What would you do?? Illegal Immigration / And story about my friend

What would you do if you had two options?

1. To stay in the home you love and know so well and starve or 2. Leave your family, your friends, your life , and everything you know to have a better future as long as you stay under the radar. 

This is the story of my best friend translated to English from Spanish and shortened a bit. 

I left my hometown of  Hidalgo, Mexico at the age of 14 years old. I left by herself. I saved up money by stealing crops from my fathers farm and selling vegetables and fruits in the city. I found her own coyote and left in a group of 25. I walked days in the desert and sewers, and many people died most of them being children or older people. People starved and died on the way because they didn't have water, it was a horror. 

When I got here it was nothing that I even expected. The extended family I had didn't act like family, and over charged me for rent knowing I had nothing. I wasn't given a chance to get on my feet. My first job was Mc Donalds earning 6.25$ an hour, then I picked up another job at night at Arbys. I knew NO English, and no one taught me anything. I got on the bus and caught taxis everywhere. This big city was so scary compared to where I came from; Farms and dirt floors. 

After about 3 months I saved enough money to move in with a few decent people and get a car. That is when I met Juan*, Juan* was 8 years older than me but that didn't matter to me I loved him and he loved me. I ended up getting pregnant that next year and when he came with me to one of my OB appointments the Doctor asked how old he was. Soon after the interpreter had a pale look on her face as the Doctor made a phone call. Moments after that Juan was arrested for the age gap that we had. I didn't know that here in the United States it was illegal to date or have sex with someone my age. 

We went to court and the lawyer was able to make a deal and the deal was that if I went back to Mexico he wouldn't go to jail. (It was a crooked deal) I agreed to go back to Mexico Voluntarily, and I didn't technically get deported because I was only 15. I arrived to Mexico and everything was the same. By this time Juan* was making enough money to send for me and I crossed over in a car. I was 6 months pregnant and back in Minnesota with my man. I had my baby when I was 15 and me and Nia met when we were both working at KFC in 2006  and we have sisters ever since. I have learned so much from her and she has helped me so much I love her!