Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

Norma Alvarez told Action 4 News that she is excited about the possibility of becoming a U.S. citizen.
           
It is something she has always wanted—mainly so she can work and provide for her family.
           
She said that is difficult to do when a person is an illegal immigrant.

"The pay is very minimal---if you get paid at all,” Norma said. “I just want have a normal job with normal hours. Where I can pay taxes, put food on the table, and have healthcare for my family."

Alvarez said she knows the country is nowhere near making a decision on immigration reform.

So when she started to receive phone calls from people who said they wanted to help her secure that path to citizenship—she started to raise a few questions.
            
"People are calling me and trying to my business, but I won't do it...I've been told it's bad," Alvarez said. 
           
Marta Sanchez is with LUPE, a community organization aimed to help people through processes such as immigration reform.
           
She said out of the thousands of clients that walk through their doors every week—the stories are the same….people claim they are being conned into paying up for a quick route to citizenship.

"We need them to be cautious,” Sanchez warned. “There is no immigration reform as we know. There will be a lot of talk after spring break when it's introduced into the senate. We really don't have anything yet."

Marta said the only way people can prepare for immigration reform, as it stands now, is be learning English and paying taxes.

Other than that there is not much anyone can do to quicken the process.
           
Sanchez adds that LUPE will answer any question a person has about immigration reform for free every first Friday of the month.
           
This meeting will take place at their San Juan Headquarters.