Immigrants

Over 1500 people were at the conference and the discussion was banking for legal and illegal immigrants in the United States.

There was a gasp of disbelief when I stood and said, I'd been an illegal immigrant.

I spoke perfect English, had a masters, was a journalist and published author. I was in my 50s. I was American.

In my attempts to move to Europe I lived in France beyond my VISA. Only after something like 800 resumes did I find a job and become legal not in France but in Switzerland where I later became a citizen.

A couple of decades later my daughter was jailed for trying to enter a Schengen country. She had not been aware of the Schengen limitations of 90 days and had stayed with me in Switzerland, where I was now a citizen for nine months. She saw me through surgery and my wedding.

We had been fined 500 Swiss Francs. What we didn't know, she had been banned from all Schengen countries for two years.

Together we tried to enter Barcelona for a family Christmas a few months later. As a Swiss citizen I had no problem. She was stopped and taken to a cell. It was a battle to find her. The U.S. Consulate said they couldn't do anything, but finally an employee at least was able to tell me where she was taken. Holiday spirit and all that.

My daughter holds a master degree and is in middle management.

It took a few days to free her.

I was a lucky illegal immigrant. I had not been bombed out of my home, terrorized by local gangs, suffered from poverty, earthquakes or other natural disasters. My choice was simply to move for a better social contract and a bit less violence having had two friends murdered in the Boston area.

I traveled in economy class to other countries, not small boats in danger of capsizing. I did not have to walk miles through many countries in horrendous weather conditions. The reason I had it easier, but not easy, was an accident of birth, of being born into a middle class American family.

If I had this trouble, if my adult child was taken away from me and jailed, if I had resources at my disposal, I can only imagine what all the refugees be it from whatever they are running from.

Refugees are brave people, risking their lives for a chance at a normal life. I won't say my experience even begins to match the horrors they have gone through. I will say, my heart is with them and I have nothing buy admiration for their bravery.