By Leo Juarez, Scott Martindale and David Eisenberg

Mitchell Santos wants to enlist in the military and serve his country. Not Mexico, the country he was born in, but the United States, where he lives illegally.

“This country is the land of opportunity, and I want to defend that opportunity, even for people that are not legal,” said Mitchell, who dreams of attending West Point military academy.

Mitchell, 15, a freshman at Venice High School, cannot enlist because he has no legal status in the United States. He hopes that by the time he graduates, the laws will have changed. Or that he’ll get lucky like his sister, Thalia, 18, who received a scholarship to attend Whittier College this fall.

Most undocumented students, however, cannot attend four-year universities because they do not qualify for financial aid.

Mitchell has long been educated about immigration issues. For years, he has helped his family look into possible avenues to citizenship. His two younger siblings – U.S. citizens by birth – might be the answer if the family is able to apply for citizenship through one of them, he says.

“Even though we’re being called illegal immigrants, we’re still here. There’s not going to be a mass deportation,” he said. “We want our papers for our education.”

Photos

In his own words

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