Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Battle Creek series.

BATTLE CREEK, MI — Ariel Martinez Ochoa’s award from Michigan Works! was an honor for the native of Cuba who came to the United States in 2021 to find opportunities not available to him in his home country.

At the same time, he is learning that there is a glass ceiling preventing him and individuals like him who have more they want to achieve — opportunities that are only possible through a Green Card.

Martinez Ochoa applied for his green card two years ago. He is still waiting.

“I’m getting up every morning and checking on my Green Card number. Every day I see that it’s still pending,” he says. “This is stressing me out. I’m not able to travel or get on a plane because I need a Real ID, and the only way I can get that is if I’m a resident or have citizenship. I cannot leave Michigan.”

In early May, State officials joined Michigan Works! Southwest in recognizing Martinez Ochoa, who they said is “a dedicated team member at Evergreen Senior Care and Bronson Rehabilitation Services in Battle Creek, for his commitment to professional growth and compassionate care, with a 2025 Michigan Works! Impact Award.”

Currently a Medical Assistant, Martinez Ochoa would like to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and eventually own his own CNA training business. But the licensure requires that he have a Green Card or American citizenship.

“It’s always in the back of my mind,” he says. “I clean my house or try to do something else, something that keeps me away from thinking about that.”

He may find himself spending even more time finding distractions based on a briefing from the Cato Institute, which says that, “Only about 3 percent of the people who submitted Green Card applications would receive permanent status in the United States in fiscal year 2024.”

“At the start of this fiscal year, approximately 34.7 million applications were pending — up from about 10 million in 1996,” according to the brief. “Legal immigration caps plus uncapped categories permit only about 1.1 million Green Cards for FY 2024, meaning that 97 percent of Green Card applicants will not receive one this year.”

Grateful, yet mindful

Martinez Ochoa relocated from Cuba to Battle Creek in 2021 because he had friends in the area who let him stay with them for a few months until he was able to find a place he could afford. He supported himself through a job at a local factory and began looking for other opportunities. He set his sights on the healthcare field.

While scrolling on his phone one day, he came across a free Nursing Assistant Training program at Kellogg Community College for Battle Creek residents. The training program is offered through KCC’s Innovative Accelerated Credentialed Training (iACT) initiative and prepares students to take the Michigan Nursing Assistant Test to become CNAs.

“Martinez Ochoa worked with Michigan Works! Southwest to access education, training, and career coaching that helped him gain the skills needed to thrive in the health care field,” according to a Michigan Works! press release. “Through tuition assistance and one-on-one support, he advanced his career while continuing to serve patients in his community.”

Thomas Albert, Senate District 18, and Ariel Martinez Ochoa, Southwest Michigan Works! Impact Award HonoreeMartinez Ochoa began KCC’s three-month training program in October 2023 and was hired as a Nurse's Aide in January 2024 at Evergreen Senior Care and Rehab Center. In April, he was hired for the job he currently has with Bronson Rehab.

None of these jobs would have been available to him in Cuba, where he was working a low-level, low-wage job.

“We don’t have medical assistants or nurses’ aides in Cuba. We don’t have nursing homes,” he says. “There are many reasons why someone from Cuba wants to leave. I just want to be successful and do things for my family, and the only way to do this was to come to the United States.”

The biggest challenge for him was learning English so he could communicate at some level of proficiency. He says learning the ins and outs of each job he’s held also presented some steep learning curves.

His dedication paid off and was recognized by speakers at the Impact Awards.
“Ariel’s story is exactly what the Impact Awards are all about — recognizing individuals who seize opportunity, overcome challenges, and contribute meaningfully to their communities,” says Ryan Hundt, CEO of Michigan Works! Association. “His commitment to growth and care is something to be celebrated.”

Feeling important and appreciated

His job at Bronson involves one-on-one time with patients before they see their healthcare provider. Those medical professionals he supports have told him that they appreciate his work ethic and responsiveness to what’s asked of him.

“I like the fact that it’s a very professional job,” Martinez Ochoa says. “They make you feel like you’re important. I have my own desk and computer.”

Once or twice a week, he returns to Evergreen after his workday at Bronson is done to care for some of the residents he developed relationships with and make a little extra money.

“They always expect me to see them. I was told by one of the nurses that they expect everyone to take care of them the way I do.”

He brushes their hair, puts on their cologne, and washes their faces while carrying on conversations about whatever comes to mind.

“I feel compassion for others,” Martinez Ochoa says. “The fact that I don’t have family here makes me want to be there for them.”

Though he now considers Battle Creek home and is thankful for the recognition from Michigan Works! and the opportunities he’s had thus far, he says he misses his family and the Cuban culture and traditions.

“Every day I hope to see approval for my Green Card,” he says.