My immigration troubles began in 2015, I believe. My Boss did not want me to go back to France.

I believe my boss was concerned that I wouldn’t return to the U.S., as under the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), visitors are only allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 days, which is considered a tourism visa. At the time, I had already been in the U.S. for over three months after returning from France. I was in the process of applying for another visa, but the process was extremely challenging, and we needed more time to secure the right one. To buy us some time, my boss sent the visa application to his father in Canada, where I spent three weeks before returning to the U.S.

Making the decision was incredibly complicated, and in the end, my choice led to unexpected challenges. I had a friend at work who promised to help, but as it turned out, he took advantage of my situation. Trusting him left me vulnerable, and ultimately, I found myself in an undocumented status. The experience taught me a hard but valuable lesson about trust. Feeling the pressure of looming deadlines to return home, I made a hasty decision that I later regretted. For anyone in a similar position, remember: make sure you have friends you can truly rely on before making life-changing choices.