tl;dr: Author&#x27;s mom applied for a merciful visa for supposed medical treatment. She endangered all future applicants that actually need help by fraudulently using that visa to immigrate illegally.<p>She subjected author to illegal status for years and years as he grew up. They were not eligible for refugee status because they were citizens of the DR, a perfectly nice country a few hours away on a plane.<p>Author was privileged by his nationality with scholarships and racial preferences for admission to exclusive high schools and one of the world&#x27;s best universities. He took spots that a US citizen was denied and that an American without that racial privilege would have had to achieve much higher grades and test scores to compete for. Author used that status to study a prestigious subject with very, very few practical job prospects. Author eventually hoped to take one of a very few professional spots available to Americans in that field funded by taxes American citizens pay and apparently found one.<p>Following the rules is for suckers.<p>People who have no respect for your country or its laws deserve its highest privileges more than the citizens that have to work to pay for them.