Story of a Romanian Immigrant

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Story of a Romanian Immigrant

Immigrating to the United States in not a simple process. Millions immigrate to America but many millions more are denied a visa or forced to cross the border illegally because of the limited number of applicants that the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, now a department of Homeland Security, provides as well as the extremely stringent process that is imposed upon migrating applicants. Even getting a simple tourist visa can be a tiring ordeal and beyond reach of most foreign citizens who are not wealthy. This results in numbers of people who are forced to look for other means such as resorting to coyotes, people who smuggle people into America, or corporate coyotes, "executives who would sanction the smuggling of illegal immigrants" (Talton). In the last decade the attitude towards migration, especially in the Southwest, has worsened as many Americans blame illegal immigrants for causing economic hardships and fear diversification to American culture. "Immigrants, particularly so-called 'illegal' immigrants and their children, were represented as depleting both California's fiscal and natural resources" (Lindsley p. 176). The downside is that many Americans have required that fewer immigrants be admitted as well as imposing a more stringent application process and a return to a quota system based on one's national origins. The current system, after the Immigration Reform Act of 1965, created a process where visas are issued on a first come, first served basis that promotes allowing the immigration of family members (Small p. 52).

For this case study, a new immigrant to the United States from Romania, Mike was interviewed regarding the difficu...

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... their heritage of immigration and restructure the bureaucracy that often discriminates against poorer applicants.

For more information about the process for getting a visa or any questions regarding American immigration visit the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

References

Jensen, Edythe. "Hispanics see new Chandler" The Arizona Republic 18 March

2003

Lindsley, Syd. Policing The National Body: Sex, Race and Criminalization. Ed.

Jael Silliman and Anannya Bhattacharjee. Cambridge: South End Press,

2002.

Schaus, Noel. Latinos Claiming Space and Rights: The Chandler Coalition for

Civil and Human Rights

Small, Cathy A. Voyages: From Tongan Villages To American Suburbs. London:

Cornell University Press, 1997.

Talton, John. "Will the 'pinstriped coyotes' get away with it?" The Arizona

Republic 18 March 2003

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