“There’s a war,” Muhammad from Yemen told me. “Everything is confusing. Schools are closed. People don’t have food. Everyone is scared. It’s dangerous. Little kids have guns and weapons.”
“Bangladesh politics are corrupt,” Tamjid shared. “Schools are often shut down due to strikes. A lot of students are afraid to attend.”
“I moved here because my father was threatened, and I was worried for my family,” Miguel wrote from Colombia.
This is a collection of 81 cards—handmade, handwritten, and beautifully illustrated with crayons—from immigrant children who now live in America.
Six years ago, I spoke to about 150 students, parents, and teachers at New American Academy, a public middle school in New York for grades 6 to 8. Many of these students are recent immigrants with little to no English when they arrive but eventually become fluent. After my talk, a student handed me a large Manila envelope filled with 81 cards.
The other day, I revisited those cards in light of the recently expanded deportation policy. It struck me how much those messages still matter.
These youths have come to the United States from many countries, including Albania, Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Paraguay, and Vietnam. They have escaped poverty, violent crime, and civil strife, and those cards reflect a rich tapestry of young immigrants eager to find their place here.
The students expressed what they hope to achieve in America. They voiced their aspirations to become doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, computer scientists, dentists, mechanical engineers, and even professional soccer players.
“My mom and dad, I am so happy to be here,” one student wrote. Another said, “Now we will become citizens.” Yet another card had the encouraging message, “Follow your dreams.”
These 81 children are now between the ages of 18 and 24. What has happened to them since sending those notes? Have they finished high school? Are they pursuing university? Are they still dreaming of a future in America?
I attempted to find out. I emailed the teacher who initially invited me but received no reply. I also reached out to the school principal for updates on the children, but no response came. I followed up a few times, but it never led anywhere.
I think they might be scared—scared of what questions I might ask, scared of revealing their stories. I wonder if the parents of these 81 kids came to the U.S. legally or not, or if they have any kind of criminal history. It’s possible that they all face challenges as students, parents, teachers, or principals.
While I’m not a lawyer or an immigration expert, these cards reflect what these children understood. They were aware that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) might be in peril and that if a child’s parent faces deportation, the children may have to make a painful choice: return home or stay separated from their family.
Concerns abound regarding how new deportation policies are applied. Public opposition is significant, and courts have intervened, demanding some flexibility. Some immigrant families do seek legal advice to manage the growing threats.
It’s vital to remember that laws exist for a reason and must be upheld. However, they also need interpretation and discretion. Justice should remain the focus, and some situations are certainly deserving of special consideration.
Our nation has a rich immigrant heritage, and it’s essential to show mercy and compassion to children, especially those who simply want to be kids.
The covers of the cards I received often included specific greetings addressed to me. Those children still deserve to hear one primary word from us all: “welcome.”
