FIEL Houston

As many immigrant stories begin, the story of FIEL Houston began with a dream.

A dream for a better life and for prosperity which unfortunately was unattainable in the bustling and fast paced streets of Mexico City, Mexico. It was in 1991, that Olivia Espinosa, mother to Aura Espinosa, Cesar Espinosa and Abraham Espinosa, decided to make the most difficult choice that any parent must make and immigrate to the United States for a better life for herself and her children. In the beginning, it was not easy for the Espinosa family.

From a young age, Olivia was a single mom and had to work multiple jobs to sustain her children but no matter what, she always strived to provide for them and most importantly, to instill in them the importance of selflessness, civic responsibility and social justice. Ever since a young age, the Espinosa siblings grew up talking about topics such as “Freedom,” “Justice” and “Servant Leadership.”

In 2001, the Espinosa family was involved in fighting for instate tuition for Undocumented Students in Texas which passed with unanimous bipartisan support. In 2005, the Espinosa siblings joined the local DREAMer movement in Houston and began to work with other DREAMers such as themselves to fight for things like the Dream Act and Comprehensive Immigration Reform and in 2007, after much deliberation and thought, the Espinosa family, along with 5 other college students, gathered in their humble southwest Houston living room and founded FIEL (Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha) or (Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight).

Since its inception, FIEL Houston has become a staple to the immigrant community in Houston, in Texas and in the United States. They believe in advocating for fair immigration laws and access to education for all, regardless of immigration status.

Currently, FIEL has three departments.

The Access to Higher Education Department helps students, documented or undocumented, with the daunting task of applying for college and financial aid.

The Community Advocacy Department has a focus in advocating for fair laws for immigrant youth and their families. It also partakes in community forums and events such as Know Your Rights Trainings and Community Engagement.

The Legal Department provides legal assistance to the community when it comes to applying to things like citizenship, family petitions, DACA Renewal, TPS Renewal, etc.

FIEL has been involved in cases like the successful effort to bring Jose Escobar back to the U.S. as a permanent resident after his deportation.

FIEL has also been involved in legal battles, including an attempt led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to shut down the organization in 2024. Something that happened in the same week that Hurricane Beryl Destroyed the FIEL Houston Headquarters.

FIEL actively engages in advocacy, including organizing protests, participating in legal battles, and speaking out against policies like Senate Bill 4.

FIEL has been actively involved in responding to immigration enforcement actions, including protesting raids and detentions at courthouses.

FIEL has made it its mission to provide help or support to our immigrant brothers and sisters in any way that it can. FIEL has always strived to be a beacon and resource for the community and if they cannot directly help someone, they always strived to refer them to someone trustworthy that can help. It is with great pride and honor that we invite you to our website and to see how you too can become a FIEL Luchador with us!

“FIEL Houston, for families and their education…” – FIEL Houston Founders, Olivia, Aura, Cesar and Abraham Espinosa.

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