What It Means to Grow Up Undocumented: Giselle’s Story

When Safety Isn't a Given

We’re coworkers, we’re friends, and I’ve had the privilege of hearing her speak up in rooms where most people stay silent. But sitting across from her, mic on, headphones in — it hit different.

I cried while editing this one. I cried again while writing this.

Because what Giselle has lived through? Most people will never understand it — and she’s still choosing to show up, help others, and speak out even when her voice shakes.

The part that broke me wide open? When she talked about watching her dad get taken away by ICE at twelve years old and immediately going into “safety plan” mode — not screaming, not panicking, but knowing exactly what she had to do to protect the rest of her family. What kind of child should ever have to think that way?

Giselle’s Story: Growing Up Undocumented

Giselle was just three years old when her mother carried her across the border, leaving behind everything familiar in Mexico for a shot at safety, family, and a better future. Her father had already made the journey legally on a work visa, but because her mom was pregnant, she was denied entry.

So she did what millions of undocumented parents have done out of love — she risked everything.

They ended up in Iowa — a place that felt cold, foreign, and full of invisible rules that shaped every part of Giselle’s childhood. She learned English while translating mortgage documents and tax forms for her parents. She was told to keep quiet, blend in, avoid attention — even when she wanted to shine.

At age 12, her father was deported. She came home from school to find him being taken away, and from that moment on, everything changed.

Giselle had always known there was fear woven into her daily life, but that was the moment the fear took over. It was also when she learned she was undocumented.

The programs she’d been a part of — the ones designed to help low-income kids get into college — were suddenly gone. Why? Because she didn’t “qualify.” She wasn’t a citizen. She wasn’t even considered a resident.

She was just a kid with no country.

3 Things I Learned About Growing Up Undocumented

• Being “mature for your age” isn’t a compliment. It usually means you were forced to grow up too soon. Translating legal documents at 7 and raising your younger sibling doesn’t mean you’re gifted — it means you didn’t get to be a kid.

• The system makes you feel like your existence is conditional.Giselle had to sign government paperwork acknowledging that her mother committed a crime in order to receive DACA protection. She didn’t feel like she was breaking rules — she felt like she was finally being seen.

• Fear becomes your default setting.Even now, getting pulled over can send her into a full-body panic. Not because she’s done something wrong, but because her body still remembers what it felt like to watch her father get taken away — and not know if her mom would be next.

  
  

Why This Story Matters Now More Than Ever

Let me be real. Immigration isn’t just a policy debate or a trending headline. It’s a human experience. One that’s full of sacrifice, heartbreak, resilience, and survival.

In a time when people are quick to judge, quick to label, quick to throw out phrases like “illegal” without knowing the stories behind those words — we need to slow down and listen.

Giselle’s story isn’t rare. That’s what makes it so heartbreaking.

There are millions of children who grow up in fear of being separated from their families. Millions of parents who made impossible choices in the name of love. And too many people who have never heard these stories from the people who actually lived them.

Giselle could’ve stayed quiet. She could’ve played it safe. But instead, she’s using her voice to raise up the next generation — kids who’ve seen too much and deserve to feel safe enough to be loud, messy, brilliant, and free.

You Deserve to Feel Seen

If you’ve ever had to carry more than you should’ve as a kid, if you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink yourself just to be safe — I hope this episode reminds you that you’re not alone.

And if you’ve never lived through something like this, but you care about being a better ally, listener, and friend — let this be the story that cracks you open.

Giselle, thank you for being loud in a world that tried to quiet you.

Your story matters. And I’m so damn honored to help you share it.

🎧 Listen to For The Hayters on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

📺 Watch the full video episode on YouTube

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