Jacintha Pearl Griffith

Coveting the Dream Jacintha Pearl Griffith

The door to the Land of Opportunity slammed poignantly when a U. S. consulate in Belize denied Serena an entry visa. Fueled by a desperate desire to reunite with her boyfriend, Nick, who yearned for the American Dream, she embarks on a dangerous journey, risking her life and trusting underground smugglers to sneak her in through the back door. She lands in Brooklyn, to find Nick, where the Dream becomes a nightmare and opportunities become disappointments. This story chronicles the journey of a naïve 20 year old woman from Belize, who is determined to create her own American Dream after the devastating realization that Nick has married someone else. She navigates several avenues to obtain the coveted green card, including a fraudulent attempt which leads to her arrest and detention by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Faced with deportation and the reality that the dream is swiftly slipping out of reach, Serena makes a desperate attempt to keep it in sight. Suddenly, her life takes on a new significance, with the help of a compassionate stranger. "Coveting the Dream..." is a fictional story on a topic that is relevant and timely as the U. S. pushes for more restrictions in the immigration laws.