When I was younger, I didn’t know much about undocumented immigrants. In school, teachers never really talked about it and we weren’t required to learn about them. As I got older I started to learn more about them just by listening to my parents talk and the from hearing things on the news. When I came to high school was when I really started to learn about undocumented immigrants. In spanish we watched videos and learned about how people tried to cross the Mexican border. I learned how many people died trying to cross the border and the risks of trying to do it. People would leave their homes with nothing and pay to be brought across and into the U.S.. I remember last year when trump was elected president and while in office he threatened …show more content…
She told us how she traveled here and how she was raped on multiple occasions trying to get over the border. This was the first time I really realized that people actually go through this. We also watched a movie in spanish called “La Misma Luna” was about a women who had to leave her son in Mexico and illegally crosses the U.S border. Throughout the movie she is seen working multiple jobs that don’t pay much so she can send money to her son. She also struggles with trying to become legal so she can get her son to the U.S. At the time when watching this movie I didn’t really think about how people really go through things like this, but when we started to talk about it in English I realized that so many people in our country have stories like that. This week in class when learning more about undocumented immigrants I learned that its not so easy to become legal and get a green card. It made me realize the hardship of not only immigrating to another country but also to be undocumented with no legal papers. And even people with green cards there’s still legal problems sometimes. People who are undocumented and have kids also have the fear of getting deported and having to leave them
Many countries have the pleasure of celebrating Independence Days. These historic holidays are filled with nationalistic celebrations and delicious traditional food. In Chile, the natives celebrate their break from Spain with Fiestas Patrias. In Mexico, the president begins the celebration by ringing a bell and reciting the “Grito de Dolores” and he ends his speech by saying “Viva Mexico” three times.
In my opinion, the most interesting part of Labor and Legality was “Meet the Lions”. Learning about each of the ten male Lions was so interesting and insightful. It opened up a new lense in my worldview. Obviously, I have not had experience with undocumented immigrants. I know nothing about what they do to get here, why they come here, etc. By reading personal accounts, my worldview was able to shift in a new direction. Not only do I now see that undocumented immigrants are needed in America, but they are people just like any citizen here. As said before, undocumented immigrants, like the Lions, do the jobs that most Americans do not want to do. Low paying jobs are the ones people steer clear of if they are older than 20 years of age. They are NOT stealing “our” jobs, they are taking the jobs that you do not want. They are hard working people who will work in stench, who will clean the dirtiest of bathrooms, and who will slave in the sun picking tomatoes for a better tomorrow for their families. I know nothing about the politics involved when it comes to immigration, but I do know that it is extremely difficult for an undocumented immigrant to get citizenship. I believe that if they are “found” here, they should be given the right to try to obtain citizenship, especially if they have lived here for so long. In one of the videos
In Marcelo M. Suarez- Orozco and Carola Suarez- Orozco’s article “How Immigrants became “other” Marcelo and Carola reference the hardships and struggles of undocumented immigrants while at the same time argue that no human being should be discriminated as an immigrant. There are millions of undocumented people that risk their lives by coming to the United States all to try and make a better life for themselves. These immigrants are categorized and thought upon as terrorist, rapists, and overall a threat to Americans. When in reality they are just as hard working as American citizens. This article presents different cases in which immigrants have struggled to try and improve their life in America. It overall reflects on the things that immigrants go through. Immigrants come to the United States with a purpose and that is to escape poverty. It’s not simply crossing the border and suddenly having a great life. These people lose their families and go years without seeing them all to try and provide for them. They risk getting caught and not surviving trying to make it to the other side. Those that make it often don’t know where to go as they are unfamiliar. They all struggle and every story is different, but to them it’s worth the risk. To work the miserable jobs that Americans won’t. “I did not come to steal from anyone. I put my all in the jobs I take. And I don’t see any of the Americans wanting to do this work” (668). These
Humans have a never ending thirst for a better life, and a better existence for themselves and those they hold dear. Jose Antonio Vargas was sent away from the Philippines by his mother hoping that he would be able to achieve a better life, and be happy. In “Outlaw: My Life in America as an Undocumented Immigrant” Vargas is able to find his better life and happiness in America but also fear and anxiety. Vargas gives us a look into the life of an illegal immigrant the good, the bad, their achievements and their constant struggles. Very much like Vargas my father immigrated to America, but legally in 1986.
Illegal immigration has been an issue in this country since its founding. However, in recent years, more and more people are deciding that the conditions in their native countries are too dangerous and impossible to overcome, so they decide to take on the journey to try and enter the United States, “the land of opportunity”, without the proper documentation. In the novel Enrique’s Journey, by Sonia Nazario, we see first hand the expedition many of these people take in order to fulfill their dreams of helping the families they leave behind. Many of these people, like Lourdes and Enrique, come thinking that the “American Dream” will be easily obtained through hard work. Unfortunately, times have changed, and this promise of riches is no longer the norm. Those undocumented immigrants that are lucky enough to make it to the United States are faced with a harsh hit of reality when they realize that the perception they had build of America, with an abundance of jobs, is actually flooded by poverty and an unsteady job market.
Firstly, Roberto Gonzalez lays out some background situations involving the struggle to transition into adulthood. He says that public schools teach undocumented students at early ages the idea of what he terms “unity of experiences and orientation,” which is the feeling of fitting in with peers in school. After, he says that the coming of age is delayed much longer today because young adults are taking longer in college, exit from their parent’s household, entry into a full-time career, and decisions about marriage and
There are over twelve million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Many came to America to work, go to school, or be reunited with family members who are already residing here. Most migrants want to work and pursue the “American dream”. There are many barriers for residents to achieving success at the work and life balance. The immigrants fall back on public assistance to support them.
After reading The Book of the Unknown Americans, I realized how difficult immigrating to the United States can be. I am an immigrant also, so just reading the story makes me relate to many problems immigrants experience relocating to a different country. Immigrants often face many issues and difficulties, but for some it is all worth it, but for others there comes a point in time where they have to go back to their hometown. Alma and Arturo Rivera came to the United States to better their life, but also so that Maribel could attend a special education school. While Arturo had a job things had gone well for the family, but once Arturo lost the job and passed away the two of them had to go back because they felt that that was the best option for them. Reading this book made me realize how strong an individual has to be to leave their own country and relocate somewhere else not knowing if this will better your life or cause one to suffer.
As a young child, I had a feeling of resentment towards my parents as I naively believed that they were not working hard enough to obtain a career that would result in them being able to fulfill the necessities of the family. I thought that my parents were incapable of providing my siblings and I with a stable place to live and with a reliable source of transportation. That was my assumption until I saw a documentary on what undocumented immigrant families left behind in their countries for the better of their family in addition to the setbacks they must undergo to make a living in the land of opportunity.
For many Mexican immigrants, crossing the border into the land of freedom and the American dream is no easy task. Some immigrants come over illegally by means of hiding in cars to cross borders, using visitor visas to stay longer, marrying to become citizens, and having babies as ‘anchors’ to grant automatic citizenship. Other immigrants gain green cards and work visas and work their way into becoming US citizens legally and subsequently gaining citizenship through paperwork for their families back home. After escaping harsh living and working conditions in Mexico, immigrants come to America prepared to gain education, opportunity, and work. This American dream unfortunately does not come to pass for most.
The last bolt is screwed on as a relieved automotive worker marvels at his wondrous creation: a car. With the roar of an engine, the car slowly disappears into the distance. The worker gradually turns around, picks up his tools, and continues to work on a new car. As a consumer, we rarely wonder how things are made; we simply take everything we own for granted. For once, have you wondered how many hours of hard labor many automotive workers must go through? The automotive industry has been around for many years, but it has not always been as efficient as it currently is. As the industry continues to evolve, many new innovative ideas are still being developed. In the past, automotive workers have had to work in harsh conditions without much security or job benefits. Nevertheless, through the continuous development of organized collective bargaining, workers are being treated as they should be. Being the largest automobile manufacturer in the world, General Motors Corporation has been greatly affected by the needs of their workers. Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, is currently in charge of “running the show” at GM. Being the most successful automotive company since 1931, it is obvious that he not only has to satisfy customers, but also the workers within the company. From the smallest things such as a work raise to bigger things such as the working condition, the management of General Motors has been pressured to make both positive and negative changes to the way the company is run as a whole in order to satisfy the workers who are part of the UAW Union. Therefore, the formation and development of unions encompasses both pros and cons.
Many Immigrant families have obstacles/challenges to confront as soon as they step into this Country. Not only the Illegal parent’s with the
The United States of America, being a country founded by immigrants, is known all over the world as the land of great opportunities. People from all walks of life travelled across the globe, taking a chance to find a better life for them and their family. Over the years, the population of immigrants has grown immensely, resulting in the currently controversial issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants are the people who have overstayed the time granted on their US, visa or those who have broken the federal law by crossing the border illegally. Matt O’Brien stated in his article “The government thinks that 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in 2007.”(Para, 2) While some argue that illegal immigrants burden the United States of America and its economy, others believe that they have become essential and are an important part of the US, economy.
My family has become very concerned with the current hostile political climate. Although their status has always been a concern it has never caused so much fear and uncertainty as it is today. Mexican and Mexican Americans have been a target for discrimination for many years as explained at the beginning of this section. It is unbelievable to think that what people of my ethnic group experienced about 90 years ago, is still happening today. It is clear through my parent’s story that their main reason for coming to this country was to be able to provide a better future for their families back home and their children. Which was something that would not be possible in their beloved country. My heart breaks thinking that my cousin who was brought to this country when she was three months old runs the risk of being deported to a country that she has never lived in. This is her country, and just as the Mexican and Mexican American farm workers who were deported in the 1930’s all she wants is a chance at a better
At a young age, my teachers and parents taught me to believe that I could do and accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I grew up thinking that I was unstoppable and that the only limit to my achievements was the sky. However, during my second year in high school, I began to realize that I was not as unstoppable as I had thought. I began to experience the consequences of my parent’s decision of bringing me to the United States illegally. Among those consequences were, not being able to apply for a job, obtain a driver’s license or take advantage of the dual enrollment program at my high school, simply because I did not possess a social security number. I remember thinking that all of my hard work was in vain and that I was not going to