Carla's boss, fired because he was discovered not to have a SS number, told Immigration that all of the workers at her workplace were also without SS numbers and working illegally. For the short story, they now have two weeks to produce an official letter that states that they are in the process of becoming a permanant resident or a citizen. I don't know the first thing about becoming a citizen, or how I can help. I started to look up information when I came home tonight, but everything is just a bunch of words to me. I don't understand. And I know there will be a huge problem because she has lost her passport, and also because her visa has expired. She's here on a tourist visa, which I think lasts for three months; after that she has to go back to Brazil, and then can come back for three months again. The problem is, she hasn't done that, and...I don't know what to do. I mean, there is nothing I can do at this point. I don't want to see her go back to Brazil and then I will never be able to see her again. That would be one of the worst things in my world. If she does go back, there is no guarentee that she will be able to come into the United States again. I am beside myself. I don't know what to do.
I mean, if you think about it, losing your best friend...even if you didn't know them for that long. It doesn't matter. Someone who you have so many good memories with, and even some bad ones too. I don't want to get all upset, but I just got thinking about it. I couldn't live with myself to know that I couldn't see one of my best friends all of the time, or even just call them to say "What's up?" like I usually do. To know, that if I should ever go to visit that I would be out of place in a country that was her homeland, where she had made all new friends and was doing fine without me. I know that there's the big possibility that I could be forgotten in the midst of a time when someone's life is just starting after graduation from high school. I guess what I'm saying is that I need her friendship, and I'm afraid of being forgotten. I know it wouldn't be intentional, but these things happen because of distance and time.
So people, I don't know what to do. I feel helpless and just...upset and afraid. I guess I'll just try my best to do everything I can to help, although I don't know what that is quite yet.