America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing.
—ALLEN GINSBERG, “AMERICA”
THE BOMB DROPS at 8:37 a.m. during first period Calculus.
Royce sends an accusatory text. DO YOU KNOW WHO DID THIS?
Did what? I reply.
Oops, these... he adds. He sends links to two Politico and Fox News articles.
I can’t figure out what’s going on. Is he mad at me? I click on the Politico article, GOP Fiasco: Majority Leader Blakely Backtracks After Criticism for Bill Favoring Illegal Immigrants.
My stomach drops as I read the article.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A once popular U.S. representative has pulled out of writing a rare private bill seeking citizenship for a family of undocumented immigrants residing in Southern California.
U.S. Rep. Colin Blakely has been targeted by fellow lawmakers who discovered the representative’s attempt to quietly write a bill that would grant citizenship to an entire family illegally in the U.S. from the Philippines.
Blakely denied the bill existed, and said there would be no rare private bill from him anytime soon. “These rumors about a private bill being written by my office will be stopped here and now,” said the congressman in Washington, D.C., early this morning. “While the U.S. is in need of immigration reform of some kind, this office won’t support individual efforts with private bills.”
Politico has learned that Congressman Blakely had personal interest in the family of five, who currently reside in Chatsworth, Calif. Sources say one of Blakely’s sons is in a relationship with a member of the de los Santos family, who are illegally in the U.S. Blakely refused to answer any related questions. “My family is private when it comes to our personal life,” he said.
Blakely, one of the most powerful members of Congress, has been rumored to be losing his position within the party. He’s been targeted by more extreme members for being too moderate. U.S. Rep. Mitt Schilling of Texas said, “Mr. Blakely went too far with attempting to draft a private bill. Once I found out, I called his office directly. We had words.” Schilling didn’t elaborate on how he found out about the bill. He did say other congressmen supported the phone call to stop the bill.
“Why he’s denying the whole thing is beyond me,” Schilling said. “We’ll be getting to the bottom of this.”
Blakely said these rumors wouldn’t affect his tenure as House Majority Leader. “I won’t be stepping down anytime soon. I have a lot of work to do. We all do.”
Private bills are rare bills in the U.S. that are written in the support of granting individuals citizenship due to unique and insurmountable hardships...
I stop reading. I’m in shock. Just like that, the bill being drafted for my family’s freedom has been swept away. Congressman Blakely has denied its entire existence. He’s essentially lying to the whole world. Not to mention my family’s name has been dragged through the mud as some kind of political pawn in the process.
I get another text from Royce.
royceb: My dad is in jeopardy of losing his position. You don’t understand. These guys are cutthroat and they’re going to use it to destroy him. They want Dad out.
I know Royce is freaking out about his dad being in trouble, but I can’t feel anything beyond worry for my family and what’s going to happen to us now. But I tell him to pick me up at lunch. We need to talk.
* * *
When Royce shows up, I can tell we’re both silently building arguments in our heads as he drives. I know where he’s going. He’s decided to have it out at Stoney Point Park, an outcropping of natural rocks east of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. We have to have this talk or we’re done—even if I don’t end up moving to the Philippines, which now seems more and more likely.
We get out of the car and walk along the park. Finally Royce speaks first. “Did you do it? It doesn’t make sense that anyone else would.”
I suddenly don’t feel like walking. “Did I do what?”
“Leak the story.”
“What’s wrong with you? Why would I do that? This is obviously horrible for my family.” Does he really think I would do such a thing? How can he? It’s like I don’t know him at all right now.
Also, is it wrong that I want to slap him?
“I don’t know,” he says, frustrated. “To get attention, thinking it would somehow help generate sympathy for your family. Maybe the private-bill route wasn’t going fast enough for you.” He runs his fingers through his hair.
“That’s ridiculous,” I say. “The Politico article trashed my family in about five different ways. I didn’t even bother with the one on Fox News. According to them we’re worse than criminals.”
“I can’t figure this out,” he says, making a poor attempt to hide his anger. “You know, if you would have just let me help you from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. Now my dad is hated even more by Representative Schilling and his goon squad.”
I feel my face getting flushed. I hate yelling, so I try to stay calm, though my heart races. “Are you serious right now? All you care about is your dad? What about my family? What’s going to happen to us? You think your father’s career is going to end over this? It’s a blip for him. But for me and my family? It’ll change our entire lives.”
I want to throw something at him but there’s nothing but rocks and I don’t want to hurt him that badly. “I didn’t do anything, Royce,” I say. “Remember, I’m the one who’s going to get kicked out of the country.”
“You’re right, you’re right. I’m sorry, I’m upset, I wasn’t thinking.”
“So it’s over, isn’t it? The private bill?” I want to cry but I’m also furious.
“It’s dead,” he says dully. “Jas, this is politics. When things go south you have to abandon ship. My dad did what he had to do.” He rumples his hair in frustration. “I just don’t understand how anyone found out. The only people who know about this are my family and yours.”
“It wasn’t my family.”
“Well, it wasn’t mine,” he says back.
“Are you embarrassed that the article exposed our relationship?” I ask angrily. The piece made us sound so tawdry, like I was only dating him so that I could get my hands on a green card. It made me feel dirty.
“No, of course not! I love you!” he yells.
“I love you too!” I yell back.
We’re both red-faced. Royce bends his head down. “Jas, I’m so sorry. Of course it wasn’t you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m just scared right now.”
“Me too,” I say, going to him. “I’m sorry too.”
He curses emphatically.
“What do we do now?” I wail. I’m so angry about America and its toxic politics, its public servants who are supposed to help their constituents but only care about reelection.
“We’ll figure it out,” he says. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“You keep saying that, but it doesn’t mean it’s true.”
“I’ll make it true,” he says.
We hold each other as if we’ll never let go. Deportation is getting more real every day. Somehow I see beyond the Stoney Point rocks in front of us to a mirage of a coastline in the South China Sea, in Manila Bay.
Six thousand miles away from the one I love, and the one who loves me back.