Immigration

Many immigrants dream of one day having their success stories of living in America come true. Today we bring you the success story of one local business man who when he was 17 followed his vision of following the American Dream......


While a teenager living in Tepia Declan Jalisco Mexico, Ike Tapia's lifelong dream was to be an American citizen and live the life of many opportunities.

"My dream was to have 3 dairies and I have 3 dairies if I sell two and then make one I don't care, I have 3 dairies," Tapia says.

In order to reach his destination here in America at the age of 17 there was many obstacles that, now Business Owner of Tapia Dairy's had to overcome.

"I feel proud, I don't eat for 2 days. I drank water, and I find 10 cents off the floor and I go buy 1 taco and I feel good and the lady gave me more to eat so you can, I cannot tell everything but you can see what I passed thru."

And that paid off for him in 1971 when Tapia became an American Citizen. Although he was born on the other side of the border, he calls this side of the border his home.
 
"I'm like the couple that gets a divorce, I like my mother and I like my father, what ever happens to United States it hurts my feelings whatever happened to Mexico it hurts my feelings but I see the two hands to. You see the problems in Mexico and US and your in between," Tapia says.

Problems of immigration that have led to many discussions across the Country.
 
"Right now, everybody knows, what's going on and they have to be, this is country #1 and they have to do #1 job to show the other countries respect and everything." "This stuff that makes the Country go down. I don't care what they figure out and how smart the people are, I'm not a man to smart, but I see a damage in my own business."

Damage including having a shortage on employees for his three dairies.

"They need the people to work and everything keep going, the right way and this country stay and they treat the people the right way."

Now almost 4 decades after completing his dream of living in the US, it's a feeling that he hopes others can one day experience.

"You feel like you are somebody, like you like anybody else in the US and you have everything you have the right for everything. It's really good to be an American citizen because that's the way it's suppose to be."