We got very close to the passage of the bill during the lame duck session (dec 2010). Twenty ten especially was filled with energy and action; that's what got us there.

I've seen one thing consistently, we, as a movement, are getting older, smarter, and closer to our goals. Not unlike starting a startup in high school, you are bound to fail, but after 10 years of failing you learn a thing or two. The timeline for the passage of the bill is not some constant or range. It is a linear function of how smart we work and how much energy we put into it. If I learned one thing, is that Congress has absolutely zero interest in passing the bill, either party. They all just want to get elected again. You work from there.

If by "too late for me," you are referring to the age limit in the bill, the Dream Act usually gets introduced without the limit and the 30 year old age limit is sometimes tacked on as a "compromise" in the process. Also, the number I keep seeing lately is 35, simply because its taking this long to pass the bill. I want the limit gone, it makes zero sense from any angle. It is only good for marketing the bill to hypocrites who'll never support it anyway, "look only kids will benefit." Fucking load of shit, we were kids when this mess started!! Just because you've been in legal limbo for 20 years, doesn't make you less American. Eh... You give a finger you get nothing, you give a hand, you get nothing, you give half your torso, and you still get nothing. That is the dynamic of party relations in the Senate right now. Democrats compromise, Republicans just keep saying "No" because that will get them elected. The age limit is a compromise not worth making and we'll make sure the Senators know about it. I see more and more people who are already over the proposed limits, they deserve this more than I.

Personally, I'm not ruling out "going back." Although, it's not really going back is it, its leaving everything and everyone you know behind to go to a place you barely remember, if at all. I have the same problem, not having done mandatory military service, I'd probably be arriving into a jail cell. That is unless I arrive after a certain age. The country of your origin may have a similar rule, look into it. Coincidentally, this is the strategy of our opposition, they call it "attrition." Make our lives so miserable that we leave on our own. Look at the AZ bill. Look at the Georgia bill that will be signed by the governor in a couple of days. We leave, they win. I don't know what they win exactly, you and I are clearly American and have something to contribute to society. But, I don't care about the principle of this thing much, I just want to breathe free for once (ironic isn't it.)

What helped me deal with this situation personally, is just not being afraid anymore. That sounds cliche, but something just snapped one night somewhere around the time where my friend was going to be deported (a few days later, Sen. Dick Durbin has personally acted to stop his deportation), and I just said you know what fuck it all. I know I'm worth something as a human being. I know I'm a competent "product" guy that loves what he does. If the worst thing that I have to be afraid of is getting shipped out clenching my American diploma, then fuck em. Ship me out and let me live my fucking life already. Or do what you have been doing and pretend that I don't exist. I'll be fine either way, so fuck you. You can see I was angry, not bitter, I think I have it easy compared to others and certainly the rest of the world, just angry. That night I made a pact with myself, fear will never be a factor again. It worked. Somehow accepting the possible consequences and not being afraid of them anymore has helped me get a grip on this situation emotionally. Over the years I've developed a really thick skin, nothing ever surprises me anymore. In addition, overcoming this fear -- I can't even say concretely what I was afraid of, it's just this perpetual state that you are in as an undocumented person -- has given me a ton of confidence. You want to bring me down? It will take you a lifetime; enjoy the ride.

So my advice is please do ALL you can to change your status, but if no avenues are available, do what you can to improve your quality of life. Come to some kind of an arrangement with your co-founders and keep going, keep doing what you love, live your life as fully as you possibly can, we are still incredibly fortunate. Just look at yourself as you, not as the system sees you.