Once Upon a Time...there lived a boy named Miguel.

Miguel lived with his mother, Emma, and father, Ernesto, in Los Angeles, California.

Miguel’s parents were both born in a far away place called Tijuana, Mexico. 

Miguel had never been to Tijuana. He was born in Los Angeles, and all he knew of Mexico was the stories his parents told him...

He heard of the warm tortilla’s for the corner store, and the baile folklorico dancers, and the street taco carts set up in parking lots. 

He also heard of the squatter villages with no electricity or water his parents grew up in, and the factories his parents worked in when they lived there.

When he heard about his parents' life there, Miguel knew life was better for his family in the United States...

...and that no matter what, his home was always filled with love.

Early one September morning Miguel awoke to the smell of fresh tortillas being made. It was the first day of school and his mother had made him breakfast tacos––his favorite!

Miguel rushed downstairs to have a long breakfast with his parents before officially becoming a 4th grader!

When the bus came to the end of his street, Miguel hugged both his parents goodbye before they each gave him a kiss on the head and told him they loved him. 

Miguel said the same back as he ran to the bus.

Miguel’s first day of school went great! He loved his teacher, and his best friend Ryan was in his class!

Miguel couldn’t wait to get home and tell his parents all about it!

When Miguel opened his front door, he ran into the kitchen to find his Mama and Papa and tell them all about his day.

But when he got there, all he could see was his Papa crying.

“What’s wrong, Papa?” asked Miguel.

“Hola Miguel, how was your first day of school?” his Dad asked.

“It was good, but what's wrong Papa?” 

Miguel's father took a deep breath...

“Do you know what the word deportation means?” Miguel’s Dad asked. 

“I heard Morgan say that word last week when she was talking about her Uncle, but I don’t know what it means”

“Deportation is a big fancy word for what happens when a person needs to leave the United States because they were not born here. For people like me and Mama, there is always a fear that we will have to leave this country and return to the country we were born in” said Miguel's Dad.

“Why would people not want you here?” Miguel asked, very confused. 

“Well, sometimes when people come to the United States they cannot get the right documents for the government (the people in charge of the country) to let them stay here, and when the people in charge find out, they make them go back to where they were born.”

 Miguel felt a pain in his chest and a pit in his stomach, and tears began to form in his eyes.

“Ok,” said Miguel, “I think I understand...so why are you telling me this?”

“Well, today at Mama's work, people from the government, called ICE, came and detained Mama.”