Cervantes1

DeniseCervantes
MissStone
English1010Period1
7December2015
Immigration
Intheyearof1983,IgnacioCervantes,mydad,decidedhewantedtocometotheUnited
Statestoexplorenewthings.MydadwasonlyfourteenyearsoldwhenhecameintheUnited
States.HethoughtitwouldbeeasytobelivingintheUnitedStatessincehehadabrotherliving
inSanger,California.Heneverthoughtoftheconsequencesofbeinghereasanimmigrant.
Whenhehadhisplansanddecisionsallfiguredout,hegotoutofschoolandtalkedtomy
grandmaabouthisplans.Sincemygrandmaknewhewasgoingtobesafewithmyuncle,she
didnotrejecthisdecision.Theonlyreasonmydadwantedtocomewastobuynewand
expensiveshoes,yesasdumbasthatsoundsthatswhyhewantedtocometotheUnitedStates.
Whenmydadcrossedtheborderandstayedafewdayswithmyunclehenoticedthatin
theUnitedStatesitwasallaboutwork,everydayfromdawntillnight.Theywouldworkinthe
fieldpickingoutfruit.Theywouldgetpaidminimumwage,whichbackthenitwasabout$5an
hour.Immigrantswouldusuallyworkinthefieldbecausethatwastheonlyjobthatdidntask
forlegalstatues.In1987,therewasanamnestywhileRonaldReaganwasPresident.Theywere
goingtogiveundocumentedimmigrants,therighttobeintheUnitedStateslegally.Mydadwas
partofthatamnestyandhadthewonderfulchancetobecomealegalcitizenintheUnitedStates.
ThereasonIchosethistopicwasbecausemyparentswereonceimmigrantsandIhave
familymembersthatarelivingintheUnitedStatesasillegalimmigrants.Imightnotknow

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howitfeelstotobeanillegalimmigrantmyselfbut,Istillcomefromparentswhowereonce
immigrants.ItmakesmemadwhenimmigrantsareintheUnitedStatesandaretreatedbadly.It
honestlydoesntmakemefeelproudofbeinganAmericanbecauseAmericaissupposetobethe
countryoffreedomandrights.Wheresallthatfreedomandrightsthateveryonetalksabout?I
dontseeit.Immigrantsarehumanbeingsaswelljustbecausetheyarefromadifferentcountry,
culture,languageandcoloritdoesntmeantheyareanydifferentfromwhites.Thinkaboutall
thosepeoplethatarediscriminating.Itsfunnyhowpeoplethinkthatdiscriminationisnta
thinganymorebut,theydontreallyseehowthemodernworldhasntchangedmuch.Thereis
stilldiscriminationeverywhere.
Doyoureallyknowwhatimmigrationmeans?No,itdoesntmeanMexicanpeopleliving
intheUnitedStates.

Immigrationistheactionofcomingtoliveinaforeigncountry(Oxford
University).AccordingtothearticleImmigrantPopulation..,theysaythatthenation's
immigrantpopulationisupto42.1millioninthelastmonths.Therewasanincreaseofabout
1.7immigrantsfrom2014to2015.Mexicanimmigrantpopulationhasincreasedinthepastyear
by740,000.Inthelastyearsitwasdecreasingbut,allthesuddenthisyearitbegantoincrease
again.
ImmigrationlawsintheUnitedStatesarequitecomplex,anditgetsquiteconfusingasto
howitworks.Thearticle
AmericanImmigrationCouncil
mentionedTheImmigrationand
NaturalizationAct(INA),thebodyoflawgoverningcurrentimmigrationpolicy,provides
annualworldwidelimitof675,000permanentimmigrants,withcertainexceptionsforclose
familymembers.Iftheyhaveafamilymemberthatcanprovidelegalityforthemtheyareable
tostayintheUnitedStateswiththeexceptionofafewrequirementssetbythelaw.The

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immigrationpolicysetsmanyrequirementsittendstobeverystrict.Forsomepeoplethatwant
tobecomeU.S.citizenittakestimeevenyearstobeabletogetallthedocumentsready.The
timethatistowaitusuallydependsonthecountryinwhichyouareimmigratingfrom.
Accordingtothewebsite,
ImmigrationPolicy,
tobeabletobecomeaU.S.citizen,you
firstneedtoapplyforagreencardandseeifyousettherightrequirementstobeabletoobtaina
greencard.Onceyouhavehadatleastfiveyearswiththegreencardyouareabletoapplyto
becomeaU.Scitizen.Also,whenyouapplytobecomeaU.S.citizentherearealsomany
requirements,youaresupposetobeatleast18yearsold,beabletoshowresidency,havegood
moralcharacter,passafewwrittentests,payafeeandmanyotherrequirements.Ifyouhavea
familymemberwithlegalstatutesintheUnitedStatestheycanholdapetitiontobeableto
provideyouasalegalcitizen,butthattakestime.Forexample,aspouseofaU.S.citizen,your
childrenbuttheymustbeatleast21orevenasiblingcanbeapetitioner.Therearemany
opportunitiestobecomelegalintheUnitedStates,buttheyareverystrictwitheachandevery
requirement.
BecomingaU.S.citizenisquitechallengingformany.Weevenhavethosepeoplethat
wouldlikeforallthoseimmigrantstogobacktowheretheycamefrom,forexamplepoliticians.
Itsbeenacommontopicforpoliticianstotalkaboutimmigrationintheircampaign.Somewant
tomakethecountryabetterenvironmenttolivein.Whentheydontreallyseethattheyarethe
onesthataremakingthecountryevenworse.
Therearepoliticiansthatareagainstimmigration.Also,therearesomethatdontmindit
andareokaywithhavingimmigrantsintheUnitedStates.DonaldTrumpisoneofthe
politiciansthatarewayfaragainstimmigration.AllofthearticlesIreadmentionDonaldTrump.

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HeiswillingtobuildawallbetweentheborderofMexicoUnitedStates.Hethinksitwould
makeAmericaamuchbetterplace.TrumpthinksthatMexicansarethecriminalsandthatthey
aretheonesthatarestealingeveryoneelse'sjobs.HedoesntseetheU.Sasawhole,heseesitas
justwhitepeople.Wheninrealityweneedtothankallthoseimmigrantsbecauseofthemwe
havediversityandhavealltypesofculturesinonlyonecountry.Allthesekindsofculturesis
whatmakesAmerica,America.Weareallimmigrants.Forexample,DonaldTrumpisnota
NativeAmerican,whichmakeshimanimmigrantaswell.But,hemakesabigdealabouthow
onlyMexicanimmigrantsarethebadguysinthestory.DonaldTrumpisracist.
Ontheotherhand,wehaveBarackObama,whereheiswillingtogothroughsomany
thingstoprotectimmigrantsfromdeportation.AccordingtothearticleCourtRejectsObamas
Plan
,
theymentionthatObamaisabusingexecutivepowerwhichleadsotherpoliticiansin
wantingtotakehimtocourtbecausehewontstopwithhisamnestyplan.Hesalsofacedmany
criticismsinceitwasfirstsaidinNovemberoflastyear(BotkinKowacki).Whatthearticle
mentionsisthatObamawantstocontinuewithhisamnestyplanthatwasoncerejected.The
amnestyisgivingthelegalrighttoparentsthathaveachildthatisaU.S.citizen.Thecourt
thinksthatwouldbeabadidea.Sincetheydontwanttocontinuewiththeamnestyheis
planning,thenhedoesntwantanyimmigrantsdeported.

http://www.people-press.org/2015/06/04/broad-public-support
9 December 2015

Americansthemselveshavetheirownviewpointsonimmigrants.
Thegraphwasfoundinthewebsitenamed,WhatAmericansWant
todoAboutImmigration,wheretheywoulddemonstrateallthe
surveysfromAmericanstakenduringtheyearsaboutimmigration.

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Accordingtothegraphthatislocatedontheleft,itshowsusthat72%ofAmericanssaythat
thereshouldbeawayforimmigrantstostayintheUnitedStateslegally.About,27%saythatit
isgoingtobebetterforthemtobedeported.InaMaysurvey,abouthalfofAmericanssaythat
immigrantsstrengthenthecountry,while41%viewthemasburden.Theresalltypesofpeople
andthatisokay,itsgoodtoknowthatAmericanshavedifferentkindsofviewsonimmigration.
ImnotsayingthatallAmericansarebad,noramIsayingthatallMexicanimmigrantsaregood.
No,theirisntoneracewhereallpeopleareequallygoodorevil.Whichismypointonsaying
thatimmigrantsarejustlikeanyotherkindofhumans.Theresgoodandbad.
ItmakesmefeelgoodwhenIseethatthereareAmericansthatdontmindimmigrants.
Theyjustgoonwiththeirlifeanddontmanagetotalkbadaboutthem.Inthesurveythatwas
mentionedinthearticle,BroadPublicSupportForLegalStatusForUndocumented
Immigrantstheyweresayinghow,immigrantsshapethecountryandmakeitalotstronger,I
agreewiththem.Immigrantsarehardworkersandtheydontwanttotakeotherpeoplesjobs.
Theywanttomakealivingandbeabletomakemoneytohavefoodintheirtableeveryday.
Theywanttheirchildrentobesuccessfulso,theyknowthattheydidntcometothiscountryto
losetime.Thankstoimmigrantswehavealltheselanguagesbeingtaughtintheschoolsandwe
havepeoplethatsharewithustheirculture.Itsalwaysnicetoknowpeoplewithadifferent
culturefromyoursandbeabletolearnfromthem.
Evenimmigrantshavetheirownviewpointonthemselvesandhowtheyarebeing
treated.Itsinterestingtoknowthatmanyimmigrantsaretiredofbeingdiscriminatedintheir
jobsoreveninschools.But,somedontwanttoleavethecountrybecausetheyarescaredhow
theymightnotbeabletofindajobasgoodastheonetheyhaveintheUnitedStates.Inareport

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thatwasfoundinthearticleMoreMexicanImmigrantsLeaving

theyshowedthat,throughthe
pastyearstherehasbeenmoreimmigrantsleavingtheU.S.thanentering.Theyweregetting
tiredofhavingtolivestressedbecausetheywereundocumentedandhadlessadvantages.They
didnthavetherightrequirementstobeinaforeigncountry.Theonlyjobsthattheywouldbe
abletogetarethehardoneswhereyouhadtoputallyourstrengthin.Forexampleconstruction,
field,orevenrestaurants.Theydidnthavetheexperience,theeducation,northelegal
documentsthattheyaskfor,likeImentionedearlier.
Throughtheyearscrossingtheborderhasgottenalotmoredangerousandexpensivefor
immigrants.Mymomwouldtellmehowimmigrantswouldgetthroughtheborder.Whatthey
didwastheywouldhireacoyote,whicharepeoplethatarewellfamiliarwiththerightroutes
tobeabletocrosstheborder.Theywouldchargeupto$10,000becauseitwouldgetreally
dangerousandwouldrisktheirlives.Immigrantswouldwalkmilesthroughcold,hot,andrainy
weather.Inthebordertheyhaveevenexpandedtheirenforcementmeasure(Preston).Sinceit
hasgottenmoredangerousMexicansdontevenbothertotryandcrosstheborderanymore.
NowadaysMexicansthinkitisntworthhavingtocrosstheborderforasmallamountof
dollars.Theyaremuchhappierintheircountryandwiththeirfamily.InMexicotherearemuch
morejobsnowthaninthepast.TheonlyreasonMexicanscometotheUnitedStatesitssothey
canhaveabetterjobandmaintainabetterlivingstyle.
InthearticlenamedMexicansAreTiredofCrossingIllegally
,
theytellusafewlife
storiesofimmigrants.Themajorityofimmigrantsmisstheirlovedonesandlivingillegally
stressesthemout.Therearesomecaseswhereafamilymemberisdyingandimmigrantsarent
abletogoorwhentheygoitsalreadytoolate.Immigrantsarentabletobringtheirfamily

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becauseitwouldbewaytoorisky.TheyliveintheUnitedStatesbythemselvesandworkhard
tobeabletosendmoneytotheirfamilybacktotheircountry.So,nowtheysaythatthereisno
amountofmoneyworthasadnessofnothavingyourfamilyaroundwhichiswhytheiraremore
MexicansleavingtheUnitedStatesthanenteringit.
WhenmydadbecamealegalcitizenintheUnitedStates,hewouldgotoMexicoevery
yearforChristmastospenditwithhislovedones.Whichishowhemetmymom.Mydad
thoughtitwouldbebettertoliveintheUnitedStateswithmymomsincehealreadyhadastable
job.HewasabletopetitionformymomsresidencyintheU.S.whichishowmymombecamea
legalresident.Now,sheiscurrentlyaresidentandisintheprocessofapplyingforher
citizenship.
Iamsothankful,becausemyparentsarentillegalimmigrantsanddonthavetostress
outaboutbeinghereillegally.IseehowmyfamilymemberthatliveintheUnitedStates
illegallyandsufferonhowtheyarentabletogoseetheirlovedonesinMexico.Sincemy
parentsareabletogotoMexicoandcomeback,theytakeadvantageofitandtakeuseveryyear
fortheholidays.ThankstothatIknowalotmoreofwheremyrootscomefrom.Imaynotknow
howitfeelstobeanillegalimmigrant,butIwouldstandupforthem.Theyarepartofmy
culture.Theyaremyfamilyandfamilystickstogethernomatterwhatthecircumstancesare.

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AnnotatedBibliography
BotkinKowacki,Eva."CourtrejectsObamaimmigrationplan.Executiveabuseofpower?"
ChristianScienceMonitor
10Nov.2015.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.2Dec.
2015.
Feliz,Wendy.AreImmigrantsBetterOffNow,ThanTheyWereAYearAgo?
Immigration
Impact.
n.d.Web2Dec.2015.
"HowtheUnitedStatesImmigrationSystemWorks:AFactSheet."
HowtheUnitedStates
ImmigrationSystemWorks:AFactSheet
.1Mar.2014.Web.2Dec.2015.
Kehaulani,Sara.WhatAmericansWantToDoAboutIllegalImmigration.
PewResearch.
FactTankNews,24Aug.2015.Web.2Dec.2015.
MexicanGrowTiredOfCrossingIllegally.
FoxNews.
FoxNews,19Nov.2015.Web.2Dec.
2015.
Mueller,Benjamin.NewYorkStateAccusesUticaSchoolDistrictofBiasAgainstRefugees.
NewYorkTimes.
NewYorkTimes,18Nov.2015.Web.2Dec.2015.
Preston,Julia.MoreMexicanImmigrantsLeavingtheU.S.ThanEntering.
TheNewYork
Times.
TheNewYorkTimes,19Nov.2015.Web.2Dec.2015.
Walsh,KennethT.50YearsAgo,ImmigrationChangedinAmerica.
USNews.
2Oct.2015.
Web.2Dec.2015.