Immigration—More than a Section in a Textbook

Read as Kemelyn Alvarado ’24, Politics, shares her journey of diving into the intricacies of immigration law and civic engagement as a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco. Follow as she shares how life had its own lessons to teach beyond the textbooks.

As a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco I interned at the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs under the guidance of my mentor and supervisor Richard Whipple. I entered wanting to learn all about immigration law and how the San Francisco city government specifically works to protect its immigrant community. To say I was excited does not express the anticipation, gratitude, and eagerness to learn, that I felt when I was matched with OCEIA.

But around the time I was matched with OCEIA, I was getting a lesson in immigration law that is unteachable through a college course or textbook. In early June, my dad was arrested and detained resulting in his deportation later in August. After much hesitation, I came back to USF to start my senior year and wondered if I would even be able to see the word “immigration” without breaking down. As one can imagine, I was nervous to start my internship didn’t know if I would be able to withstand hearing stories of other immigrant families suffering when I was barely managing my own family’s trauma. 

“Interning at OCEIA and the connections I have made, have shown me that genuine compassion and perseverance can bond communities together to triumph against adversity.”

But as I joined meetings and saw different Latino community leaders working to advocate for our own communities, it taught me the importance of having people who have experienced the effects of slow, ineffective justice systems be representatives in government. I saw people shed tears as they shared stories of families with children living in cars because they could not get access to shelters. Seeing leaders break at the situations they were observing led me to understand that the key to being an impactful leader is not to stifle the emotions that arise in the face of hardship, rather embracing them and channeling them into efforts to enact change. The mission of the Leo T. McCarthy Center is to develop student leaders who will engage in “ethical public service” and by recognizing the suffering experienced by people we serve, we honor their humanity and strive to make laws that respect it.

Interning at OCEIA and the connections I have made, have shown me that genuine compassion and perseverance can bond communities together to triumph against adversity. I am infinitely grateful for this experience because not only do I have the personal knowledge of the flaws of our immigration system, but I am also educated and equipped to analyze and think of solutions to its inefficiencies. I feel prepared to dedicate time to building a career in public service because I’ve seen how difficult it can be, it’s not glamorous work and often goes unrewarded but I know that my purpose is to use my knowledge to be of service to others.

Learn more about becoming a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco Here