SAN DIEGO -- Blanca Romero and her sister, Stephanie, cannot help but smile as they look at old family photos.

The pictures are memories of good times, but reality sets in.

Blanca Romero said, “I’m a student. I work here and I contribute.”

She is an illegal immigrant, and even though she graduated from Mission Bay High School and attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, the odds are stacked against her.

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Special Section: Immigration Issues
Discussion: What Do You Think?

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“People think it is really easy to become a legal resident, but it’s not,” said Romero.

She can’t qualify for financial aid or get a well-paying job because she does not have a Social Security number. This was a choice made for her when she was 5 years old, when her mother, Yolanda, brought her here from Mexico for a better life.

“I guess the dreams everyone talked about were not really what she expected,” said Romero.

Romero said she and her mother tried to become legal residents, but with no luck.

“When she got here, she found out it was hard to get a job. The language barrier was there. It wasn’t what she expected,” added Romero.

One question that always comes up is: Why don’t illegal immigrants go to a government office, get in a line, do the paperwork, pay the correct fees and become legalized?

Local immigration attorney Ginger Jacobs said anyone wanting to enter the U.S. must fall into specific, limited categories.

“There is basically no visa program or process for unskilled laborers,” said Jacobs.

Both Blanca Romero and her mother do not have immediate family to turn to for help. They are considered unskilled workers, but if they had been highly educated, seeking asylum or a religious worker, they may have qualified.

Jacobs added, “It makes every aspect of their lives much more difficult.”

The director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services said America would not be the country it is today without immigrants.

Emilio Gonzalez was in San Diego speaking at a naturalization ceremony on board the USS Ronald Reagan last month. After the celebration, Gonzalez told 10News the legal immigration system is working better than ever.

“Our immigration laws are complex, but our processes are not. We have everything you need if you want to apply for legal immigration or a green card on our Web site, USCIS.gov,” said Gonzalez.

He admitted the legalization programs are limited but he said that is the law.

President George W. Bush appointed Gonzalez to his post last year.