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My life in New Jersey as a father without access to a driver’s license
NJ.com Star Ledger ^ | June 16, 2019 | Star-Ledger Guest Columnist John Jairo

Posted on 06/16/2019 2:53:54 PM PDT by SMGFan

On this Father's Day, I am writing to share my experience living, working, and raising a family without a driver's license. I have three children, two of whom go to Dover public schools, and my eldest daughter goes to the local community college. All three of them have trouble getting to school, urgent appointments, and participating in extracurricular activities because my wife nor I have access to a state-issued driver's license in New Jersey to drive them because of our immigration status.

We migrated to the United States from Columbia three years ago. We lived very well off there with our own house and car. Our children went to private schools. However, because of how well we were doing, I started to receive death threats, and we were forced to leave everything behind. I feared for my life and my wife and children’s well-being. If anything were to happen to me, they would struggle to survive. Going back is not an option for my family or me. Now we live in a small blue-collar Northern New Jersey town. It is a much different life than the one I use to live, but I am no longer facing death threats. To be able to get to work, I commute to two different towns to get to my second job. It’s a long commute but it would be impossible without driving because there is no public transportation that could take me there.

Six months ago, heading home from work one night, I was pulled over for not having my lights on. When the officer asked for my license, I could only show him my Colombian driver’s license. I didn’t know if I would be handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement that night, or even have a chance to say goodbye...

(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: immigration
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To: SMGFan

Suck it. I’m a citizen and I had to endure greater “hardships.” Suck it up, Buttercup.


41 posted on 06/16/2019 3:26:52 PM PDT by dinodino
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To: SMGFan

AMF! Oops! Sorry. Buh bye.


42 posted on 06/16/2019 3:26:56 PM PDT by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: SMGFan

How did he buy car without a license?


43 posted on 06/16/2019 3:27:55 PM PDT by cradle of freedom
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To: SMGFan

Somewhere there is a slap at President Trump’s Immigration policies in that story.


44 posted on 06/16/2019 3:28:35 PM PDT by sport
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To: elcid1970

Thank you. I quit reading when I read “Columbia.”


45 posted on 06/16/2019 3:30:33 PM PDT by Rio
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To: SMGFan
Colombians live all over NJ. My cleaning lady was Colombian and when she got her citizenship she said everyone (including herself) booed Trump's taped welcome. That's the kind of people we're letting in.
46 posted on 06/16/2019 3:30:36 PM PDT by miss marmelstein
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To: libstripper

They have two faces—they want our sympathy but they are arrogant and spiteful when they don’t get their way.


47 posted on 06/16/2019 3:30:59 PM PDT by cradle of freedom
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To: SMGFan

None of these stories are legit!

E.g., citizens of Colombia can easily legally move to other countries in their “Mercosur” common market: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname are all easily legal new destinations for them.

https://www.quora.com/Can-citizens-of-Mercosur-countries-live-in-other-member-states-freely


48 posted on 06/16/2019 3:32:26 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: SMGFan

Hmmmm. This guy is writing this as if we’re supposed to care about his sob story and not care about the fact that he’s here illegally.

There are plenty of other countries he can emigrate too. And do you really think he was persecuted because he owned a car?


49 posted on 06/16/2019 3:33:03 PM PDT by cyclotic
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To: SMGFan

These people are criminals. Why haven’t they been deported???


50 posted on 06/16/2019 3:33:43 PM PDT by kaehurowing
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

This Wind of the Spirit organization is just one of the many fake groups that the Democrats create with OUR TAX MONEY!


51 posted on 06/16/2019 3:34:31 PM PDT by cradle of freedom
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To: SMGFan

Aren’t they all coached to say they had death threats?


52 posted on 06/16/2019 3:36:20 PM PDT by Raycpa
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To: 9YearLurker

Don’t spoil the sad stories with facts. Party pooper!


53 posted on 06/16/2019 3:36:46 PM PDT by House Atreides (Boycott the NFL 100% — PERMANENTLY)
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To: miss marmelstein

I hope you fired that ungrateful woman.

A friend of mine and his wife recently became citizens. Most of the people I hang out with a proud Americans and I count him as one of the proudest Americans I know.


54 posted on 06/16/2019 3:37:23 PM PDT by cyclotic
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To: All

He shouldn’t have invaded the USA! Legal immigrants can get drivers license. He is a criminal. He broke the law.


55 posted on 06/16/2019 3:37:31 PM PDT by Retvet (Retvet)
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To: SMGFan

Sounds like he needs to find a country that will let him get a driver’s license.


56 posted on 06/16/2019 3:38:07 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart - I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: SMGFan

“Going back is not an option for my family or me.”

Wanna bet?

GTFO.


57 posted on 06/16/2019 3:39:26 PM PDT by Jim Noble (1)
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To: elcid1970

Yeah I caught that too. BS fake story.


58 posted on 06/16/2019 3:57:34 PM PDT by 1FreeAmerican
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To: SMGFan

Get out!


59 posted on 06/16/2019 4:17:12 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant.)
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To: SMGFan

Escaping death threats, here illegally, no driver’s license -

And HE WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WITHOUT HIS LIGHTS ON??

Are you kidding me.


60 posted on 06/16/2019 4:19:34 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant.)
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