizenship.
The youth get to me the most.
They were brought into the country by their parents - some without legal documents - and represent the hopes of their families.
Hispanic students at Tulsa Community College years ago began political activism around getting congressional passage of the DREAM Act, which would grant a path to citizenship for undocumented youth using strict guidelines that include college or military enrollment.
They created DREAM Act Tulsa and now DREAM Act Oklahoma.
This was where I first met Reyes.
Students told me he and a growing number of undocumented youth graduating from Oklahoma high schools inspired their advocacy.
Reyes was quiet, content to hang at the back of the room while others did the talking. He's changed, now leading rallies and speaking of his experience.
His childhood journey to America is not unlike other undocumented youth, who speak of dangerous conditions and scary people.
Reyes and his mother came from Veracruz, Mexico, to join his father in Tulsa by paying a human smuggler $2,400 and walking across a desert. By the end, his pants were shredded to shorts and his feet were covered in blisters.
Teen years are hard enough on kids.
It's tougher on teens living with a constant fear of government removal and often in poverty.
Reyes used those years to learn English so fluently that his accent is barely there and to work odd jobs to save up and pay for college.
Education was always his priority, often telling me "no one can take that away from me."
Staying hopeful: The program protecting Reyes from deportation is a legal limbo.
It was put into place a year ago with guidelines mirroring those in the decade-old, pending DREAM Act.
It provides no legal residency or way to become a citizen.
"You're not fully part of society yet. You are not undocumented," he said. "You're in between. It's very uncertain. I'm very grateful and am taking advantage of what I have now.
"It feels like a time bomb getting closer to the end each year. We are not sure what we'll do after that."
Reyes, who has an associate's degree from TCC in communications, obtained a driver's license and a better-paying job at Natural Grocers.
The job is in line with his vegetarian lifestyle and support of locally produced food and products.
Eventually, Reyes said, he wants to work at a nonprofit helping people in need.
The Social Security number provided is only good as a work permit, not opening doors to government-backed loans.
Reyes would like to start at Oklahoma State University in the fall but said the cost will most likely keep him from enrolling. He is six credit hours from getting a second associate's degree.
Through it all, he is the eternal optimist.
Reyes believes reform to update immigration laws is inevitable. He believes in his American Dream of citizenship.
"This country is a nation of immigrants, and the past struggles of those immigrants made this a better nation," Reyes said. "The resources those immigrants brought is why this nation is the greatest in the world.
"We will eventually be where we want to be and achieve our goals to be Americans. Despite the current struggles and disappointments, for me, it has not hurt my drive. It'll take time. I know once given an opportunity, I will see success and get my citizenship one day."
Original Print Headline: Dream closer to reality
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