SJSU Student Calls on Congresswoman to Keep Mother from Being Deported

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is helping an undocumented college student fight to keep his mother from being deported.

Lofgren on Monday introduced a Private Relief Bill that would reunite David Gonzalez's family. Officials said the bill, which is only done once or twice during each congressional session, is specific to one person demonstrating a compelling humanitarian reason to stay in the country.

"Yeah, it's difficult trying to focus on one thing specifically because I'm trying everything I can to reunite my family," said Gonzalez, a freshman at San Jose State University. "It's nice to know I have a congresswoman who wants to help my family be reunited."

Gonzalez said he knows there are millions of people in the country who feel he and his family should not be in the United States, and that they should return to their countries. But the engineering major said America is all he knows and considers it to be his home.

"I do want to contribute to this country because this is where I grew up," Gonzalez said. "I consider myself to be an American. We don't come here to make trouble. We come here because we want to succeed."

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Gonzalez said his family, including a brother and sister, are separated from their mother. If she is deported, his mom would be sent to a state where drug cartels are notorious for lynchings and beheadings, he said.