Wang still awaits American dream

Sam Wang's life remains in a holding pattern.

The 26-year-old Taiwanese national earned a bachelor's degree in business accounting from the University of Washington but can find work only as a server in a Seattle restaurant.

That's because Wang is an illegal immigrant. He's lived unlawfully in the U.S. since he was 14, when his parents sent him to this country on a visitor's visa so he could attend school and stay out of trouble in Taiwan.

The Seattle Times told of his predicament in June when he graduated from the UW.

Like most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S., Wang has practically no way of correcting his status.

And without legal status, he can't get a legitimate job. The accounting firms and other businesses that hired his friends and classmates wouldn't even consider Wang for work.

When he graduated, Wang was hopeful that provisions in a U.S. Senate bill would provide him a path to legal status and, ultimately, U.S. citizenship.

Called the DREAM Act, the measure would enable illegal immigrants who have earned a diploma from a U.S. high school to qualify for in-state college tuition and legal status.

But the bill died in conference committee when Democrats and Republicans couldn't reach an agreement.

The Democrats' control of the House following the November elections gives Wang new hope that the measure could be approved.

In the meantime, Wang spends his time at work and with friends. He rooms with a group of guys in Renton and is active at his church there.

"I can't even apply for a job," he said. "I really don't want to live this way forever."

Wang said he'd like to get his master's degree, but he's unsure how he would pay for it. And he'd like to begin preparing for the CPA exam.

He's given only passing thought to going back to Taiwan, and his family no longer suggests that he does. They all know that if he goes back — even for a visit — he couldn't return to the U.S.

Lornet Turnbull: 206-464-2420 or lturnbull@seattletimes.com