Camila: An update

Camila Hornung, a featured Dream student who was an honor student at Florida State University, was deported to Peru along with her parents on June 2008, despite concerted efforts by friends and family as well as local government representatives. She recently sat down with us to recount for us her experiences in the US and give us an update of her life today.

Motto:
Camila Hornung, thank you for taking a few minutes of your time to sit down with me. I would like to ask you some questions in regards to your experience in the United States and your immigration case. Could you briefly describe how and why you came to the United States?

Camila:
Well my parents made the decision to take my sister and me to the United States on May 6, 1996, because the situation in Peru was very chaotic. We arrived with a tourist visa. Once we were in the US, we applied for political asylum, this gave us legal status.

Motto:
And for how long were you in this legal process?

Camila:
Until we were given the final order of deportation in December 2002.

Camila:
Ok, just verified, August 2003
Motto:
Was there any at any moment an opportunity for you and your sister to modify your status? Given, I presume that you both were active members of the community?

Camila:
Not at all. Once we were given the order of deportation that ruined any chance of being able to modify our status. Although there could have been other things that could have helped. One being the Dream Act and possibly immigration reform.

Motto:
Did your family try to modify their status at any time during your stay in the United States?

Camila:
We had pending political asylum. We were always in the hopes of an immigration reform. My parents petitioned until no other possibilities were left to keep our legal status until it was denied.

Motto:
Tell me Camila, what were your goals, aspirations, and hopes for the future while in the United States?

Camila:
Most definitely, they still are there,but they have been put on hold since my deportation.

Motto:
Tell me about how you went to school applied for and won scholarships. What major did you want to pursue, what were your hopes for your life here.

Camila:
Ok, well I applied to Florida State University with the very little I had, my social security number and what not. I also had Florida Bright Futures and prepaid college that my parents paid throughout the years with their hard work. I was a business student at FSU and wanted to major in International Business. I never planned for my life to be anywhere else than in the United States. My life plan was basically to go to school, pursue my career and live my life there.
Motto:
And now you find yourself on hold. Do you plan to return to the United States at any point?

Camila:
Of course! That ‘s where my life is and I plan to return to normal some day. Go back with my family and friends and continue my studies.

Motto:
So the 10 year ban has not affected your dreams of returning at all?

Camila:
No, patience is crucial at this point.

Motto:
That is a very admirable characteristic. Something, I may add, I do not have myself.

Motto:
All aside, can you recall the events of the day you got detained?

Motto:
How were you guys treated, and what type of process did you endure?

Camila:
It's something I think about everyday, the worst day of my life aside from the day I got deported. It was just like any normal day, my parents and I were going to the library when an undercover cop pulled us over right near the corner of our house. There he handcuffed my dad as if he were a criminal (that was definitely the hardest part for me). From there the ICE police offers had no consideration towards us and took us to the Broward detention center. The conditions were that of criminals, words cannot describe what I went through. I did not do anything to deserve that treatment. At the detention center our personal belongings, cell phones and our human rights were taken from us. At that point we were viewed as criminals. My father was separated from my mother and I and taken to the men's side. My mother and I were forbidden to speak to my father if for some reason we crossed paths. My father was forced to wear an orange uniform and my mother and I were given used clothes to wear. It was definitely degrading and humiliating having to experience the life of a criminal.

Motto:
How long did you stay at the detention center?

Camila:
From June 9th to June13th

Motto:
And from there what happened?

Camila:
June 13th we were deported to Peru unexpectedly, without any warning. They just grabbed the three of us and told us to get into this jail van and did not tell us where we were going. Once I saw the sign for the "airport", I knew it was over.

Motto:
Did any organization try to aid in your cause? What happened to your sister?

Camila:
Well as you know Nora Sandigo made her best efforts to help me as well as Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. My sister, Luciana made the decision of returning to Peru because it was too difficult for her to stand being alone after everything that happened.

Motto:
Have you been affected psychologically or traumatized from the experience?

Camila:
I have trouble sleeping; all I can think about sometimes is just going back to my life.
I don't mean to sound too dramatic. But it's true

Motto:
Please do tell

Camila:
Yeah, just basically the situation takes over most of the time and it's all I can think about at times.

Motto:
Anything else you’d like to add to the readers out there? Any advice for the Dreamers?

Camila:
I would like my story to teach others about the current immigration situation in the country and that something must be done about it. And to the Dreamers, just to not give up "Patience is the greatest of all virtues."

Motto:
Thank you Camila

Camila:
You're welcome, thank you!!

We at Life by Dream thank Camila for her time and her willingness to share her story with the rest of us. Her patience and positive attitude as well as her message of hope is an inspiration to all.