Karen Hernandez
Tataeishi/Jereb
American Studies
October 9, 2012
Immigrants? … No Just People
Have you ever wondered what would happen if your family and yourself were told you have to leave the country and return to your home country that you know nothing about? How would you feel being yanked away from your dreams and goals just because you broke a law that you weren’t even aware about? Having to leave your current life just because your parents are illegal immigrants. Having no idea where you’re going or the life you will have from that point on. Immigration has always been a problem in the past and currently in everyday life. Immigration affects everyone either good or bad and many people have such strong opinions towards this topic. I for one support any type of law or policy that helps or benefits illegal immigrants because my family and I have been affected severely by immigration laws and policies.
One law that will benefit illegal immigrants but has not yet passed is the Dream Act. Basically this law will benefit illegal students by giving them a visa to stay in the country if they qualify for it. This law is similar to Obama’s deferred action policy because it helps illegals to stay in the country but the policy is temporary stay while the dream act can result in permanent stay. The dream act is more beneficial than the deferred action policy because the policy has more requirements, is more limited, and has more restrictions than the dream act. The dream act has caused uproars across the nation because many Americans don’t want illegal immigrants to be here. The problem that Americans tend to have is that they don’t realize how immigrants both legal and illegal benefit this country.
Americans tend not to like anyone who does not look like the average American. For example, the Chinese exclusion act shows that there was a period in time that they discriminated Chinese people. This act was intended to last 10 years and it allowed the U.S to suspend Chinese immigration within the U.S.A. This act demonstrates that there was a period in time where they did not want anyone who is or looked Chinese to enter or be in the country. Chinese people who were already in the country were discriminated against. They wouldn’t get hired or get educated, which would lead them to leave this country. Chinese people weren’t given the chance to be in this country and if they would have gotten the chance they could have bettered America for the better. The Chinese exclusion act shows that Americans tend to make rash decisions and for the most part they are unfair and unreasonable towards immigrants.
Americans mostly believe that if they let illegal immigrants stay or come to this country America would be in utter chaos. Americans need to open their eyes and realize that not only different types of races cause trouble but their own race does too. The majority of people that cause trouble for the country are usually legal residents. Why? , because illegal immigrants tend to keep out of trouble for fear of getting deported or having the law involved with them. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if their legal or illegal, Asian, Latino, African American, Indian, or American; there will always be some sort of trouble in this country. Studies show that illegal immigrants get out and only get the most undesired jobs but the most necessary jobs because Americans don’t want to do those jobs. Some of these jobs include cleaning and carpentry. These jobs require hard work and are often not paid well yet an illegal immigrant will do anything to have a better life for themselves and their family. Americans don’t realize that if it wasn’t for illegal immigrants who need those jobs no one else would do them yet they don’t want them here.
The Devil’s Highway by Luis Urrea is a book about a group of Latinos trying to get across the border but don’t make it at least not all of them. This story is similar to a lot of Latino’s lives. Having to pay a pollero and risking your life to get a chance at living the American dream. People want to come here for different reasons but they all relate in wanting to better themselves. They are risking their lives to go find something better for their family and themselves. According to The Devil’s Highway, “They were all aliens before they crossed the border.” This quote means that everyone started off the same so why should anyone be called an alien. Little by little the world has been made out of immigrants and this country is a great example of how immigration can benefit a country. The Devil’s Highway, really shows what ordinary people go through when they want a better life for themselves and family.
In conclusion, I am against anything that discriminates illegal immigrants. I have been a victim of the unfair laws that America has towards immigrants and no one should go through what I went through. Is it crime to want to better yourself, your family, and this country? It’s not so why can’t Americans accept us? America in the past and present has tried to get all illegal immigrants out of the country, but have been unsuccessful. Why?, because everyone wants a better life and will do the impossible to obtain that life for them and their family. Americans need to be more accepting towards immigrants because all they want is a chance at the American Dream.
Tataeishi/Jereb
American Studies
October 9, 2012
Immigrants? … No Just People
Have you ever wondered what would happen if your family and yourself were told you have to leave the country and return to your home country that you know nothing about? How would you feel being yanked away from your dreams and goals just because you broke a law that you weren’t even aware about? Having to leave your current life just because your parents are illegal immigrants. Having no idea where you’re going or the life you will have from that point on. Immigration has always been a problem in the past and currently in everyday life. Immigration affects everyone either good or bad and many people have such strong opinions towards this topic. I for one support any type of law or policy that helps or benefits illegal immigrants because my family and I have been affected severely by immigration laws and policies.
One law that will benefit illegal immigrants but has not yet passed is the Dream Act. Basically this law will benefit illegal students by giving them a visa to stay in the country if they qualify for it. This law is similar to Obama’s deferred action policy because it helps illegals to stay in the country but the policy is temporary stay while the dream act can result in permanent stay. The dream act is more beneficial than the deferred action policy because the policy has more requirements, is more limited, and has more restrictions than the dream act. The dream act has caused uproars across the nation because many Americans don’t want illegal immigrants to be here. The problem that Americans tend to have is that they don’t realize how immigrants both legal and illegal benefit this country.
Americans tend not to like anyone who does not look like the average American. For example, the Chinese exclusion act shows that there was a period in time that they discriminated Chinese people. This act was intended to last 10 years and it allowed the U.S to suspend Chinese immigration within the U.S.A. This act demonstrates that there was a period in time where they did not want anyone who is or looked Chinese to enter or be in the country. Chinese people who were already in the country were discriminated against. They wouldn’t get hired or get educated, which would lead them to leave this country. Chinese people weren’t given the chance to be in this country and if they would have gotten the chance they could have bettered America for the better. The Chinese exclusion act shows that Americans tend to make rash decisions and for the most part they are unfair and unreasonable towards immigrants.
Americans mostly believe that if they let illegal immigrants stay or come to this country America would be in utter chaos. Americans need to open their eyes and realize that not only different types of races cause trouble but their own race does too. The majority of people that cause trouble for the country are usually legal residents. Why? , because illegal immigrants tend to keep out of trouble for fear of getting deported or having the law involved with them. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if their legal or illegal, Asian, Latino, African American, Indian, or American; there will always be some sort of trouble in this country. Studies show that illegal immigrants get out and only get the most undesired jobs but the most necessary jobs because Americans don’t want to do those jobs. Some of these jobs include cleaning and carpentry. These jobs require hard work and are often not paid well yet an illegal immigrant will do anything to have a better life for themselves and their family. Americans don’t realize that if it wasn’t for illegal immigrants who need those jobs no one else would do them yet they don’t want them here.
The Devil’s Highway by Luis Urrea is a book about a group of Latinos trying to get across the border but don’t make it at least not all of them. This story is similar to a lot of Latino’s lives. Having to pay a pollero and risking your life to get a chance at living the American dream. People want to come here for different reasons but they all relate in wanting to better themselves. They are risking their lives to go find something better for their family and themselves. According to The Devil’s Highway, “They were all aliens before they crossed the border.” This quote means that everyone started off the same so why should anyone be called an alien. Little by little the world has been made out of immigrants and this country is a great example of how immigration can benefit a country. The Devil’s Highway, really shows what ordinary people go through when they want a better life for themselves and family.
In conclusion, I am against anything that discriminates illegal immigrants. I have been a victim of the unfair laws that America has towards immigrants and no one should go through what I went through. Is it crime to want to better yourself, your family, and this country? It’s not so why can’t Americans accept us? America in the past and present has tried to get all illegal immigrants out of the country, but have been unsuccessful. Why?, because everyone wants a better life and will do the impossible to obtain that life for them and their family. Americans need to be more accepting towards immigrants because all they want is a chance at the American Dream.