Downing

"We're innocent people. We're not people just to be squashed like roaches. We are human beings."

Donations have already begun to fade, Mary Garcia says. Briefly a news story, the Dominguez family will sink back into the invisible underbelly of Houston where people with limited English work long hours for almost no money in the hopes of making a better life. We don't notice these people. Not when we pass them working in yards or are waited on by them in fast-food restaurants, or even when we see them walking single file along a street.

Raul, Antonio and Ana Rosa

Claudio Jr.

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More About

• Claudio Dominguez
• Ben Taub
• Mary Garcia
• Estella Marcos
• Sandy Garcia

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Claudio Dominguez and his family briefly pierced the veil of our public consciousness because a five-year-old boy died and his mother had part of her body amputated, because babies were thrown out on a street and the family did nothing to deserve all this. And yet the life they have here -- they believe -- is still better than what they had in Mexico. Which probably makes most of us very proud and very sad to be Americans, all at the same time.

Donations can be made to the "Dominguez Family Fund" at any branch of Banco Popular. Locations include the branch at 8340 Southwest Freeway at Gessner, (713)414-5600. E-mail Margaret Downing at margaret_downing@houstonpress.com.