In 2009, the U.S. Census gathered that there were over thirty-three million second-generation immigrants living in America. America is a melting pot, and in this melting pot, it isn’t uncommon for these children, myself included, to lose sight of what our lives could be–and the struggles that our parents faced to ensure that we have more opportunities than they had. As I write this essay, I’m stressing over the things any other American high school sophomore faces– grades, social drama and statuses, and my follower count on Twitter and Instagram. These “problems,” if even that, are minute to what others our age face around the world. Young adults in Sudan are starving, and young adults in Syria live in the middle of a war zone. As far away They raised two kids: my 19-year-old brother, who is currently a freshman at the University of Georgia, and myself. Thanks to their hard work, I’m able to worry about the things I do. Never have I worried about not having food on my plate, about being denied my education, or being forced to leave everything I know and abandon my dreams. It’s easy to forget what my parents have done for me, for the opportunities and doors they have opened for me. There’s no way to understand your life–the privileges you hold–without understanding the past. You must be thankful for all the things your loved ones have done for you, and I’m sure that I am. I can’t imagine my life if I were in my parents’ shoes, if I faced the struggles and hardships they did, and I know I wouldn’t have the courage to be as decisive as they were and are. Their perseverance and determination make me content with my life now, knowing that it could be much worse. Their experiences motivate me to capitalize on what they gave me–to become something. I want to be sure that my parents know I’m thankful and know that I will work hard to become what they didn’t have the opportunity to. 11th Grade Columbus High School Anjali Patel 5th
I sometimes ask students why they came to The United States. For instance one young lady was from China. She had a bachelor’s degree, worked in an office, had her own car, and I got the impression her family was fairly well-off. When I asked her why she left her friends, family, culture, and what sounded like a comfortable and satisfying way of life she replied, “Safety, security.” I asked, “Why, what were you afraid of?” “The government,” she answered. A young couple from Mexico told me they came here so their children would be exposed to more opportunities. A woman from Russia told me that the only way you can get more than the next person in her country is by paying someone with a position to allow you get ahead. She said, “Here in America you can get what ever you want, and be anything you want, just because you have the ability to do so. A young man from Brazil said he had no home. He lived on the streets. He said he was always in fear of his life from the police. He road on top of the “La Bestia,” the immigrant train. It is a 1,450 mile trek with a real danger of falling off, as hundreds, and possible thousands have, and the danger of being robbed, raped, or murdered by the Mexican gang known as MS13. I guess he saw the possibilities of danger getting to the
Imagine being separated from your family at such a young age because you weren’t able to move from Mexico to America. Or imagine having to leave your family and come to America to work in order to support your family. My mother was born in Mexico and was separated from her parents and older siblings when they decided to move to America. The four younger children weren’t able to migrate over to Mexico due to not having papers; it was only the four older children who were able to move. As four younger children were left behind in Mexico including my mother, the other four had to start working to support the family. It took their parents two years to get the four younger children’s papers together so that they can come to America. My mom was only
Being a child of immigrant parents is not easy. You are constantly living in the fear that one day you’ll wake up and you parents won’t be there with you anymore. Specially now that we have a new president, things are getting more challenging. But don’t get me wrong, I live a happy life. I am proud to call myself a Latina. Being a child of immigrant parents has taught me so much. For example, being able to work hard for what you want. At school, I always strive to get A’s. My parent’s have taught me to never settle for anything less than a B. They know that in order for me to go to college and be successful, I not only have to get good grades but work hard to get there. I love a good challenge. Sometimes it’s not about the obstacles you face,
My academic goals after I graduated from UC Irvine is to achieve a higher education beyond a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Sciences. I have set going to dental school as a primary goal after graduating. My goal is to eventually obtain a D.D.S (Doctor of Dentist Surgery) degree. Working towards a specialty is an interest that I am very curious in pursuing; however, as of now becoming a general dentist is my main goal.
Undocumented immigrants are getting deported and they can’t have an experience they wanted to have when they came to america. But, because of the us government they can’t have this experience some get this experience but they still have to be very careful. They all also fear because some of them have kids then they fear for themselves and then there kids because it’s their family. Do you want to live in a community where you see mexican and people on the streets because of crossing the border. This is why i think that the government shouldn’t deport undocumented immigrants because then they don't get a chance to have an american experience.
Not every immigrant get into the country using the legal means. There are those who get into the country on student visas and start working contrary to the visas they hold. There are others who get into the country illegally with no genuine United States visa. The immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 focusses on the matter of illegal immigration through placing major fines on the employers of those immigrants who hire them. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 allowed a number of barriers to immigration. The host family is only able accept an immigrant if it is accorded an income of about 125% of the poverty status. This Act additionally calls for the Immigration and Naturalization Service to ensure
More than twelve million immigrants will make their first stop in America at Ellis Island Immigration station in the years ahead between 1892 and 1954, at least that's what we read. Who knew a small island in the New York Harbor would become my life saver ?
In The Divide, author Matt Taibbi conveyed to the reader the daily experiences in which illegal immigrants must undergo in order to remain in the United States. Because local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) started rapidly increasing the number of deported immigrants, local businesses that depended on the immigrant workforce felt dramatic effects. Even though business production slowed, ICE continued deporting illegal immigrants. Additionally, Our justice system realized the injustice of 287(g). According to the American Immigration Council, all local law enforcement were given the power to arrest, interrogate, or deport illegal immigrants, much like ICE officers. As a result, ICE director John Morton created a memo in which recognized 287(g) as an unjust program and allows for ICE and law enforcement to deport more criminals or dangerous immigrants and less innocent immigrants (Federation
In the essay the author distinguish between the two scenarios and gives evidence supporting both views. The first scenario starts off on January 2013, fourth graders from Jefferson Elementary School are returning from Christmas break. Barbara Wegner the teacher for the fourth graders noticed one of her students was absence. Day’s went by and he still did not return to school. Rodrigo’s family had come to the United States on a tourist visa, which had been expired. For Christmas Rodrigo’s family went on vacation. They could not leave because of their expired visa and was sent back to Mexico. When Rodrigo’s fellow classmates heard of the situation they were devastated. The second scenario occurred in Murrieta, California. Where protestors blocked a bus of undocumented immigrants. The protestors were holding up signs saying, “ Send the illegals back”. As a result of this essay the author allows the reader to get a better understanding of the affects of immigration.
Attempting to escape poverty and violence, immigrants are obligated to leave everything behind in their country and embark for the United States illegally. Because of the relentless threats received from notorious gangs, many undocumented immigrants opt for illegal entrance as opposed to waiting in the “imaginary ‘immigration line’” for an immigration visa which “is already 4.4 million people long” (Santana, 2014). After being coerced to join a gang, my father was forced to hop on a daunting train called “La Bestia” from El Salvador to the U.S. I can attest that my father is a hardworking individual who has contributed to this nation. Avoiding any bias, I believe it is unethical and inhumane to send those who come to this nation
Books opened my eyes to enthralling revelations at a young age. They gave me solace in my times of worry and melancholy. Especially where the lost protagonist overcame her obstacles and fought her fears. I could always relate to such struggles. I understood what it meant to feel diminutive and powerless. But I couldn 't relate anymore when the character would transform into something unique. Defying the odds. As a child, I had struggled to believe in myself and capabilities.
Raise your hand if you would like to be treated as Mexican-Americans are in American society today. Latinos and Latinas compose over 17% of the population, making them THE largest minority group present in America. However, an oppressive stereotype is forced upon them, one that shows all hispanics as illegal aliens, when in fact 9 out of 10 Mexicans immigrating to America do so legally. Also, there is an assumption that the small portion of immigrants that do come to this beautiful country illegally are doing so with malicious intent when in fact is it frequently due to familial ties. A mother illegally crosses the border in order to see her children put into a school system that will genuinely care for them. A family who cannot get a passport crosses the
What makes America so great? Many would start with the job opportunities, the freedom, or some would even say the security. I, on the other hand, see America as more than that. What makes America great, in my opinion, is their willingness to help others in need, to welcome those begging for a new start. My family turned to the United States in their time of need, for an escape. It’s true. But it is not the picture perfect scene people envision when you tell them you escaped a war and found your way to a free America. The start of my American journey began in 1998 in Seattle, when I was just three months old. But being as I was so little back then, it would be more appropriate told from my mother’s perspective.
Throughout my childhood, my parents taught me values of empathy, resilience and optimism in the face of adversity. These characteristics allowed me to become the tenacious individual that I am today. Being the inquisitive individual I am, I always wondered about my family’s heritage; the journey of how we established ourselves in this country. Yet I never imagined how much of a nightmare it was immigrating to the United States until my mother told the story.