immigration story essay

18 Essays About The Immigrant Experience You Need To Read

These stories illuminate what it takes, and what it means, to uproot your life in one country and begin it again in a new one.

BuzzFeed Staff

Growing Up American In Gaza Taught Me What We Owe To Refugees — Rebecca Peterson Zeccola

"In Palestine, we could so easily have been treated as the enemy, but we were welcomed like family."

I’m Not OK With Being One Of The Lucky Muslims — Romaissaa Benzizoune

"This weekend’s immigration order doesn’t apply to me or my family; I’ll be fine. But so many others I know and love will not."

I Grew Up In The Rust Belt, But I'm Not In Any Of The Stories About It — Alia Hanna Habib

"It’s strange to see the media turn its attention to places like my hometown in coal-country Pennsylvania and find that my experience there, as part of the non -white working class, is still invisible."

Here’s What I’m Telling My Brown Son About Trump’s America — Mira Jacob

"Sometimes I wish I could ask America when, exactly, it made its mind up about us. The myth, of course, is that it hasn’t, that there is still a chance to mollify those who dictate the terms of our experience here, and then be allowed to chase success unfettered by their paranoia. To live, as it’s more commonly known, the American dream."

There’s No Recipe For Growing Up — Scaachi Koul

"My mom’s Kashmiri cooking has always tethered me to home. So it’s no wonder she won’t give me (all) the secrets to doing it myself."

How I Learned That Beauty Doesn’t Have To Hurt — Sonya Chung

"Growing up in a Korean American family, I absorbed the idea that any feeling of pleasure comes at a cost. But as I get older, I’m realizing it doesn’t have to work that way."

Why Brexit Has Broken My Heart — Bim Adewunmi

"As a child of immigrants, I am deeply ashamed that this is who we are."

I Found A Home In Clubs Like Pulse, In Cities Like Orlando — Rigoberto González

"I cherish the time I have spent in clubs like Pulse in cities like Orlando, where gay Latinos — the immigrants, the undocumented, and the first-generation Americans alike — gravitate because we love men and we love our homelands, and that’s one of the places our worlds converge."

Making Great Pho Is Hard, But Making A Life From Scratch Is Harder — Nicole Nguyen

"After fleeing Vietnam, my parents turned to food to teach us about what it means to be Vietnamese."

When Home Is Between Different Countries And Genders — Meredith Talusan

"I moved to the U.S. from the Philippines when I was 15, where I had been raised as a boy. About a decade later, I started to live as a woman and eventually transitioned. I think of migration and transition as two examples of the same process – moving from one home, one reality, to another."

I Found The House My Grandparents Abandoned in 1947 — Ahmed Ali Akbar

"So many Americans go to India to find themselves. But I went to find the history my family lost in the subcontinent’s Partition."

How I Became A Southern-Fried Nigerian — Israel Daramola

"I once felt torn between Nigeria and Florida, between jollof rice and fried alligator, but there is no real me without both."

Learning To Mourn In My Father's Country — Reggie Ugwu

"After my brother died and my father was partially paralyzed, my family traveled 7,000 miles in search of an old home, a new house, and the things we’d lost on the road in between."

How To Get Your Green Card In America — Sarah Mathews

"When you perform the act of audacity that is consolidating an entire life into a couple of suitcases and striking out to make your way, what is not American about that? When you leave the old country so that your daughters can have a good education and walk down their streets without fear, what is not American about that? When you flee violence and poverty to come to a land of plenty, when you are willing to learn new languages, to haul ass, to do twice as much work, what is not American about that?"

A Childhood Spent Inside A Chinese Restaurant — Susan Cheng

"Being one of the few Asians in my school was hard enough. Working at my parents’ Chinese restaurant didn’t make it any easier."

How I Learned To Celebrate Eid Al Adha In America — Zainab Shah

"I bent over backward to explain myself. 'From Pakistan,' I would say. 'Not a terrorist,' I almost added. But I didn’t — the joke would only be funny if racial profiling didn’t exist."

Texts From My Parents: What It Was Like To Leave Vietnam — Nicole Nguyen

"They did it for us, and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make the most of it."

What It’s Like Speaking A Different Language From Your Parents — Zakia Uddin

"My parents and I communicate in an incomplete mash-up of Bengali and English. I sometimes wonder what we are missing."

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My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant

By Jose Antonio Vargas

• June 22, 2011

One August morning nearly two decades ago, my mother woke me and put me in a cab. She handed me a jacket. “ Baka malamig doon ” were among the few words she said. (“It might be cold there.”) When I arrived at the Philippines’ Ninoy Aquino International Airport with her, my aunt and a family friend, I was introduced to a man I’d never seen. They told me he was my uncle. He held my hand as I boarded an airplane for the first time. It was 1993, and I was 12.

My mother wanted to give me a better life, so she sent me thousands of miles away to live with her parents in America — my grandfather ( Lolo in Tagalog) and grandmother ( Lola ). After I arrived in Mountain View, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area, I entered sixth grade and quickly grew to love my new home, family and culture. I discovered a passion for language, though it was hard to learn the difference between formal English and American slang. One of my early memories is of a freckled kid in middle school asking me, “What’s up?” I replied, “The sky,” and he and a couple of other kids laughed. I won the eighth-grade spelling bee by memorizing words I couldn’t properly pronounce. (The winning word was “indefatigable.”)

One day when I was 16, I rode my bike to the nearby D.M.V. office to get my driver’s permit. Some of my friends already had their licenses, so I figured it was time. But when I handed the clerk my green card as proof of U.S. residency, she flipped it around, examining it. “This is fake,” she whispered. “Don’t come back here again.”

Confused and scared, I pedaled home and confronted Lolo. I remember him sitting in the garage, cutting coupons. I dropped my bike and ran over to him, showing him the green card. “ Peke ba ito ?” I asked in Tagalog. (“Is this fake?”) My grandparents were naturalized American citizens — he worked as a security guard, she as a food server — and they had begun supporting my mother and me financially when I was 3, after my father’s wandering eye and inability to properly provide for us led to my parents’ separation. Lolo was a proud man, and I saw the shame on his face as he told me he purchased the card, along with other fake documents, for me. “Don’t show it to other people,” he warned.

I decided then that I could never give anyone reason to doubt I was an American. I convinced myself that if I worked enough, if I achieved enough, I would be rewarded with citizenship. I felt I could earn it.

I’ve tried. Over the past 14 years, I’ve graduated from high school and college and built a career as a journalist, interviewing some of the most famous people in the country. On the surface, I’ve created a good life. I’ve lived the American dream.

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Mireya’s Third Crossing

The first time, she was raped. The second, she nearly drowned. In order to live in the United States legally, she had to leave her family and attempt to cross the border once more.

In January of last year, Mireya called me to say she was going to Juárez.

She had been living undocumented in the United States for 25 years, but now she was applying for permanent residency. The final step in the years-long process could be done only at the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

There, Luz Mirella Zamora (she spells her name with a y to avoid confusion; it is pronounced Mee- ray -ah) would stand across from a State Department employee with three stacks of papers: green, blue, and pink. If Mireya received a green slip, she’d get a visa and return to her husband and children. Blue and she’d have to stay and collect missing paperwork. Pink and she would be stuck in Mexico until her extended family could pool enough money for a smuggler to bring her home: $8,000 to hide in the back of a vehicle, $15,000 if she wanted to sit in the passenger seat.

Mireya had only 30 days to come up with the money to travel to Juárez for her appointment, and from her voice on the phone—victorious, hilarious—I could tell she had some kind of madcap plan. In fact, there had been a minor windfall: A cow had slipped in the mud and broken its leg, and its owner had asked Mireya and her husband to end its suffering and salvage the meat. They went around the house and found $9 in coins, filled the truck with some gas, and drove out to the farm. Robert put the animal down, and they dressed it in the pasture. Now Mireya was turning 80 pounds of beef into jerky to sell by the bag.

I told Mireya I would go with her to Juárez. I’d been following her story for a few years, and I wanted to be there to see how it turned out. I was as strapped as she was, but I returned to the Ozarks, where I was born, and finally got around to selling for parts the Volkswagen Passat with a blown water pump that someone had left to my mother and whose title had somehow been signed over to me.

I first met Mireya in 2014.

During one of my trips home to Arkansas, my father asked me whether I knew I had another sister. He sat on the woodpile outside my parents’ trailer, drinking a beer, and spoke in a rapture of the woman he had come to think of as his 10th child, though they shared no actual blood. He speaks fluent Spanish, and he and Mireya would talk through the afternoons in her language.

My parents had met Mireya and her five children through her husband, Robert, a third-generation Mexican American who was working in the area. Mireya had grown up in rural Mexico, and she and Robert wanted to go back to the land, in the Ozarks; my mom and dad decided to sell them a few acres of their property on a zero-interest loan.

Mireya and Robert named the place El Rancho and began filling it with geese, mules, and a split-rail pen of pigs. They planned to build a cabin there. Meanwhile, they rented an apartment in nearby Springdale, a cow town when I was a kid, best known for its annual rodeo, that has grown into a small city with the arrival of Latino and Marshallese immigrants. The big businesses in Northwest Arkansas—industrial chicken farms, Walmart, construction—depend on these newcomers for labor.

Mireya’s husband and children are born-and-raised Americans, but she lacked a Social Security number and was forbidden to work. In truth, she worked circles around everyone, keeping the apartment spotless and her kids in new clothes, doing anything from building fences to cleaning houses for cash. When her daughter needed $400 for a French horn and a band trip, she raised the money by selling homemade salsa.

Mireya never knew her real father, but my dad began calling her hija , daughter. She called my parents padre and madre . Among my eight brothers and sisters, I’d always drifted near the bottom of the pecking order. Mireya zoomed to the top. I was surprised to learn that my parents had bragged to her about me, said we were alike, gutsy. But whereas I’d always been deemed rebellious and mouthy, she was “independent,” “direct.”

I liked having Mireya and her family around, but I was furious when I found out she and Robert were two years behind on their payments for El Rancho; they seemed more likely to inherit the property than pay it off. Only one of my siblings has been deeded land, the sole thing of value my parents possess.

Mireya’s uncle had once mocked her for trying to learn English. It meant the world to her when my father, who long ago had taught Spanish at universities ( a professor! she told people), praised her fluency. When I attempted to speak Spanish, she cheered on my efforts. But when I began to understand a lot, I sensed that she felt I’d poached something special of hers.

“She’s smart,” I once heard her say to friends, her tone unmistakably rueful. “She’ll learn quickly.”

If we’d been real sisters, somewhere along the way we would’ve had a blowout and cleared the air. Instead, we pulled on poker faces so tight that they began to crack around the edges.

In applying for residency, Mireya feared she would be outing herself to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which once in a while flags undocumented people for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Robert didn’t want her to risk it.

But she was tired of hiding, tired of being at the mercy of others’ schedules when she needed a lift to a housekeeping job. A cop catching her speeding could turn her over to ICE. To ride in a car with Mireya was to spot every police cruiser hiding behind trees and learn the unpatrolled back roads.

Until a few years ago, trying to get a visa would have been unthinkable. Under current law, anyone who leaves the U.S. after living in the country without permission for a year or longer must wait 10 years before they can reenter legally. As the wife of an American citizen, Mireya was eligible to apply for an exemption to the 10-year rule, but she would have had to do so from Mexico and then wait there for a decision, a process that can take a year or longer, with no guarantee of success.

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In 2013, Barack Obama’s administration provided a workaround: Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens could apply for the exemption without leaving the country as long as they could prove that an extended separation would be a hardship for their family members. Spanish speakers call the I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver the perdón . To be pardoned, an undocumented immigrant must prove family ties and pay “forgiveness,” a series of fees.

Mireya didn’t have the $6,000 it would cost to hire a good immigration lawyer, so she decided to go it alone. Every time I’ve told this to someone else who has applied for the waiver, that person has fallen silent.

She joined a Facebook group of 36,000 members, people applying for the perdón and their friends and families. Those who have hit paperwork roadblocks consult the group; others share their lawyers’ advice. Members who are approved in Juárez post selfies with their green slips. They have to wait in Mexico for the consulate to mail their visa, and when it arrives via DHL, they post more selfies with the package, whose red-and-yellow corporate logo has become a stand-in for the documents sealed inside.

For three years, Mireya collected the required documents, first in a manila folder and then in an expanding accordion file known as “The Folder.” It was black, with 25 titled subfolders, and Mireya decorated its surface with pictures of her family to remind her why she was spending so much time acquiring its notarized contents.

Mexico required that requests for an official birth certificate be made in person. Mireya deputized a distant cousin in Michoacán, her state of birth, and armed her with copies of her and her mother’s birth certificates and Mexican IDs. The cousin went to a courthouse and began negotiations with a judge. A year and $400 later, the new birth certificate arrived in Arkansas. It was in Spanish, of course, and Citizenship and Immigration Services requires all documents to be translated into English, so Mireya paid for that too.

Having no laptop, she filed some forms on her phone, and walked to the public library to print hard copies of others. She put together the Petition for Alien Relative for Robert to file, to establish their relationship, and paid $420. A year later, with the petition approved, she applied for the I-601A waiver. Wanting to make sure she’d ticked every box, she spent $1,300 on a physical exam and vaccinations. The filing fee for the waiver itself was $585.

Her waiver was approved in the spring of 2017; now she would have to go to Juárez for a medical exam and an interview at the consulate. Mireya sought the advice of a low-cost lawyer from a Catholic charity, but the woman dismissed her: Mireya had crossed the border twice—in 1989 and 1997—and if you’d entered the country illegally more than once, she said, your visa application would be denied.

Mireya told the Facebook group what the lawyer had said. If she traveled to Juárez, would she get stuck there, separated from her family for who knows how long? She signed off with “ Dios sin mí sigue siendo Dios, pero yo sin él no soy nada ”—God without me continues to be God, but I without him am nothing.

Twenty-seven people responded; they concluded that since she had crossed so long ago, she would be forgiven.

We would drive to El Paso, park Mireya’s car there, then take a van to Juárez. Robert and Mireya packed the car at dawn. Itzanai—“Nani”—and Fernando, the teenagers, said goodbye. Clutching the family Chihuahua, Josh, 9, followed his mother around with growing agitation until she sat and held him.

Mireya’s oldest, Joaquín, 25, would drive us. Her second son, Eliseo, had died in 2014. She’d risked her life for him when he was a squalling toddler with a heart problem, crossing into the U.S. the second time, in 1997, so that he could get better medical care. As a teenager he’d been the family charismatic, working in an ice-cream shop and chipping in with bills. At age 18 he was killed in a car accident on a summer morning. Now Mireya mentions her son’s death to strangers moments after meeting them, as though her name is inseparable from the loss.

In her grief, Mireya had let a year pass before returning to her visa application. Donald Trump was voted into office, and in the days after the election girls bullied Nani at school, telling her she would have to “build the wall” herself. Josh’s sympathetic teacher called Mireya to pick him up when he cried and confessed that he was afraid his mom would be deported. Plans to build the cabin halted, but they moved to a rental in the town nearest El Rancho, the largely white and conservative Elkins, population 3,000.

Mireya had left her pueblo the first time at age 15. Her beloved grandmother was already in California, nursing a sick relative. A family friend had been molesting Mireya since she was 11. Fearing she would be raped, she decided to find her grandmother. A girl only a year older but much more worldly loaned her money for a coyote, and said she would go with her. The girl’s cousin joined them. They took a bus 1,500 miles north to Tijuana, where at the time 200,000 migrants crossed every year and coyotes were cheap, $250 to $300. Mireya told me the story; I’ve edited her words for clarity and brevity here.

I didn’t have any money. I didn’t know anything about the United States. At the bus station in Tijuana, this guy stopped us. “You going to El Norte? I can hook you up, I have friends, you’ll make it in three hours. We got a house where you guys can rest and stay ’til it’s safe to cross.” He keeps on saying, “You can trust me. I’m not going to hurt you.” We made it to the house. The upstairs was just a big room with four walls, no windows, and a metal door. No bed, only some sheets on the floor. There was this big lady, she was tall, kind of old, 45 maybe. Her husband was short and fat. They gave us showers and clothes, and they fed us. They put us in the room upstairs, said we’re gonna sleep there and they gotta lock the door for our safety, and if we gotta pee or whatever, they gave us a bucket. I got that feeling in my heart saying something’s wrong. Why are they gonna lock us in the room? We slept there that night, and then in the morning, we heard a lot of people talking, yelling, partying. We heard steps on the stairs. We’re all happy because it’s time for us to either go away or go—do something, I don’t know. They’re supposed to let us know whatever happens. Here comes the lady of the house, and she’s just barely wearing clothes. She opens the door and says, “Good morning, my beautifuls, my princesses!” We just looked at her. Right behind her come three men, and this guy is looking at me, and he goes, “I’ll pick her.” The other guy is like, “Yeah, I’ll pick her too.” And the other guy—I didn’t know what was going on, but my friend, she was hugging me, and she said, “No, not her, pick me. Let her go. She’s 15. They took me downstairs, where there was this little room. They raped me. That went on for days, nights. And all I got to eat was a glass of milk with an egg in it, raw, mixed in. They say it will give me energy. For days I was locked in that room. Finally, the guy that brought us over there came in the room and took a look at me and he was like, “Are you okay?” I couldn’t talk. Said nothing. He took off his jacket and put it on me, because I was naked. He said, “I’m gonna get you girls out of here. They tricked me. They said if I bring more girls here, they were not gonna do this again.” It was so hard for me to trust him! There were no other choices. I had nothing else. Everything inside me was gone. So whatever comes next, it’s fine. They’re gonna cut me, they’re gonna kill me? Fine. It’s better than this. He opened the door and he told me to stay behind him, and we started walking upstairs. He opened the door where my friends were. They had been raped too. We started walking downstairs, out the back door. He had a car. He opened the trunk, said we’ll be safe there, and then he started driving. After a while, he let us out and said, “I’ve got a friend, and he’s gonna help you girls cross. He’s gonna take a shortcut.” He told me, “I hope you’ll forgive me for what I’ve done.” This new coyote said we were gonna walk for two or three hours to this bridge, we’re gonna go underneath it, and then we’re gonna make it to this big fence, and you girls gotta jump off it. Those three hours became three days that we were walking. I don’t know, maybe we were lost. It was dry and rocky and it was hot . We didn’t have much water—we had to sip it and hold it in our mouths. We ended up sleeping in open fields, and I was so worried about scorpions. I don’t care about snakes but I did care about scorpions. We finally made it to the bridge and went underneath, and then we kept walking. We saw this big fence on the U.S. side. It was chain-link, 10 or 12 feet tall, like the ones in prison with barbed wire on top. Some parts of the wire were broken where other people had crossed before. My friend knew what to do and climbed up the chain-link and jumped off it. She was on the other side, calling, “Go, go, there he comes, there he comes, you better come soon!” And we were like, “Who’s coming?” And she calls, “ ¡La Migra! ” The coyote started running and disappeared. Here comes the other girl, and whoosh —she jumped off that fence. I was the last one and I’m so afraid, shaking. I don’t know what to do—I don’t know who La Migra is or what they’re going to do to me, so I just started running, and I was getting close to the fence. I climbed halfway up but I couldn’t make it and I fell back. Here comes this big old horse with the immigration guy on it. He was telling me something in English. I didn’t speak English then; I didn’t know the words. He got off the horse and walked to me with a mean face. He was a big old guy with red hair and blue eyes, really blue eyes. Beautiful eyes. And then he was asking me questions. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, and finally he said it in Spanish: “ ¿Tu nombre? ” “Mireya.” “Mireya.” “ Sí .” He grabbed my face with one hand and looked at me. And he turned me to the fence. “ Aquí. Go, go, go! ¡Ve, ve! ¡Aquí! ” I started walking where he pointed. I saw a big hole under the fence—there were branches covering it, but obviously he knew it was there. He told me to go underneath, cross from there. I moved the branches and went through—I was a little girl, skinny—and he got up on his horse and looked at me and said, “Good luck,” and disappeared on his horse, with the dust behind him.

O ver here. Go. The Border Patrol officer who let her go—he was an angel, Mireya said. She’ll always remember his face.

The coyote who turned her over to the rapists—she remembers him as an angel for coming back. “I forgive him. I do. It was hard, took me so long. But I think I got over that. I’m a mom, I’m a wife, I love my husband,” she told me. “It’s part of the life that came to me, and I think I handled it pretty good. I made it out of there alive.” Mireya has reconciled the men’s assaults with God: Maybe it was a test, or the price for good things in store.

In California, she found work babysitting for a couple from Africa. The man wouldn’t reveal his name—she thinks he was worried about getting caught employing an undocumented immigrant. Instead he called himself El Negro de Africa. He was the tallest, darkest man she’d ever seen, and he taught Spanish at a university. If she was going to live in America, he said, she had to learn English. He gave her lessons three times a week, a kindness that would change her life. Another angel.

She worked for a few years and gave birth to two boys, but she couldn’t make ends meet. Her grandmother had already returned to Mexico; Mireya decided to follow her. Back in the pueblo, Mireya discovered that Eliseo had a heart problem and needed a specialist. As a U.S. citizen, he was eligible for Medicaid. Mireya set out to join a cousin in Northwest Arkansas; she would then send for her sons. This time she would cross the Rio Grande at Piedras Negras, near Eagle Pass, Texas. She was 23 years old.

There had been heavy rains, and the local TV station was airing reports about migrants who had drowned. Mireya’s family said not to risk it. But Eliseo was sick.

Carrying only her asthma inhaler, some money, and one change of clothes, she took a bus to the border, where she met a group of other migrants. Some coyotes had offered to take Mireya and another woman by land, since they both spoke English and would present well, and to show forged documents to Border Patrol.

The deal was that I was gonna cross in a car, sit in the back seat, and not talk to anybody—they ask for your papers, and you show them. But when I got there our coyote said La Migra was checking everybody really good, so he goes, “We know this place where the river is shallow. The water will go up to your knees. You can’t cross during the day, because that’s when they’re looking for you harder. There’ll be a white van waiting on the other side at a gas station. They’ll take care of the rest.” It’s like, Hmm. Well . Everybody’s thinking, talking to each other. Some were crossing for their first time, some their fifth. Everyone said, “Well, we gotta do it. There’s no way back.” They drove us to the river in an old black minivan with no seats. But once we made it to the river, we saw it was flowing like you can’t imagine—you’re seeing the sea! I said, “No, I cannot do that. I don’t know how to swim.” And even if I knew, that current was fast . The guy said, “No, no, no, you’ll be fine. We did it yesterday and the days before.” It was getting dark. He said, “Everybody has to get naked. No clothes, no bra, no panties, nothing. No shoes. It’s just you. Here’s some bags. Throw your clothes in there. And one of us is gonna go to the other side and put the clothes over there. Once you make it to the bamboo on the other side, I’m gonna yell ¡María! three times, and when you hear that, it means it’s time for everybody to get out of the water, get dressed, and go. You gotta do that fast .” They said if you get out of the water and you’re soaking wet and La Migra sees you, they know right away you just crossed the river. You gotta have dry clothes. They said the floodlights on the river, if you were wearing clothes, they can see that, but if you’re naked, they can’t. At least that’s what they told us. The guy said, “Girls or guys that don’t know how to swim—these two guys, you gotta get up on their shoulders. He’s gonna be walking with these two long metal bars so he can hold himself in the water, because there’s some places where he’s gonna go completely down, cover his head. The water will go up to your chest.” The bars were taller than the guys—they had to be six or eight feet tall—and they would stick them in the ground really good. We’re like, “How’s he gonna breathe?” So here we go: Get in the water. You start the journey, and it’s so— crazy . You can’t see. It’s so dark. And you hear people yelling, screaming, “Please help me!” People are going by you—the current took them. And you feel so bad. You can’t let go of those metal bars and try to grab one of those people. We made it to the other side, and then the guy who had me on his shoulders came out coughing and puking water. It took him a while to recover, and he told us, “Wait here. We’re going back to get the rest of the people. Wait for the call.” We waited and waited and waited, but that call never came. It was just the noise of the water. I was the one who said—I could barely talk—“I’m getting out of this water.” It was so cold. I said, “I’m having an asthma attack. I don’t have my medicine. I can’t breathe. I’m not going to die here. No!”

Mireya and the others climbed onto the riverbank, where they found clothing left by other migrants. She walked, barefoot, to the white van at the gas station, wearing a shirt and pants three times her size.

In Juárez, an industry of hotels, restaurants, and fixers has sprung up around the U.S. consulate, the only one in Mexico that processes immigrant visa applications. Mireya, Joaquín, and I decamped to the Conquistador Inn to wait for her appointments.

The medical exam, conducted at a private facility, would be the first and more difficult of her two interviews. Members of the Facebook group had told her what questions she would have to answer, which they believe are meant to trip up applicants, masking judgments of character as medical assessments. Tattoos? What do they mean? DUI—so you have a drinking problem? Mireya would have to confess to tattooed eyebrows and show the butterfly on her lower back—hardly gang symbols, but everyone was nervous about everything. She’d gotten a checkpoint DUI seven years earlier, when she’d had a beer at home before a friend at a party, drunk, called for a ride. And what would the antidepressant, prescribed after Eliseo died, mean?

Inside the facility, she and other women received bar-coded bracelets and took off their clothes. Then technicians X-rayed their lungs to check for tuberculosis. Children? Five. Natural births or C-sections? Natural births, she answered, but they checked her abdomen for a scar. The tattoos and the DUI were discussed and dismissed, and a psychiatrist determined that she was grieving, not mentally ill. Mireya received a sealed plastic envelope to give to her consulate interviewer.

On the way out, she studied the bill. The cost of the exam was $220. The facility had not accepted proof of her previous vaccinations and had administered its own, bringing the total to $445.

Over the next few days a group coalesced in the Conquistador’s lobby, where a holiday atmosphere sprang up, as it does in places of purgatorial crisis.

Miguel had been stuck in Mexico for five months. An X‑ray had showed a spot on his lung, so he would have to pass a series of sputum tests before going home. In California he was a diesel mechanic. He had found a job in Tijuana while he waited, but it didn’t cover the mortgage and bills. He and his wife, Blanca, have two young children, and her uncle gave her gas money so they could drive to Tijuana on weekends and see Miguel.

Yovana and her sister Graciela, 14 years her junior, confounded everyone. Yovana was the U.S. citizen of the two, but strangers assumed the opposite, since she was brown-skinned and her sister fair. Yovana’s parents had divorced soon after she was born in the U.S. Her father had then returned to Mexico, and had Graciela with a light-skinned, hazel-eyed woman. He took Graciela north when she was 3. Yovana, now a dental assistant, had helped their father buy Rite-Aid gift cards for birthdays and otherwise raised her sister.

Graciela has her own small children. She’d put off applying for residency because she was afraid to leave them.

Why apply now? “Because of the president we have.”

A few days into our stay, Miguel walked into the Conquistador’s lobby holding a green slip. People passed the paper around, rubbing it for luck. Miguel sat on a sofa and shook his head. “ Creo en Dios. ” I believe in God.

Tall, radiant Anabella rushed in the next morning—her visa had been approved! She spread pictures of her grandchildren on a table and gossiped with Mireya. She worried that Mireya’s two crossings would disqualify her.

Most of our group in the hotel had appointments on the same day, and the night before, everyone who was gathered in the lobby agreed to go over together. Miguel and his wife, Blanca, were there, and Yovana and Graciela. Claudia sat next to her husband, their hands on each other’s knees. Oscar showed us a video on his phone of a massive rave he DJ-ed once a year. He’d moved to Brooklyn 10 years ago—his plan had been to save some money and then come back to Mexico and open a business. But he had a baby.

Mireya rose to hold court, speaking in Spanish, telling the folks from California and New York about her garden harvests at El Rancho—the tomatoes, onions, and chilies she made into salsa. “It’s very rare that I shop at Walmart,” she boasted. On her phone she pulled up a picture of a black bear—“and there are dangerous cougars!” She was a jaunty country girl in a checkered work shirt, spooking the city slickers as my brothers and sisters and I used to do. I’d never felt closer to her.

Blanca wondered about the Latino population in Arkansas, jobs, the presence of ICE. Mireya talked about her house cleaning—“For the men, it’s easier, they work in construction”—and explained that in Elkins most of the locals have been welcoming.

“Is it a sanctuary city?” Yovana asked.

The rumor was that, in practice, appointments were first come, first served, so the next morning everyone lined up at the consulate before dawn, buying coffee at a corner store. A young man passed around almond cake. Once the consulate opened, those with appointments went inside while the others waited.

Francisco was agitated. He’s a naturalized citizen and works for $13 an hour at a plant in Texas that makes aluminum rotors; their hot edges had burned a ladder of scars up his arms. Now his parents were seeking to join him. He believed his father would be okay—he had crossed illegally but returned 12 years ago. His mother had never crossed, but she couldn’t read or write. Would she get rattled? Could she remember the dates of birth for her many children if asked? He’d written them on a scrap of paper and tucked it in her hand.

We were in desert weather, our feet freezing on the ground, our head and shoulders roasting as the sun rose. A line formed behind us, eventually stretching a couple of blocks.

There was a stir in the crowd—our people were coming out.

Claudia fell into her husband’s arms, her cheeks wet with tears. Approved.

Graciela found her sister and smiled for what seemed like the first time in days. “I can go back to my children now.”

Oscar and the man who’d shared his almond cake disappeared. We heard they’d gotten blue slips.

Francisco’s parents walked up, stiff and formal but with victory in their eyes. Francisco raised a singed arm straight to heaven. “ ¡Gracias a Dios! ” he called, loud enough for Dios to hear.

Mireya came out and found Joaquín. She had a green slip in her hand.

Mireya would wait in her family’s home in Jalisco, farther south, for DHL to deliver her visa. Her aunt had died a few months before, and her uncle Odilón, a handyman, solemn with grief, lived there with his grown sons and their children. He picked us up at the airport in Guadalajara.

Mireya had not been to her pueblo in 20 years. It lies at the foot of a mountain, and a vandalized Spanish hacienda stands at the edge, its interior blue walls open to the sky. Villagers maintain the cobblestone streets. Men working in construction in the States have wired money to have the icons in the chapel leafed in gold, and a man named Alejandro rings its bell with a rope. For a few pesos, an old couple will milk one of their cows directly into your pail.

About 4,000 Mexicans live in the pueblo, along with a few hundred migrants from El Salvador and Guatemala who come there to pick the blackberries and raspberries surrounding the town—most Mexicans couldn’t get by on the wages.

The first night, there was tequila and Coca-Cola under the bougainvillea Mireya’s grandmother had planted decades ago. Her cousins and their families filtered in, piling drinks and tacos on the card table before her, and pulling up chairs. A deliveryman brought Coronas in a bucket filled with ice, and then cracked one open himself and sat down. The younger men talked trash. Mireya sassed back, giving as good as she got, and they screamed with laughter.

Past midnight, the children put themselves to bed, and a cousin turned the radio from mariachi music to something slower. Odilón took Mireya’s hand and she rested her head on his shoulder as they danced.

In the morning, Mireya brought duffels of her children’s hand-me-downs to her childhood best friend, Ana. The women sorted through the pile just as they had in 1997, when Mireya gave all her clothes to Ana before heading to the Rio Grande.

Over the next few days, Mireya walked through the streets, greeting people. “ ¿Me recuerdas? ” Do you remember me?

She bought snacks sold in a doorway and an old woman stepped out. “Do you remember me? I’m Mireya!”

“Mireya! I remember those eyes!”

“My son Eliseo died in an accident. I’m in Arkansas—”

“Remember how I used to take you from your mother when she was beating you?”

Mireya walked on. There was the guava tree. There was the clinic where her little brother Alfonso was born. “There are the sheep! So big! See that cactus over there—it produces fruit, but only in May. Ah, pinche madre ,” motherfucker, she crooned.

Several days in, the DHL package still hadn’t arrived, and Mireya had gone from dashing international visitor to servant of everyone but Odilón. She rarely left the house, cooking, cleaning, and washing her cousins’ and Joaquín’s laundry, unable to say no.

Mireya and I shared a bed, and Joaquín slept in the same room. Every night mariachi music blared from the patio. One morning Mireya announced that a rat had woken her, and the men and boys of the house tore the room apart, armed with machetes.

My family had passed the hat for Mireya’s travel expenses, but clearly it had gone to household bills. There was no money left to get home. Robert called, desperate for her to return. Mireya told him to rustle up more work and sell some pigs. She would sell homemade tamales as soon as her feet touched ground in Arkansas, if only she could get there.

Mireya was, finally, exhausted. When she was growing up, she said, they were so poor that at Christmas her grandmother decorated a scrub tree with cotton balls and gave each grandkid four candies. That was it. And they’d been happy because they were together.

She fell into solitude.

The men found the rat and a few days later the DHL package came. Mireya called my mom, and she sent money. Mireya, Joaquín, and I flew into Juárez at sundown and found a driver to take us to El Paso. We sat on a bridge high above the Rio Grande, stalled in traffic, the surrounding mountains disappearing as the sun set over a border finally made visible only with brake lights. A vendor walked among the cars, carrying a cluster of fluorescent balloons.

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The driver studied Mireya in his rearview mirror and spoke of children who had died of cold in the desert and other grave things. “ Cabrones, que bárbaro ”—bastards, how cruel—she murmured from time to time, but she was buzzed with forward motion again. Melancholy couldn’t touch her. And I knew that Mexico had made Mireya and me family after all: This journey would tie us.

The driver left us at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection station, a huge room empty at this hour. He would wait for us on the other side.

A Border Patrol officer ripped open the DHL envelope and shook out an inch-thick stack of papers that he kept, and then Mireya’s Mexican passport and U.S. visa. He was heartthrob-handsome, made handsomer because he was shy. He stamped Mireya’s visa with a spring-loaded rubber stamp, one of those big physical things manufactured for the sole purpose, it seems, of sending echoes off the walls.

Mireya walked toward the door that would take her into the United States, where her taxi was waiting, and then she stopped and turned around to gaze at the officer. “He’s another angel,” she said. “I’ll always remember his face.”

This article appears in the June 2019 print edition with the headline “Mireya’s Third Crossing.”

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Eight brilliant student essays on immigration and unjust assumptions.

Read winning essays from our winter 2019 “Border (In)Security” student writing contest.

For the winter 2019 student writing competition, “Border (In)Security,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the “Constitution-Free Zone” by Lornet Turnbull and respond with an up-to-700-word essay. 

Students had a choice between two writing prompts for this contest on immigration policies at the border and in the “Constitution-free zone,” a 100-mile perimeter from land and sea borders where U.S. Border Patrol can search any vehicle, bus, or vessel without a warrant. They could state their positions on the impact of immigration policies on our country’s security and how we determine who is welcome to live here. Or they could write about a time when someone made an unfair assumption about them, just as Border Patrol agents have made warrantless searches of Greyhound passengers based simply on race and clothing.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these eight were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners and the literary gems that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: Alessandra Serafini

High School Winner: Cain Trevino

High School Winner: Ethan Peter

University Winner: Daniel Fries

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Hernandez-Sanchez

Powerful Voice Winner: Tiara Lewis

Powerful Voice Winner: Hailee Park

Powerful Voice Winner: Aminata Toure

From the Author Lornet Turnbull

Literary Gems

Middle school winner.

Alessandra Serafini

Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

Broken Promises

“…Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

These words were written by Emma Lazarus and are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. And yet, the very door they talk about is no longer available to those who need it the most. The door has been shut, chained, and guarded. It no longer shines like gold. Those seeking asylum are being turned away. Families are being split up; children are being stranded. The promise America made to those in need is broken.

Not only is the promise to asylum seekers broken, but the promises made to some 200 million people already residing within the U.S. are broken, too. Anyone within 100 miles of the United States border lives in the “Constitution-free zone” and can be searched with “reasonable suspicion,” a suspicion that is determined by Border Patrol officers. The zone encompasses major cities, such as Seattle and New York City, and it even covers entire states, such as Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. I live in the Seattle area, and it is unsettling that I can be searched and interrogated without the usual warrant. In these areas, there has been an abuse of power; people have been unlawfully searched and interrogated because of assumed race or religion.

The ACLU obtained data from the Customs and Border Protection Agency that demonstrate this reprehensible profiling. The data found that “82 percent of foreign citizens stopped by agents in that state are Latino, and almost 1 in 3 of those processed are, in fact, U.S. citizens.” These warrantless searches impede the trust-building process and communication between the local population and law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, this lack of trust makes campaigns, such as Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something,” ineffective due to the actions of the department’s own members and officers. Worst of all, profiling ostracizes entire communities and makes them feel unsafe in their own country.

Ironically, asylum seekers come to America in search of safety. However, the thin veil of safety has been drawn back, and, behind it, our tarnished colors are visible. We need to welcome people in their darkest hours rather than destroy their last bit of hope by slamming the door in their faces. The immigration process is currently in shambles, and an effective process is essential for both those already in the country and those outside of it. Many asylum seekers are running from war, poverty, hunger, and death. Their countries’ instability has hijacked every aspect of their lives, made them vagabonds, and the possibility of death, a cruel and unforgiving death, is real. They see no future for their children, and they are desperate for the perceived promise of America—a promise of opportunity, freedom, and a safe future. An effective process would determine who actually needs help and then grant them passage into America. Why should everyone be turned away? My grandmother immigrated to America from Scotland in 1955. I exist because she had a chance that others are now being denied.

Emma Lazarus named Lady Liberty the “Mother of Exiles.” Why are we denying her the happiness of children? Because we cannot decide which ones? America has an inexplicable area where our constitution has been spurned and forgotten. Additionally, there is a rancorous movement to close our southern border because of a deep-rooted fear of immigrants and what they represent. For too many Americans, they represent the end of established power and white supremacy, which is their worst nightmare. In fact, immigrants do represent change—healthy change—with new ideas and new energy that will help make this country stronger. Governmental agreement on a humane security plan is critical to ensure that America reaches its full potential. We can help. We can help people in unimaginably terrifying situations, and that should be our America.

Alessandra Serafini plays on a national soccer team for Seattle United and is learning American Sign Language outside of school. Her goal is to spread awareness about issues such as climate change, poverty, and large-scale political conflict through writing and public speaking.

  High School Winner

Cain Trevino

North Side High School, Fort Worth, Texas

Xenophobia and the Constitution-Free Zone

In August of 2017, U.S. Border Patrol agents boarded a Greyhound bus that had just arrived at the White River Junction station from Boston. According to Danielle Bonadona, a Lebanon resident and a bus passenger, “They wouldn’t let us get off. They boarded the bus and told us they needed to see our IDs or papers.” Bonadona, a 29-year-old American citizen, said that the agents spent around 20 minutes on the bus and “only checked the IDs of people who had accents or were not white.” Bonadona said she was aware of the 100-mile rule, but the experience of being stopped and searched felt “pretty unconstitutional.”

In the YES! article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’” by Lornet Turnbull, the author references the ACLU’s argument that “the 100-mile zone violates Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.” However, the Supreme Court upholds the use of immigration checkpoints for inquiries on citizenship status. In my view, the ACLU makes a reasonable argument. The laws of the 100-mile zone are blurred, and, too often, officials give arbitrary reasons to conduct a search. Xenophobia and fear of immigrants burgeons in cities within these areas. People of color and those with accents or who are non-English speakers are profiled by law enforcement agencies that enforce anti-immigrant policies. The “Constitution-free zone” is portrayed as an effective barrier to secure our borders. However, this anti-immigrant zone does not make our country any safer. In fact, it does the opposite.

As a former student from the Houston area, I can tell you that the Constitution-free zone makes immigrants and citizens alike feel on edge. The Department of Homeland Security’s white SUVs patrol our streets. Even students feel the weight of anti-immigrant laws. Dennis Rivera Sarmiento, an undocumented student who attended Austin High School in Houston, was held by school police in February 2018 for a minor altercation and was handed over to county police. He was later picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and held in a detention center. It is unfair that kids like Dennis face much harsher consequences for minor incidents than other students with citizenship.

These instances are a direct result of anti-immigrant laws. For example, the 287(g) program gives local and state police the authority to share individuals’ information with ICE after an arrest. This means that immigrants can be deported for committing misdemeanors as minor as running a red light. Other laws like Senate Bill 4, passed by the Texas Legislature, allow police to ask people about their immigration status after they are detained. These policies make immigrants and people of color feel like they’re always under surveillance and that, at any moment, they may be pulled over to be questioned and detained.

During Hurricane Harvey, the immigrant community was hesitant to go to the shelters because images of immigration authorities patrolling the area began to surface online. It made them feel like their own city was against them at a time when they needed them most. Constitution-free zones create communities of fear. For many immigrants, the danger of being questioned about immigration status prevents them from reporting crimes, even when they are the victim. Unreported crime only places more groups of people at risk and, overall, makes communities less safe.

In order to create a humane immigration process, citizens and non-citizens must hold policymakers accountable and get rid of discriminatory laws like 287(g) and Senate Bill 4. Abolishing the Constitution-free zone will also require pressure from the public and many organizations. For a more streamlined legal process, the League of United Latin American Citizens suggests background checks and a small application fee for incoming immigrants, as well as permanent resident status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients. Other organizations propose expanding the green card lottery and asylum for immigrants escaping the dangers of their home countries.

Immigrants who come to the U.S. are only looking for an opportunity to provide for their families and themselves; so, the question of deciding who gets inside the border and who doesn’t is the same as trying to prove some people are worth more than others. The narratives created by anti-immigrant media plant the false idea that immigrants bring nothing but crime and terrorism. Increased funding for the border and enforcing laws like 287(g) empower anti-immigrant groups to vilify immigrants and promote a witch hunt that targets innocent people. This hatred and xenophobia allow law enforcement to ask any person of color or non-native English speaker about their citizenship or to detain a teenager for a minor incident. Getting rid of the 100-mile zone means standing up for justice and freedom because nobody, regardless of citizenship, should have to live under laws created from fear and hatred.

Cain Trevino is a sophomore. Cain is proud of his Mexican and Salvadorian descent and is an advocate for the implementation of Ethnic Studies in Texas. He enjoys basketball, playing the violin, and studying c omputer science. Cain plans to pursue a career in engineering at Stanford University and later earn a PhD.  

High School Winner

Ethan Peter

Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

I’m an expert on bussing. For the past couple of months, I’ve been a busser at a pizza restaurant near my house. It may not be the most glamorous job, but it pays all right, and, I’ll admit, I’m in it for the money.

I arrive at 5 p.m. and inspect the restaurant to ensure it is in pristine condition for the 6 p.m. wave of guests. As customers come and go, I pick up their dirty dishes, wash off their tables, and reset them for the next guests. For the first hour of my shift, the work is fairly straightforward.

I met another expert on bussing while crossing the border in a church van two years ago. Our van arrived at the border checkpoint, and an agent stopped us. She read our passports, let us through, and moved on to her next vehicle. The Border Patrol agent’s job seemed fairly straightforward.

At the restaurant, 6 p.m. means a rush of customers. It’s the end of the workday, and these folks are hungry for our pizzas and salads. My job is no longer straightforward.

Throughout the frenzy, the TVs in the restaurant buzz about waves of people coming to the U.S. border. The peaceful ebb and flow enjoyed by Border agents is disrupted by intense surges of immigrants who seek to enter the U.S. Outside forces push immigrants to the United States: wars break out in the Middle East, gangs terrorize parts of Central and South America, and economic downturns force foreigners to look to the U.S., drawn by the promise of opportunity. Refugees and migrant caravans arrive, and suddenly, a Border Patrol agent’s job is no longer straightforward.

I turn from the TVs in anticipation of a crisis exploding inside the restaurant: crowds that arrive together will leave together. I’ve learned that when a table looks finished with their dishes, I need to proactively ask to take those dishes, otherwise, I will fall behind, and the tables won’t be ready for the next customers. The challenge is judging who is finished eating. I’m forced to read clues and use my discretion.

Interpreting clues is part of a Border Patrol agent’s job, too. Lornet Turnbull states, “For example, CBP data obtained by ACLU in Michigan shows that 82 percent of foreign citizens stopped by agents in that state are Latino, and almost 1 in 3 of those processed is, in fact, a U.S. citizen.” While I try to spot customers done with their meals so I can clear their part of the table, the Border Patrol officer uses clues to detect undocumented immigrants. We both sometimes guess incorrectly, but our intentions are to do our jobs to the best of our abilities.

These situations are uncomfortable. I certainly do not enjoy interrupting a conversation to get someone’s dishes, and I doubt Border Patrol agents enjoy interrogating someone about their immigration status. In both situations, the people we mistakenly ask lose time and are subjected to awkward and uncomfortable situations. However, here’s where the busser and the Border Patrol officer’s situations are different: If I make a mistake, the customer faces a minor inconvenience. The stakes for a Border Patrol agent are much higher. Mistakenly asking for documentation and searching someone can lead to embarrassment or fear—it can even be life-changing. Thus, Border Patrol agents must be fairly certain that someone’s immigration status is questionable before they begin their interrogation.

To avoid these situations altogether, the U.S. must make the path to citizenship for immigrants easier. This is particularly true for immigrants fleeing violence. Many people object to this by saying these immigrants will bring violence with them, but data does not support this view. In 1939, a ship of Jewish refugees from Germany was turned away from the U.S.—a decision viewed negatively through the lens of history. Today, many people advocate restricting immigration for refugees from violent countries; they refuse to learn the lessons from 1939. The sad thing is that many of these immigrants are seen as just as violent as the people they are fleeing. We should not confuse the oppressed with the oppressor.

My restaurant appreciates customers because they bring us money, just as we should appreciate immigrants because they bring us unique perspectives. Equally important, immigrants provide this country with a variety of expert ideas and cultures, which builds better human connections and strengthens our society.

Ethan Peter is a junior. Ethan writes for his school newspaper, The Kirkwood Call, and plays volleyball for his high school and a club team. He hopes to continue to grow as a writer in the future. 

University Winner

Daniel Fries

Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

Detained on the Road to Equality

The United States is a nation of immigrants. There are currently 43 million foreign-born people living in the U.S. Millions of them are naturalized American citizens, and 23 million, or 7.2 percent of the population, are living here without documentation (US Census, 2016). One in seven residents of the United States was not born here. Multiculturalism is, and always has been, a key part of the American experience. However, romantic notions of finding a better life in the United States for immigrants and refugees don’t reflect reality. In modern history, America is a country that systematically treats immigrants—documented or not—and non-white Americans in a way that is fundamentally different than what is considered right by the majority.

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment states,“No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” When a suspected undocumented immigrant is detained, their basic human rights are violated. Warrantless raids on Greyhound buses within 100 miles of the border (an area referred to by some as the “Constitution-free zone”) are clear violations of human rights. These violations are not due to the current state of politics; they are the symptom of blatant racism in the United States and a system that denigrates and abuses people least able to defend themselves.

It is not surprising that some of the mechanisms that drive modern American racism are political in nature. Human beings are predisposed to dislike and distrust individuals that do not conform to the norms of their social group (Mountz, Allison). Some politicians appeal to this suspicion and wrongly attribute high crime rates to non-white immigrants. The truth is that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans. In fact, people born in the United States are convicted of crimes at a rate twice that of undocumented non-natives (Cato Institute, 2018).

The majority of immigrants take high risks to seek a better life, giving them incentive to obey the laws of their new country. In many states, any contact with law enforcement may ultimately result in deportation and separation from family. While immigrants commit far fewer crimes, fear of violent crime by much of the U.S. population outweighs the truth. For some politicians, it is easier to sell a border wall to a scared population than it is to explain the need for reformed immigration policy. It’s easier to say that immigrants are taking people’s jobs than explain a changing global economy and its effect on employment. The only crime committed in this instance is discrimination.

Human rights are violated when an undocumented immigrant—or someone perceived as an undocumented immigrant—who has not committed a crime is detained on a Greyhound bus. When a United States citizen is detained on the same bus, constitutional rights are being violated. The fact that this happens every day and that we debate its morality makes it abundantly clear that racism is deeply ingrained in this country. Many Americans who have never experienced this type of oppression lack the capacity to understand its lasting effect. Most Americans don’t know what it’s like to be late to work because they were wrongfully detained, were pulled over by the police for the third time that month for no legal reason, or had to coordinate legal representation for their U.S. citizen grandmother because she was taken off a bus for being a suspected undocumented immigrant. This oppression is cruel and unnecessary.

America doesn’t need a wall to keep out undocumented immigrants; it needs to seriously address how to deal with immigration. It is possible to reform the current system in such a way that anyone can become a member of American society, instead of existing outside of it. If a person wants to live in the United States and agrees to follow its laws and pay its taxes, a path to citizenship should be available.

People come to the U.S. from all over the world for many reasons. Some have no other choice. There are ongoing humanitarian crises in Syria, Yemen, and South America that are responsible for the influx of immigrants and asylum seekers at our borders. If the United States wants to address the current situation, it must acknowledge the global factors affecting the immigrants at the center of this debate and make fact-informed decisions. There is a way to maintain the security of America while treating migrants and refugees compassionately, to let those who wish to contribute to our society do so, and to offer a hand up instead of building a wall.

Daniel Fries studies computer science. Daniel has served as a wildland firefighter in Oregon, California, and Alaska. He is passionate about science, nature, and the ways that technology contributes to making the world a better, more empathetic, and safer place.

Powerful Voice Winner

Emma Hernandez-Sanchez

Wellness, Business and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore.

An Emotion an Immigrant Knows Too Well

Before Donald Trump’s campaign, I was oblivious to my race and the idea of racism. As far as I knew, I was the same as everyone else. I didn’t stop to think about our different-colored skins. I lived in a house with a family and attended school five days a week just like everyone else. So, what made me different?

Seventh grade was a very stressful year—the year that race and racism made an appearance in my life. It was as if a cold splash of water woke me up and finally opened my eyes to what the world was saying. It was this year that Donald Trump started initiating change about who got the right to live in this country and who didn’t. There was a lot of talk about deportation, specifically for Mexicans, and it sparked commotion and fear in me.

I remember being afraid and nervous to go out. At home, the anxiety was there but always at the far back of my mind because I felt safe inside. My fear began as a small whisper, but every time I stepped out of my house, it got louder. I would have dreams about the deportation police coming to my school; when I went to places like the library, the park, the store, or the mall, I would pay attention to everyone and to my surroundings. In my head, I would always ask myself, “Did they give us nasty looks?,” “Why does it seem quieter?” “Was that a cop I just saw?” I would notice little things, like how there were only a few Mexicans out or how empty a store was. When my mom went grocery shopping, I would pray that she would be safe. I was born in America, and both my parents were legally documented. My mom was basically raised here. Still, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

I knew I shouldn’t have been afraid, but with one look, agents could have automatically thought my family and I were undocumented. Even when the deportation police would figure out that we weren’t undocumented, they’d still figure out a way to deport us—at least that was what was going through my head. It got so bad that I didn’t even want to do the simplest things like go grocery shopping because there was a rumor that the week before a person was taken from Walmart.

I felt scared and nervous, and I wasn’t even undocumented. I can’t even imagine how people who are undocumented must have felt, how they feel. All I can think is that it’s probably ten times worse than what I was feeling. Always worrying about being deported and separated from your family must be hard. I was living in fear, and I didn’t even have it that bad. My heart goes out to families that get separated from each other. It’s because of those fears that I detest the “Constitution-free zone.”

Legally documented and undocumented people who live in the Constitution-free zone are in constant fear of being deported. People shouldn’t have to live this way. In fact, there have been arguments that the 100-mile zone violates the Fourth Amendment, which gives people the right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures of property by the government. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently upheld these practices.

One question that Lornet Turnbull asks in her YES! article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’” is, “How should we decide who is welcome in the U.S and who is not?” Instead of focusing on immigrants, how about we focus on the people who shoot up schools, rape girls, exploit women for human sex trafficking, and sell drugs? These are the people who make our country unsafe; they are the ones who shouldn’t be accepted. Even if they are citizens and have the legal right to live here, they still shouldn’t be included. If they are the ones making this country unsafe, then what gives them the right to live here?

I don’t think that the Constitution-free zone is an effective and justifiable way to make this country more “secure.” If someone isn’t causing any trouble in the United States and is just simply living their life, then they should be welcomed here. We shouldn’t have to live in fear that our rights will be taken away. I believe that it’s unfair for people to automatically think that it’s the Hispanics that make this country unsafe. Sure, get all the undocumented people out of the United States, but it’s not going to make this country any safer. It is a society that promotes violence that makes us unsafe, not a race.

Emma Hernandez-Sanchez is a freshman who is passionate about literature and her education. Emma wan ts to inspire others to be creative and try their best. She enjoys reading and creating stories that spark imagination. 

  Powerful Voice Winner

Tiara Lewis

Columbus City Preparatory Schools for Girls,

Columbus, Ohio

Hold Your Head High and Keep Those Fists Down

How would you feel if you walked into a store and salespeople were staring at you? Making you feel like you didn’t belong. Judging you. Assuming that you were going to take something, even though you might have $1,000 on you to spend. Sometimes it doesn’t matter. This is because people will always judge you. It might not be because of your race but for random reasons, like because your hair is black instead of dirty blonde. Or because your hair is short and not long. Or just because they are having a bad day. People will always find ways to bring you down and accuse you of something, but that doesn’t mean you have to go along with it.

Every time I entered a store, I would change my entire personality. I would change the way I talked and the way I walked. I always saw myself as needing to fit in. If a store was all pink, like the store Justice, I would act like a girly girl. If I was shopping in a darker store, like Hot Topic, I would hum to the heavy metal songs and act more goth. I had no idea that I was feeding into stereotypes.

When I was 11, I walked into Claire’s, a well-known store at the mall. That day was my sister’s birthday. Both of us were really happy and had money to spend. As soon as we walked into the store, two employees stared me and my sister down, giving us cold looks. When we went to the cashier to buy some earrings, we thought everything was fine. However, when we walked out of the store, there was a policeman and security guards waiting. At that moment, my sister and I looked at one another, and I said, in a scared little girl voice, “I wonder what happened? Why are they here?”

Then, they stopped us. We didn’t know what was going on. The same employee that cashed us out was screaming as her eyes got big, “What did you steal?” I was starting to get numb. Me and my sister looked at each other and told the truth: “We didn’t steal anything. You can check us.” They rudely ripped through our bags and caused a big scene. My heart was pounding like a drum. I felt violated and scared. Then, the policeman said, “Come with us. We need to call your parents.” While this was happening, the employees were talking to each other, smiling. We got checked again. The police said that they were going to check the cameras, but after they were done searching us, they realized that we didn’t do anything wrong and let us go about our day.

Walking in the mall was embarrassing—everybody staring, looking, and whispering as we left the security office. This made me feel like I did something wrong while knowing I didn’t. We went back to the store to get our shopping bags. The employees sneered, “Don’t you niggers ever come in this store again. You people always take stuff. This time you just got lucky.” Their faces were red and frightening. It was almost like they were in a scary 3D movie, screaming, and coming right at us. I felt hurt and disappointed that someone had the power within them to say something so harsh and wrong to another person. Those employees’ exact words will forever be engraved in my memory.

In the article, “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’,” Lornet Turnbull states, “In January, they stopped a man in Indio, California, as he was boarding a Los Angeles-bound bus. While questioning this man about his immigration status, agents told him his ‘shoes looked suspicious,’ like those of someone who had recently crossed the border.” They literally judged him by his shoes. They had no proof of anything. If a man is judged by his shoes, who else and what else are being judged in the world?

In the novel  To Kill a Mockingbird , a character named Atticus states, “You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let’em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.” No matter how much you might try to change yourself, your hairstyle, and your clothes, people will always make assumptions about you. However, you never need to change yourself to make a point or to feel like you fit in. Be yourself. Don’t let those stereotypes turn into facts.

Tiara Lewis is in the eighth grade. Tiara plays the clarinet and is trying to change the world— one essay at a time. She is most often found curled up on her bed, “Divergent” in one hand and a cream-filled doughnut in the other.

Hailee Park

 Wielding My Swords

If I were a swordsman, my weapons would be my identities. I would wield one sword in my left hand and another in my right. People expect me to use both fluently, but I’m not naturally ambidextrous. Even though I am a right-handed swordsman, wielding my dominant sword with ease, I must also carry a sword in my left, the heirloom of my family heritage. Although I try to live up to others’ expectations by using both swords, I may appear inexperienced while attempting to use my left. In some instances, my heirloom is mistaken for representing different families’ since the embellishments look similar.

Many assumptions are made about my heirloom sword based on its appearance, just as many assumptions are made about me based on my physical looks. “Are you Chinese?” When I respond with ‘no,’ they stare at me blankly in confusion. There is a multitude of Asian cultures in the United States, of which I am one. Despite what many others may assume, I am not Chinese; I am an American-born Korean.

“Then… are you Japanese?” Instead of asking a broader question, like “What is your ethnicity?,” they choose to ask a direct question. I reply that I am Korean. I like to think that this answers their question sufficiently; however, they think otherwise. Instead, I take this as their invitation to a duel.

They attack me with another question: “Are you from North Korea or South Korea?” I don’t know how to respond because I’m not from either of those countries; I was born in America. I respond with “South Korea,” where my parents are from because I assume that they’re asking me about my ethnicity. I’m not offended by this situation because I get asked these questions frequently. From this experience, I realize that people don’t know how to politely ask questions about identity to those unlike them. Instead of asking “What is your family’s ethnicity?,” many people use rude alternatives, such as “Where are you from?,” or “What language do you speak?”

When people ask these questions, they make assumptions based on someone’s appearance. In my case, people make inferences like:

“She must be really good at speaking Korean.”

“She’s Asian; therefore, she must be born in Asia.”

“She’s probably Chinese.”

These thoughts may appear in their heads because making assumptions is natural. However, there are instances when assumptions can be taken too far. Some U.S. Border Patrol agents in the “Constitution-free zone” have made similar assumptions based on skin color and clothing. For example, agents marked someone as an undocumented immigrant because “his shoes looked suspicious, like those of someone who had recently crossed the border.”

Another instance was when a Jamaican grandmother was forced off a bus when she was visiting her granddaughter. The impetus was her accent and the color of her skin. Government officials chose to act on their assumptions, even though they had no solid proof that the grandmother was an undocumented immigrant. These situations just touch the surface of the issue of racial injustice in America.

When someone makes unfair assumptions about me, they are pointing their sword and challenging me to a duel; I cannot refuse because I am already involved. It is not appropriate for anyone, including Border Patrol agents, to make unjustified assumptions or to act on those assumptions. Border Patrol agents have no right to confiscate the swords of the innocent solely based on their conjectures. The next time I’m faced with a situation where racially ignorant assumptions are made about me, I will refuse to surrender my sword, point it back at them, and triumphantly fight their ignorance with my cultural pride.

Hailee Park is an eighth grader who enjoys reading many genres. While reading, Hailee recognized the racial injustices against immigrants in America, which inspired her essay. Hailee plays violin in her school’s orchestra and listens to and composes music. 

Aminata Toure

East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

We Are Still Dreaming

As a young Muslim American woman, I have been labeled things I am not: a terrorist, oppressed, and an ISIS supporter. I have been accused of planning 9/11, an event that happened before I was born. Lately, in the media, Muslims have been portrayed as supporters of a malevolent cause, terrorizing others just because they do not have the same beliefs. I often scoff at news reports that portray Muslims in such a light, just as I scoff at all names I’ve been labeled. They are words that do not define me. 

In a land where labels have stripped immigrants of their personalities, they are now being stripped of something that makes them human: their rights. The situation described in Lornet Turnbull’s article, “Two-Thirds of Americans are Living in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’,” goes directly against the Constitution, the soul of this country, something that asserts that we are all equal before the law. If immigrants do not have protection from the Constitution, is there any way to feel safe?

Although most insults are easy to shrug off, they are still threatening. I am ashamed when I feel afraid to go to the mosque. Friday is an extremely special day when we gather together to pray, but lately, I haven’t been going to the mosque for Jummah prayers. I have realized that I can never feel safe when in a large group of Muslims because of the widespread hatred of Muslims in the United States, commonly referred to as Islamophobia. Police surround our mosque, and there are posters warning us about dangerous people who might attack our place of worship because we have been identified as terrorists.

I wish I could tune out every news report that blasts out the headline “Terrorist Attack!” because I know that I will be judged based on the actions of someone else. Despite this anti-Muslim racism, what I have learned from these insults is that I am proud of my faith. I am a Muslim, but being Muslim doesn’t define me. I am a writer, a student, a dreamer, a friend, a New Yorker, a helper, and an American. I am unapologetically me, a Muslim, and so much more. I definitely think everyone should get to know a Muslim. They would see that some of us are also Harry Potter fans, not just people planning to bomb the White House.

Labels are unjustly placed on us because of the way we speak, the color of our skin, and what we believe in—not for who we are as individuals. Instead, we should all take more time to get to know one another. As Martin Luther King Jr. said in his “I Have a Dream” speech, we should be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. To me, it seems Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is a dream that should be a reality. But, for now, we are dreaming.

Aminata Toure is a Guinean American Muslim student. Aminata loves spoken-word poetry and performs in front of hundreds of people at her school’s annual poetry slam. She loves writing, language, history, and West African food and culture. Aminata wants to work at the United Nations when she grows up.

From the Author 

Dear Alessandra, Cain, Daniel, Tiara, Emma, Hailee, Aminata and Ethan,

I am moved and inspired by the thought each of you put into your responses to my story about this so-called “Constitution-free zone.” Whether we realize it or not, immigration in this country impacts all of us— either because we are immigrants ourselves, have neighbors, friends, and family who are, or because we depend on immigrants for many aspects of our lives—from the food we put on our tables to the technology that bewitches us. It is true that immigrants enrich our society in so many important ways, as many of you point out.

And while the federal statute that permits U.S. Border Patrol officers to stop and search at will any of the 200 million of us in this 100-mile shadow border, immigrants have been their biggest targets. In your essays, you highlight how unjust the law is—nothing short of racial profiling. It is heartening to see each of you, in your own way, speaking out against the unfairness of this practice.

Alessandra, you are correct, the immigration system in this country is in shambles. You make a powerful argument about how profiling ostracizes entire communities and how the warrantless searches allowed by this statute impede trust-building between law enforcement and the people they are called on to serve.

And Cain, you point out how this 100-mile zone, along with other laws in the state of Texas where you attended school, make people feel like they’re “always under surveillance, and that, at any moment, you may be pulled over to be questioned and detained.” It seems unimaginable that people live their lives this way, yet millions in this country do.

You, Emma, for example, speak of living in a kind of silent fear since Donald Trump took office, even though you were born in this country and your parents are here legally. You are right, “We shouldn’t have to live in fear that our rights will be taken away.”

And Aminata, you write of being constantly judged and labeled because you’re a Muslim American. How unfortunate and sad that in a country that generations of people fled to search for religious freedom, you are ashamed at times to practice your own. The Constitution-free zone, you write, “goes directly against the Constitution, the soul of this country, something that asserts that we are all equal before the law.”

Tiara, I could personally relate to your gripping account of being racially profiled and humiliated in a store. You were appalled that the Greyhound passenger in California was targeted by Border Patrol because they claimed his shoes looked like those of someone who had walked across the border: “If a man is judged by his shoes,” you ask, “who else and what else are getting judged in the world?”

Hailee, you write about the incorrect assumptions people make about you, an American born of Korean descent, based solely on your appearance and compared it to the assumptions Border Patrol agents make about those they detain in this zone.

Daniel, you speak of the role of political fearmongering in immigration. It’s not new, but under the current administration, turning immigrants into boogiemen for political gain is currency. You write that “For some politicians, it is easier to sell a border wall to a scared population than it is to explain the need for reformed immigration policy.”

And Ethan, you recognize the contributions immigrants make to this country through the connections we all make with them and the strength they bring to our society.

Keep speaking your truth. Use your words and status to call out injustice wherever and whenever you see it. Untold numbers of people spoke out against this practice by Border Patrol and brought pressure on Greyhound to change. In December, the company began offering passengers written guidance—in both Spanish and English—so they understand what their rights are when officers board their bus. Small steps, yes, but progress nonetheless, brought about by people just like you, speaking up for those who sometimes lack a voice to speak up for themselves.

With sincere gratitude,

Lornet Turnbull

Lornet Turnbull is an editor for YES! and a Seattle-based freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter  @TurnbullL .

We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

After my parents argued with the woman, they told me if you can fight with fists, you prove the other person’s point, but when you fight with the power of your words, you can have a much bigger impact. I also learned that I should never be ashamed of where I am from. —Fernando Flores, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

Just because we were born here and are privileged to the freedom of our country, we do not have the right to deprive others of a chance at success. —Avalyn Cox, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

Maybe, rather than a wall, a better solution to our immigration problem would be a bridge. —Sean Dwyer, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

If anything, what I’ve learned is that I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to change our world. I don’t know how to make a difference, how to make my voice heard. But I have learned the importance of one word, a simple two-letter word that’s taught to the youngest of us, a word we all know but never recognize: the significance of ‘we.’ —Enna Chiu, Highland Park High School, Highland Park, N.J.

Not to say the Border Patrol should not have authorization to search people within the border, but I am saying it should be near the border, more like one mile, not 100. —Cooper Tarbuck, Maranacook Middle School, Manchester, Maine.

My caramel color, my feminism, my Spanish and English language, my Mexican culture, and my young Latina self gives me the confidence to believe in myself, but it can also teach others that making wrong assumptions about someone because of their skin color, identity, culture, looks or gender can make them look and be weaker. —Ana Hernandez, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

We don’t need to change who we are to fit these stereotypes like someone going on a diet to fit into a new pair of pants. —Kaylee Meyers, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

If a human being with no criminal background whatsoever has trouble entering the country because of the way he or she dresses or speaks, border protection degenerates into arbitrariness. —Jonas Schumacher, Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg, Germany

I believe that you should be able to travel freely throughout your own country without the constant fear of needing to prove that you belong here . —MacKenzie Morgan, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Mich.

America is known as “the Land of Opportunity,” but this label is quickly disappearing. If we keep stopping those striving for a better life, then what will become of this country? —Ennyn Chiu, Highland Park Middle School, Highland Park, N.J.

The fact that two-thirds of the people in the U.S. are living in an area called the “Constitution-free zone” is appalling. Our Constitution was made to protect our rights as citizens, no matter where we are in the country. These systems that we are using to “secure” our country are failing, and we need to find a way to change them. —Isis Liaw, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

I won’t let anyone, especially a man, tell me what I can do, because I am a strong Latina. I will represent where I come from, and I am proud to be Mexican. I will show others that looks can be deceiving. I will show others that even the weakest animal, a beautiful butterfly, is tough, and it will cross any border, no matter how challenging the journey may be. —Brittany Leal, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

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My Immigration Story

The story of u.s. immigrants in their own words..

Statistics do not tell the story of immigration. People do. Since its inception, this nation has been continually infused with the energy of newcomers. Yet their assimilation has seldom been smooth. The challenges we face today are not new. Only the stories are.

  SHARE YOUR STORY

IMPORTANT NOTICE If  you need legal advice on immigration law, please contact an attorney. 

I was born in United States because my parents decided to immigrate to the United States because they wanted a better economy. Thankfully I had the opportunity to know Mexico because I was living there and now I returned to the United States because I wanted to know about the country where I was born and continue with my school to be a Interior Designer. Emily Myrtle Beach High School I came to the US almost 2 years ago. We came to look for a better place to live. It took us a while to adapt because it’s all different from food, school, culture and celebrations. Living in another country has many advantages, like getting to know a new country and new people, getting in contact with other languages, learning more about other cultures and also the safety here is much better. One of the worst things about living in another country is missing family and friends. Mariana Myrtle Beach High School The day we came to the USA we came on November 11, 2016 that day we came to USA because we wanted something new and a new life, 5 years ago that we are already in the United States and it has been one of the best moments that we have. has happened to us. The first day I arrived in the USA I loved it because it is something that is new and you can have a better future. Miguel Myrtle Beach High School My story is a bit sad because to get to this country I went through many things that I never thought would happen but thank God now I am here in the United States for a better future because it was worth spending a few days of darkness, but also, not everything It is easy to be in this country, you have to earn a living, it does not matter that one is an immigrant, we are all worth the same, no matter what country we are in. You always have to do it. . Fight for the purpose that one brings after leaving our country. Lucia Myrtle Beach High School I’m from Colombia, My name is Nicoll and I am 15 years old. I arrived in Myrtle Beach 8 months ago, I am here with my whole family (my mother, my stepfather and my little sister), we are here in looking for better opportunities. living here is not easy because we need learn a new language, new culture and meet new people. Nicoll Myrtle Beach High Scho ol My mother, father, siblings, and I had been living in a poor part of town in Guadalajara, Mexico. My father worked as a ranchero and my mother used to waitress at a local pub and restaurant. I was the oldest of all my siblings and therefore, the leader. I had to set an example for the younger ones and had to take care of them from the dangers of the world. One day, I was at home when I found out my father had been killed. It was a tragic day and my mother, devastated from the loss, wanted to move to America, speaking of being safer there and how America could help us all. We moved the following week, wanting to leave Guadalajara and the crime of the small town. We were missed and there was no one else to care after the ranch since my father died, so they closed it down, but it was necessary. We no longer wanted to live in such a dangerous place, so when we moved to America, we found out we had taken up all of the small apartment complex. After we moved in, there was no more room, so I guess we were lucky. My siblings and I went to school and had good grades, my mother working as a waitress, yet again. I grew up to be a police officer, wanting to be able to prevent crimes in my city, New York, like to what happened to my father. I thank American for the opportunities that it has given me and will be forever grateful. Marisela New York City I was born in Iran, and at the age of 10, my family and I absconded from the multi-systemic injustices and immigrated to the US in hopes of extended opportunities and freedom. I was about 3-years-old when the Iran-Iraq war started. My experiences as an immigrant child growing up in the US helped me gain an appreciation for the gift of life. This is because my immigrant story is tied to so much loss and despair….pain and anguish that has yet to heal 30 years later. Through the years so many of my family members passed away (both grandmothers, uncles, aunts, cousins), and I never got to see them again. I grew up here wishing that just for one holiday in my life I could have family around and feel the love that everyone else seemingly felt. Turning our backs on immigrant and refugee populations would mean we are no longer willing to nurture others like myself who have a chance to grow and contribute to what makes America already so great. I ask you to please continue to fight tyranny and injustice by keeping the conversation going. We cannot allow this president and his administration to change the core American values that have been admired by the world through so many decades of exemplary practices of inclusivity. Bahareh Chicago IL In 1965 we came to the U.S. not by plane, but by freighter ship, crossing the Pacific Ocean and Panama Canal. I was four years old then. We came because my parents sought a better life for my brother and me, so they gave up the comfortable one they had. My parents always said it was because of President Johnson. Growing up, I was fortunate to make many wonderful friends of diverse ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. I was fortunate to have received an education that opened many doors for me. After graduation from college and medical school, I was privileged to take care of cancer patients. I was privileged to work alongside many dedicated colleagues at the FDA and National Cancer Institute as a commissioned officer in the US Public Health Service. I was privileged and fortunate to contribute to the discovery and development of several new cancer drugs that are available for patients today. As a parent, I am blessed to have one son serving our country as an officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and another son pushing the boundaries of medicine and science beyond that taught to me a generation ago. I am an immigrant and a proud American. Like many immigrants, I am grateful for what America has to offer and strive to make America a better country. I was fortunate not to be a refugee. But given today’s circumstances, if I were a refugee, would you see me differently? Peter Boston My brother was born in Peru. He came to the country when he was 10. We had a hard life and he tried to make end meet for us. He got incarcerated when he was 18. He is now 24 and about to get out and is facing deportation. He has a green card and me and my mom are citizens. I want him to stay in the country. Came from Peru as a child and his whole life is here. It was a dumb mistake what he did. But he learned. He has been convicted of 3 felonies and he has served 6 years in total. What should he do? Fight to stay or just leave? Alberto Tampa, Florida My grandparents were refugees at the time of partition in India from, what is now, Pakistan to present India. They worked long and hard days doing blue-collar jobs so that my parents would have a better chance at life. My parents chose to honor their sacrifices by seeking a better life in the United States. We came to this country because my mother had a fellowship. We landed with just over $800 in NYC. My father’s MBA was not accredited in the United States so eventually he went back to school to repeat his degree. They recognized that the caste system in the US is based on where you go to school so they sent my sister and I to the best high schools and then the best colleges. I am now in law school working to make sure our systems provide everyone with a fair shot at success and my sister is teaching English helping the next generation learn empathy. We honor the sacrifices of our family by trying to make the world a better place. We believe that the promise of America can be a reality for all of us. We are Americans. Aditi New York, NY My father was a bracero. He suffered a lot. He was far from his family in Mexico but convinced a good religious man to build a home for his family and brought his family home to the United States. Years later, my mother cleaned others people’s homes and ironed other people’s clothes: neighbors’ homes and clothes, in a middle class neighborhood in a home my father purchased. I stand proud every day because of them. I am proud to be an immigrant. Graciela Los Angeles After my family got a visa in Yemen, I was so glad that I would be going to the USA. All my family were happy for us but most of them were crying at the time we left. We left Yemen during the beginning of the revolution to change the president. Since then people are suffering from lack of food resources. Each year it gets worse. My father told us that we would not stay for a long time in NYC but since the war started in Yemen it’s not safe anymore. We couldn’t go back so we decided to stay. So for two years we have been hoping that Yemen will get better and it will be safe so we can go back and see my family after five years of being expatriates. Basam My dad was born in 1968 in Saigon, Vietnam during the Vietnam War. At that time grandpa was a soldier fighting for the South in the Vietnam War. My dad was 7 at the time when my grandfather was taken to a camp that was owned by the communists and was kept as a prisoner of war. He returned 10 years after when my dad was 17 years old and my dad’s family opened up a salon. In 1993, when my dad was 24 years old, my dad and his whole family received airplane tickets to America to escape the communist takeover in Vietnam. My dad and his family chose to settle in California because he heard the weather was nice and there was a lot of job opportunities in San Jose. When my dad first arrived in America. They lived in an apartment in Blossom Hill. His first job was in electronic assembling. He says getting the job was easy since he had a friend who helped him. He wanted to learn the English language because he says living in America without knowing most of the words was difficult so he went to West Valley College for two years to learn English. Everyone has their own immigrant story. Kelly CA I’m lucky. I’m 16, live in a small town and I am a daughter of an immigrant. Growing in a small town, when 96 percent of the population is white is tough. You turn white. Sure, the color of my skin will never be the color of a piece of printer paper but inside it feels like I’m all white. I guess the word “anchor baby” defines me…. sort of. I’m the president of debate club, where we talk about bills, current news topics, and political nominees. The hardest topic… Is immigration reform. People are so uninformed.. “Yes I believe we should deport all undocumented immigrants here, and they should get in line with all the other people to get their papers… LEGALLY” I find that easier said than done. I haven’t seen my father since I was 8 and only spoken to him on the telephone. He was deported in 2009. The last day I saw him was in a train station… And I had no idea why I was saying good bye… and why everyone was crying. When my friends came over and asked where my father was I said he was “working”. Every year on my birthday he calls me and I try hard not to cry because I know it’s another year of him not being able to see me grow. My mother is a single mom. Terrified of being deported. Just a couple weeks ago she was caught. She was driving to work when a police officer pulled her over because she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. For anyone else it’s just a ticket. For a single mother that is illegal it’s “I have to go to court, I have to show identification… They will find out I am illegal.. I will be deported… I have to call my lawyer… Who will take care of my daughters? ” I hate seeing my mother in constant fear. I hate hearing family members and friends calling us to be careful because in Hudson ICE was seen deporting families. She’s scared. I’m scared. We’re all scared. Living the American dream shouldn’t consist of being scared every second of the day. E.G. Albany, New York I came to the United States as a child. My dad is a resident alien but could never fix my situation. Since I have been here I’ve formed a family of my own. I don’t know anything about Mexico because I was raised here and I find myself scared to be deported to a place that I do not know. Gonzalo South Bay, Florida My parents moved to America when I was a year old and my sister was 2 1/2. I have 2 younger siblings who are born in America. Sometimes I hate how unknowingly privileged they are. They get free doctor and dentist visits while I haven’t been to the doctor since I was 8 years old. I did not know about immigration until recently and I cried for days. My father, mother, sister, and I all have our passports. I am now 16 years old and counselors are telling me to start looking for college. My sister is a senior and she recently found out that we cannot apply for FAFSA. I don’t know how I’m going to pay for college and I want to be an engineer. I don’t even have my workers permit and it sucks to see everyone else getting jobs and licenses when I’m just stuck. I feel so helpless and sometimes I wonder why my parents even decided to come here. There is nothing for us here. A Dreamless Child Indiana I came to the U.S. When I was 1 year old along with my 2 older brothers and my mom. My dad was working in the U.S. at the time so he never really had the chance to see me when I was born. My parents have had to go through so much just us. I admire them so much. They came to America seeking a future. I never went hungry. We came here with a tourist visa. I am 17 years old now and I want to travel the world but sadly I can’t. There are so many risk factors that come with being an immigrant but my parents always managed to cope with them. Maria New Jersey I never knew being illegal holds you back from many things you can do here in the states. I’ve been illegal all my life but found out when I was 15. I came to the United States when I was 5. I lived the life of a normal kid with school and friends and just being a kid. When I got older I couldn’t get a normal job or even go to school or even get my first car. It is hard and it keeps getting harder for some reason. I’m 24 and don’t really know where to turn to. Jose Orlando FL I went to N.Y. in 2004 where I met my child’s father. I stayed 90 days, came home then went back and fell pregnant in August 2005. I left of my own accord went back twice in 2006 then again in 2007. When I went to the US last month with my 9yr old whose father is an American citizen I was denied entry on the grounds of an overstay in the past. My child was seeing her father on father’s day and meeting her brothers and great grandma. I am absolutely disgusted as to what they put my child through. Border control said get a visa you’ll be back in 5 days. I don’t know who to speak to what to do. The US consulate won’t answer calls. I feel when you find yourself in a situation like this you need to speak to a human being not an automated service. I’m so tired been trying to fix this to no avail. The money for flights was a waste of £1000. I think it’s disgusting. Vicky Scotland I came to the States for the first time a couple days after I turned 18. I wanted to visit my uncle who lived in Seattle and thought I might get a bit lucky so then I could get a job and live there. I arrived legally on a tourist visa and I applied for an asylum 3 months after that. I really hoped I could get through the process and at the end I would be granted a US citizenship. I had a working permit which I had to renew annually and I never missed paying taxes. I saved up some money and I took classes from a top music college in Boston, MA but I couldn’t graduate due to my financial situation. FAFSA couldn’t approve my application at that time so I needed to reach into my own pocket to pay my tuition. I worked at a local restaurant 60-70 hours a week and I started my music career in 2012. I was a part of a band based in Seattle that was quite popular at that time and we got to play for famous comedians, big casinos and many others. They paid me really well and the manager of the band is just a great model of how America should be like. He would let me play as much as the others do without any exceptions. I paid my taxes as a sub-contractor of the band and I didn’t mind. I wanted thank America for giving me chances! I would also like to ask why you would kick me out when my asylum case had been denied. Now I’m living in Asia not knowing what else to do other that teaching ESL because I actually speak English. I hope to see you again soon, America. I really miss you and all my relatives that are still there. Someday we’ll see each other again. No name given Indonesia I have been apart from my wife and kids for 4 years now. I got a letter from NVC long time ago says that my visa was approved but they asked for someone to sponsor me. Sometime I ask myself is the US of America is still on planet earth. If I start walking it’s not going to take all this time to see my wife and my son for the first time. Maybe it is because my name is Mohamed & I am Muslim. If that the problem I am ready to change my name & religion if that will help me to see my family. I always imagine that moment of us together and that moment of me seeing my son for the first time. I really feel powerless that I just can’t do anything about this and I really hate myself about how powerless I am. Mohamed Kasserine, Tunisia-North Africa I am 16 years old. My mother and I are both from Guatemala. My mother was forced to have sexual intercourse when she was 14. She got kicked out and struggled trying to find a place to sleep. My father heard about it and didn’t care. His sister gave her a place to sleep but the problem was that the place was really little and filled with bugs. She had to sleep with those bugs everyday .She was 15 with a new born. My father at the time was having dreams about me. He wanted my mom and I to come to the United States .I don’t know why he didn’t go to a lawyer and try to work things out. He is a citizen, and yet he decided to bring us illegally. I was five years old at the time .I remember the day. My mother just told me to be quiet if I wanted to see my father. I remember holding my breath for some time waiting for the car to cross. It was the most sad and yet happy day of my life. I think my mom just wanted a better future for me. She wasn’t making much and she knew my dad would help out. I don’t really remember the day i saw my dad for the first time, but the years with him were amazing. Everything changed when he left back to Guatemala and wanted us to go back. My mom saw how I was doing in school and how we didn’t suffer like we did back home. She didn’t want to go back and she didn’t. She later on went to Chicago. Her sister let her stay with her, and it was awful. My aunt was really selfish and mean. My mom didn’t like that at all. We later on moved to California and she met a guy. It was the worst five years of my life. The guy didn’t treat her the way my dad did. She was scared and worried for her life, and so was i. I don’t want to go more into that. We recently moved out. I think now that she is on her own, she is working hard and being the best mom. After all this my main focus is just doing well in school and going to college. It is my main goal to finish college and look and my mom and thank her for staying and making my dreams come true of being someone in life. anonymous San Bernardino California I came to this country in May, 2001 on H-1B visa and my family members (wife and my 2 daughters) joined me 2 months later. My elder daughter, was almost 10 years and 5 months old at the time of her arrival to USA. The labor Department approved my Application for Employment in 2005. I filed my papers for I140 in 2006, and the approval was given in 2008. I could not file for my Permanent Resident Status (I-485 form) as the priority date for India at that time was June 2001. Unfortunately, we received the letter on October 17th, 2015 regarding denial of the Green Card for my elder daughter because her age was over 21 years. Considering the above situation, the USCIS gives us no choice but to send my elder daughter back to India. She grew up in America and asking one daughter to be separated from her whole family just because she is older than 21 is disheartening. Our family has always believed in going by the law and have put all our efforts forward in the last 15 years to stay legal in this country. Currently, illegal immigrant children who were educated in America from a young age have rights to work and receive financial aid. Why is it that a family who has worked hard to stay legal and always follow the law is being punished for doing things the right way? Divya California You know sometimes it can get hard not having papers. I was brought to the U.S. at the age 3 because my mom saw a better future for me there. We lived in my uncle’s house with his family which are legal. My mom worked really hard for me to have everything I needed. However she fell in love with my step-dad and so we moved together as a family with his daughter and two sons. At first he treated me well but then became so fake to me. I thought that I would actually have someone to care for me and call him my dad. I’m 13 and this immigration stuff gets to me every day. I just want to go back home with my real family. (I’m an only child if you were wondering) Guadalupe Michigan My father is 52 years old now. He entered The US at the age of 16 with a 3rd grade education. He has always been a hard worker and had been trying to obtain residency since I could remember. He was deported 4 years ago. My younger brothers were 2 and 16 at the time and I was 20. My brother got a job to help pay bills along with me and my older sister. My 2 year old brother is going to be 7 now and barely even knows who our dad is. I have helped raise him and took both of my brothers under my wing. I graduated from a technical college the year he was deported and now I am back in college and plan to obtain a degree in teaching. My father didn’t raise criminals, he set examples of what hard work can accomplish. We never received government help and he always paid his taxes. So my question is why not look further into his history here rather than just assume anybody here “illegally,” is in fact not worthy of living and thriving in this unjust but beautiful country. Richard Dallas, TX I came in the US 1988 at 12 and now today at 37. I’m still dealing with being an immigrant after being married with 4 kids. I have had lawyers take my money and scam me over and over. My recent lawyer was indicted for scam. I lost my job 5 weeks ago because my lawyer was arrested and he kept all my documents to return to work. I have done all I can the legal way to obtain a green card but I feel like the system has failed me. I have lived in a prison for 25 years and I have committed no crime. My daughter will be 17 soon and when I started this journey I was pregnant with her. Denise No location given I came here in 2009 by myself from Iraq. I was 20 years old then. Now I’m 25 years old and pretty soon will become a citizen. I don’t have family support or any kind of support. It was tough at times but quiet seas don’t make good sailors. Life is going pretty well. I have a lot of experience in sales and customer service. I can work in any field I wish. I’m working full time and going to school part time. I made a really good plan for my future. I believe that my future is set. Bashar No location given My father was heading to work when the immigration was waiting for him. They had a warrant for him. They took him even though he has been living here for 40+ years. Now he can’t see his newborn grandson, nor me or my brother including my little sister. My parents are divorced and who is she supposed to give her advice, give her that comfort that my father did? He paid all of his taxes, did everything by the book. I just can’t believe this is what we call justice in America. This isn’t the land of the free anymore. My father is my role model he raised me and my older brother by himself. I just can’t believe how they can do this to an innocent man. He’s been in the immigration holding facilities for a year now! Alejandro Pasadena, Texas I went school in Canada and moved to Texas in 2010. At that time I was thinking it will be hard to settle in because of my race. However this was not the case. Within 3 months I got my first job and from there on I am just progressing. My family moved here in 2012. I would just like to thank the US for giving me an opportunity to pursue my dreams. Of course all countries have pros and cons but I still believe US is the land of opportunities. It has all the tools and resources you need to succeed. You don’t need to be rich to enjoy all the privileges this country has to offer. You can still live a beautiful life. People are so helpful here. You get the respect you deserve. I was not born here but I wish I did. Thank you US for everything. Texas I was brought to the U.S illegally when I was 3 years of age. My father came to this country first before he brought my mother and I. My father and mother still continue to work hard every day to give me and my two younger brothers the absolute best. I thank my father every day for bringing us to this blessed and beautiful country and giving us a better quality of life. Throughout my life I never thought it would be such a big deal being illegal until I got to high school and staring applying for my licenses or college scholarships. Obviously I was denied for not having a social security number. Later on Mr. President Obama gave us an opportunity named deferred action and it has opened to many doors for me! I’m truly blessed. I was able to obtain my driver licenses and continue school. Honestly my life has completely changed. Allison North Carolina I am from Somalia, endless battles forced me out of Somalia in March 11, 2011. I arrived Kenya and registered with the UNHCR as a refugee, many times i applied for a resettlement to a third country, due to the high number of Somali refugee the UNHCR was dealing with, i gave up and felt hopeless. One day in 2012 i applied for the diversity green card visa lottery, i was accepted, by 2014 i recieved my visa. I am now living and working in Portland, Maine. I am saving some money to go to college in the fall of this year, 2015. Abdi Portland, Maine I was only a few months old when I was brought in the U.S with my mother my father and my big brother. I was born in Mexico DF on January 31. My mom thought it would be better to build a better life in the other side so we could have a better future. I am 20 years old now I’ve been waiting to get my papers for too long. I finished high school and got my diploma to be able to go to college. But I won’t be able without my papers. Every day I cry because I can’t help my mom with rent anymore. I don’t work anymore. I want my mom to be proud of me but how can I if I’m not from here and they won’t accept us. My mom was once deported when I was 10 years old. I found out the next day because she had not come home. I got a phone call from Mexico and she told me she wasn’t going to come back until 3 to 4 month. Never in my entire life have I felt so mad, so mad because I was left without a mother for 3 month. After that I’ve been scared of cops because I don’t remember anything from Mexico because I’ve been living in Houston for my entire life. I want to be able to enjoy my life and learn new stuff and travel, something I can’t do. Ivonne Houston, TX I met my husband a Mexican national in 2007 after having our daughter. We wanted to “fix” his status as he was illegal. He left the states in 2011 and was given a 10 year bar from reentering the US with no waiver. Living a nightmare of trying to keep our marriage together our kids happy and the inflow of money to the family. We will not be allowed to live “normal” until 2021. Immigration has robbed me of my children’s daily growth and amazing first memories as I travel between Mexico and San Diego weekly. I simply want to see and hold my children daily and have the daily support of my amazing husband. Immigration is such a cold inhumane process… It’s tearing families apart when it should be uniting them. Stephanie San Diego My dad was deported when I was 16 years old. I know he is somewhere in the Dominican Republic, if he is still alive. I try not to think about it too much because there are so many questions and nobody to answer them. I’m now 22 years old and sometimes, I wonder where he is and what he is doing. I know that he would be proud of me getting my bachelor’s degree and becoming a teacher and coach. Even though I don’t have a good relationship with my mother and only lived with my father for a few years, I thank them wholeheartedly for their sacrifices. They had no idea where I would be at 22, but it was thanks to them that I was born and raised in a place with unlimited opportunities. Emilia Lawrence, MA For as long as I can remember, I knew that my parents were undocumented. Growing up in New York City, so many of the people around me were undocumented I didn’t really know what it meant. But, as I got older, I started to figure it out. My parents would tell my siblings that we wouldn’t be able to fly to see our cousins in Florida or even take a bus to another state because they didn’t have a state-issued ID. I have always feared my parents getting stopped by the authorities and then getting deported. When I left for Scripps College in August all the way in California (I was born and raised in NYC), my parents couldn’t even accompany me into the airport. My mom was terrified of going into the terminal for fear that someone would ask her for documentation. I went alone. In November, when I heard President Obama issue an executive order that would help about 5 million undocumented people living in the United States come out of the shadows, I felt elated. Henna California I came into this Country when I was 2 years of age, I am now 19 about to turn 20. Like everybody, my parents came into this country to seek for a better life and to provide me with a better quality of education and to make sure I had everything I could possibly need. The three of us came into this country illegally, they came here without knowing anybody or without speaking or understanding the English language. Since day one they’ve worked very hard every day to build our empire that we have now. I’m beyond blessed and grateful because every day we are living the American dream. All through out these years it has definitely not been easy but definitely worth it. I now have my SS thanks to DACA but I’m still hoping to have the opportunity to go back to my homeland and have the blessing to see my grandparents at least one more time. Even though I will never get 15-16 years back I pray every day to god to give me the chance to be able to see them someday because even though I have everything now I have an empty place in my heart of not being able to hug them or telling them how much they mean to me. Allison California Like many others I came to the U.S at a young age, 6. My parents took me and my two sisters 9 and 1 at the time from Brazil. 15 years later we all got our green cards. In 2014, I was 22 years of age and met a beautiful girl. She was also an immigrant from Brazil. She and her family were here on a tourist visa and switched to the application of a religious visa. Her dad is a pastor. During the 8 months we dated, things were moving great until they were denied the religious visa and had to go back to Brazil. I proposed to her the day before she left in belief, I with a green card can legalize her. We were going to get married in 2016, but in March 2015 our lives changed. She still had a valid tourist visa, she was coming to celebrate our 1 year anniversary of the day we started dating. Coming from Brazil to the U.S. she was stopped at the airport for questioning. The officers asked her about her stay in the U.S, she admitted to having worked in the U.S. for a couple of months on a part-time job. She did not have employment authorization to have gotten the job. She was sent back that day to Brazil. I didn’t get to see her and remember that as one of the worst days of my life. Now she can’t visit me as her visa is cancelled. I went and got married July 2015. With the stain on her name, we were advised to wait for my citizenship before trying to legalize her. It will take 2 years for me to be eligible to be a citizen. I hope they will forgive her and let her live with me. I will continue to work and visit her periodically during these two years to build a future for us here in the U.S. It won’t be easy but we are faithful things will work out and we can be together in the U.S. again. Doug Florida My parents came here from Europe when I was just 3 years old. They haven’t been back since and haven’t seen their families in almost 20 years. It’s been a very tough life for them and I almost wish they never came here. They have jobs they hate, no social life, and I have watched them grow to hate each other because of all these factors. I wish desperately there was some way to get them back home and to make them happy but there’s not much I can do. Their mental energy is almost completely gone. I love them to death but can’t handle seeing them so sad. Ella Colorado I’m 22 years old and currently study Electrical Engineering. I was 8 years old when my parents decided to go to the Unites States. We lived there for almost ten years. Which means I lived my entire childhood there. Now we’re living in Chile. I really feel like I don’t belong here. It has been really depressing for me and my family. I have two younger brothers who were born in the US. I didn’t get the chance to get my citizenship but I really miss the US and am struggling to leran Spanish and missing the life i had in New York. All my friends are over there and I feel more American than Chilean and hope one day I can go back to where I think I belong. Bastian Valparais, Chile I am an American by heart, soul and hard work. I love my country but they apparently do not love. I moved to the US in 1984 with my girlfriend at that time. She had a GREEN CARD and was legal. I was a Canadian citizen. We married in the US and she started to work. In those times, I could work illegally easily until we had arranged for my legal status. My wife came home one day and said that she had my SSN that she had been working on for some time. I had no idea how the process worked (sticking my head in the ground a little of course) and utilized that SSN for the next 24 years while I worked, built a company, employed people, did year of volunteer work, paid all of my personal and corporate taxes fully (which for many years where substantial as I made a very good living). As a test to the reality of the SSN, I received 2 NASD licenses which required finger prints, FBI back ground, etc. to make sure I am who I say I am. I had no illegal activities and had renewed my driver’s license a number of times without a problem. I was even audited twice. Then, when getting divorced I find out that it is NOT a good number. The person that really does have that SSN is alive and will receive the very handsome benefit of the taxes that I paid all those years. Now Canada, the country I was born in, says I do not have a very long history of work and very little contribution to my CPP so I will receive almost nothing in retirement. Having spent all my funds in my earlier years on my nieces and nephews to get them through school and university, I am up the creek without a paddle. Warren Canada Both my parents came to the U.S illegally. After working in the U.S for over 20 years and paying taxes (even though they can never benefit from social security) they still cannot catch a break. My parents grew up poor in Mexico and both had to drop out of school to work to support their families. So before you judge, know that in Mexico it is a vicious cycle of not having an education because you don’t have money and not having money because you don’t have an education. Israel Portland, Oregon My name is Vanessa and am an American citizen. I have a twin Samantha and we both are 16 years old and living with our grandparents. My mom and my other 2 sisters (also American citizens) live in Mexico with my Dad because he is deported and cannot come back. In 2005 they deported him and punished him for 10 years. On July 2015 he went to the Juarez Consulate and they denied his case. Since I was 6 years old I have been going to Mexico and coming to the US. I am a junior at Avenal High School. I get straight A’s at school and life is hard without my family. My only dream since I was 6 is to have my Daddy here with me. Is it really much to ask for? Vanessa Avenal, CA I immigrated to the Bronx, NY, in December 1984 when I was only fourteen years old after waiting 11 long years for my father to send for us. The wait was long but it was worth it. I come from a family of five children, I’m #4. I could not imagine life anywhere else. My home country (Dominican Republic) although beautiful, is corrupt and lacks education and job opportunities. I can honestly say that I have lived the American Drea. I took every opportunity available to me and have been able to experience a great education, have lived well and have benefited from all the work of all of those who came before me, including my father with his 2nd grade education, a hard worker who taught me the values of hard work and education. I am proud to be an American and to enjoy the freedom and wealth this country has to offer. God bless America. Martha D. West Palm Beach, FL My mom brought me here along with my older sister. My mom was raped and forced to be with the guy that raped her. She did not get any counseling, left for the U.S and brought that same mindset. I have more siblings now. My oldest sister suffered from my mom’s mindset of being abused. Our step dad forced himself on her. He left with three daughters and a son that were his. My mom has brought home a new dad. I think she doesn’t realize how much it affects us. Karen Georgia My father arrived illegally in New York about 18 years ago with his younger brother. My father worked hard upon arrival. He took jobs in New Jersey and New York City delivering packages. He then met my mother-disabled and born with only one arm-and fell in love. They had me and my sister only a year apart and started a family. Deportation was feared among my parents especially after so many tries with countless lawyers. How could my father leave his wife with one arm and two underage daughters alone? Bianca New York I was born in Guadalajara Mexico. My parents came to the USA when I was 8 years old. I’m now 36 years old and unemployed. Being undocumented has made life so difficult. I became pregnant with twins at age 16 my kids are now 19 and my youngest 13. I have been living in constant fear of deportation and not been able to obtain stability and provide for my younger daughter. I feel like everyone around me is moving up in life and I’m stuck. I literally cry every day because of my immigration status, all my family is here legally except me. I want to do so much with my life but it seems impossible. I stay optimistic but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m undocumented. Life is just so unfair. Jessica San Diego CA I’m about to be 16. My dad has been trying to get his papers since I was born. They’ve gone to lawyers in New Orleans but all they do is say wait and to pay money when they don’t do anything for us. At one point my dad was able to get his license but they never let him renew it. He’s been working hard since I was born. We have a new house that we built. We can’t buy a four wheeler or a truck since he doesn’t have a license. He has DUI’s from like 02-03 and that’s it. I just want to get his papers for him so that I don’t lose him. He deserves his papers being a hard worker and has done nothing wrong in his life. Brian Louisiana South Koreans call United States Mee-Gook, which means “beautiful nation”. America, the beautiful land of opportunity, is how I always envisioned my journey. I applied for jobs thinking I have 12 months to find a sponsorship. After several interviews, I realized that getting a job with H-1B sponsorship looming over my head is extremely difficult. Here is why: I’m a recent graduate from undergraduate with math degree, this severely limits my job options because USCIS determines what jobs math majors are allowed to work for H-1B visa through an occupational outlook handbook. Charlie Richmond, Virginia My parents had left me at the age of 2 back in Mexico with my grandparents while they came to the U.S. They sent for me at the age of 4 and that is when I crossed the border with my aunt. It was hard at first but I got used to being here. I am now 18 years old and thankful that I was able to qualify for the DACA. With DACA I have been able to do so much. Thankfully I now have 2 jobs and I am in school. Although I am undocumented, I do not give up my hopes and dreams of a better life for my family. Although, it is difficult I was able to enroll into college and I am about to be done with my first semester. Hopefully I can continue my studies later on. As much as I would like to go visit my family in Mexico, I can’t. That upsets me every day but I keep going strong for them. This isn’t a sad story, this is just to let everyone know there is hope and to fight for what they want! Being undocumented shouldn’t stop us, WE CAN DO IT! We just have to believe. Wendy New York I am 19 years old and lived in the USA for 10 years of my life. I was deported alongside my mother and sister 5 years ago. My life has never been the same. When you realize how much your life is going to change in such a short period of time, you can only miss and mourn about the past, because that’s what it is and will be. The past. There’s not a day in my life, even though I don’t necessarily want to, that I don’t say to myself “what if I was still there…”. Depression, came to me at a young age. Nostalgia was more than just a word at the age of 13. It is hard coping with a loss of what could’ve been a lifetime. I am doing my best to overcome reality and move along but all I seem to want is an opportunity to go back. I have no idea how or even if I can but it’s a dream I wish came true soon enough. Juan David North Bergen, New Jersey I was deported after being legally in the USA for over fifty years and receiving social security. They took my S.S. away. I am 69 years old and had not visited my country in all that time. My sons are all U.S. Citizens and my mother too. I do not know anyone in my country. It’s been a nightmare. I sas hoping the plane would crash. That’s how depressed I felt. I think it was an injustice to take my only source of income. I thought this was a just country. Luis Eugenio Dominican Republic I came to the US on the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program. I have been here since July, 23, 2014 and my visa was for 1 month. Right in the middle of the fun I was having around the US with 35 Iraqi students and 10 Americans, my family called me and told me that they have left home and they are refugees. Now my village was taken over by ISIS and they are killing people for their religious beliefs and thousands of the young girls are now taken as sex slaves. So I applied for asylum in US before my visa expired and I did my interview 2 months ago. Now I’m just waiting for the letter to come and if they say yes then I’m safe here. If not then I might have to go back and I could be killed there. Azswan Portland, OR I came to United States at the age of 14 from Uzbekistan. The decision was my mother’s; she felt like we needed a better life after my father died from lymphatic cancer. It was tough at first, but all I cared about is that I’m here now. I knew I had no future in Uzbekistan due to extreme corruption and broken education for which you can pay through. I am 17 now, on my way to college. Although current circumstances aren’t as I’d want them to be, I will change that. After all, this is the land of opportunities. Umar Los Angeles I was brought here when I was 2 years old. My dad came to New York a few years before but left my mom pregnant. Sadly, he couldn’t see me when I was a baby due to him being illegal. He sent for us when I was 2 1/2 years old. I crossed the border with my mom and granddad and my aunt. Back then it was easier than it is now. My mom told me she was lucky that I was a quiet baby so we had no trouble. When we came to new York I lived in my uncle’s house (who is a citizen) and I moved to new jersey 3 months later. I’m 15 now and I still get really upset because I want to be legal here. I want to help my parents out and get a good job and buy them their own house, but sadly I can’t. I want to study cosmetology or psychology but me being illegal I can’t. Maria New York I went school in Canada and moved to Texas in 2010. At that time I was thinking it will be hard to settle in because of my race. However this was not the case. Within 3 months I got my first job and from there on I am just progressing. My family moved here in 2012. I would just like to thank the US for giving me an opportunity to pursue my dreams. Of course all countries have pros and cons but I still believe US is the land of opportunities. It has all the tools and resources you need to succeed. You don’t need to be rich to enjoy all the privileges this country has to offer. You can still live a beautiful life. People are so helpful here. You get the respect you deserve. I was not born here but I wish I did. Thank you US for everything. Texas My father was heading to work when the immigration was waiting for him. They had a warrant for him. They took him even though he has been living here for 40+ years. Now he can’t see his newborn grandson, nor me or my brother including my little sister. My parents are divorced and who is she supposed to give her advice, give her that comfort that my father did. He paid all of his taxes and did everything by the books. I just can’t believe this is what we call justice in America. This isn’t the land of the free anymore. My father is my role model. He raised me and my older brother by himself. I just can’t believe how they can do this to an innocent man. He’s been in the immigration holding facilities for a year now! Alejandro Pasadena, TX I came here in 2009 and immigrated by myself from Iraq. I was 20 years old then. Now I’m 25 years old and pretty soon will become a citizen. Don’t have family support or any kind of support. It was tough at times but quiet seas don’t make good sailors. Life is going pretty well. I have a lot of experience in sales and customer service. I can work in any field I wish for. I’m working full time and going to school part time. I made a really good plan for my future. I believe that my future is set. Bashar No location given I came to the United States when I was only 4 years old. I have 3 siblings, 2 of them are apart of the dream act , they have their ss and worker permit for a limited time. My parents are illegal immigrants, but my father has his drivers license which expires 2017 and we don’t know what is gonna happen after that. It was a miracle how he got his license back in 2007. My parents work as janitors because they can’t get better jobs because of their status. I’m 18 years old, I recently just graduated high school. I’m very depressed because I see kids going to school, getting jobs, cars etc and I am stuck in my life. I can’t work, I can’t do a thing without being afraid of being deported. I feel very low. It saddens me everyday I sit at home wishing my life was better. Anonymous At the age of three, my mom left me and my twin brother in the care of my grandmother to find a better life. She worked day and night to have us back. Six months later my lovely, hardworking mother sent for us. Our trip to America wasn’t nearly as hard as hers though. She had to walk the deadly trail, hoping she could make it is so she can see us again. Once we were all together life got better for a short time. Some years after my mother lost her job because of an on the job accident. My mother was fired and felt lost. Our life is now better, but all I want is to be able to keep my education going and to give back all I was given. It’s a dream that may never come true, but my hope is there. May God help me and bless all of you. Diana No location given I was born here in USA Northridge, CA in 1980 by immigrant parents. My mother came to the USA at the age of 15 and my father at the age of 16. Both of them should of been in high school but got here and started working. We never received any type of government help. We had to work very hard to survive and pay our rent until now. I heard on the news about what is going on at the border and didn’t really care until I heard my cousin and her two young children were held. She and her husband and children are here because their lands were taken away and some bad people are trying to steal the rest of their lands. My cousin was able to get help but told me some really horrible stories about how they are being held in one small room and they are all crowded with moms and babies not being able to sleep and eat only once a day. I had no idea this was happening until today when she and her 2 children were released. The youngest of her children is a 1 1/2 yr old girl. They are here now but she was left with a real bad trauma. She wakes up crying asking for food, something that she never did until this happed. I really feel sad to know that people are not being treated right but worse than animals! We are children of God. What happened to one nation under God? Yesenia Northridge, CA I’m 42 and live in Morocco with my deported husband. His visa had expired and he overstayed. He saved my life as I was divorcing an abusive husband of 20 years. I relocated and we married. He was taking care of me and my son. I was back in college. Until the day they found him. They deported him and left me homeless. I only had enough money to buy a ticket to his country as nobody would help me. We are now stuck here and making it but struggling. I say why would my country deport someone who was working and helped me a citizen make my life better. We are out of ways for me to come home and nobody to help us. Julie Morocco I am a U.S. and Canadian citizen and have lived here in the U.S. for over 9 years now. My boyfriend was brought to the U.S. (without papers) when he was 17. He came with his dad, leaving his mom and siblings behind in Mexico. He has never been back and has now lived in the U.S. for over 14 years. When they arrived at the border town in Mexico, they were kidnapped for ransom. Their kidnappers started to take them out to the desert (which many times means death.) Thankfully, however, he and his dad managed to escape and continue their journey. Despite having had that harrowing experience, my boyfriend explained that he and his dad had a rather easy crossing, not suffering nearly as much as many do. Anyway, we plan to get married soon, but our future is uncertain. In the beginning of this year, he got pulled over for driving with a suspended license. Instead of just being given the standard fine, he was also given a court date. Before I met him, I had a very different perspective over illegal immigration. I was very “by the books” and not very understanding of what immigrants go through. But now I have a lot of respect for all immigrants; they are so determined and work so hard and are willing to suffer everything in order to provide a better life for their families. His story and his perspective have helped me broaden my perspective and have a greater compassion for others. Katie No city given My parents and I arrived to the U.S with a visitor’s visa. My grandfather was facing some serious times and my mother was 19 years old and not seeing her dad for 18 years decided to visit him. My dad was 22 and I was 1 year old! My mother tells me their intention was never to stay, but they did. It has been 19 years and I was excited when they passed the act where students could get a legal temporary stay ,DACA (deferred action for children arrivals). After all this time of feeling in the shadows and not really living “free” I went to see lawyers who could help me apply, but I couldn’t because I visited my grandmother in Mexico for 7 months. Since I couldn’t apply for the DACA my parents got me into an arranged marriage. At first i agreed but once I thought about it I changed my mind but it didn’t matter. They took me into the office and I got married. I was manipulated in several was into doing so. What hurts the most is that not even seeing me crying did they not go through with it. But I didn’t apply for my papers through my husband. I got the courage to stand my ground and not care about the consequences and even though people tell me ” you’re already married just do it” I say no. It is not right! I’m filling for divorce! And if there is no solution to my situation. I’m going back to Mexico. Starting fresh and trusting god! I’m 20 years old now, I’m waiting until my 26 birthday to make my final choice. Some people forget that the constitution of the United States starts with “We the people …” not “We the American Citizens” Liz California I came here when I was 3 years old. I’m currently 16. Everyone else in my family that is here with me is legal. Everyone but me. I’m close to finishing high school… too close. I love America, this is my home, but this is no way to live. I didn’t choose to be here, they did… and now I’ll have to deal with the consequences.I just want to go to college, study medicine and save lives. Is that too much to ask for? I just want to belong here, I want to be an American citizen. Lost Dreamer Somewhere within America I came to America from United Kingdom London in 2005 for a holiday. I was 18 years old at the time I got a 3 months visa waiver, I had no plans staying over my visa but faith had its own plans. I meet guy and we married in 2007. We continued living together till we went to a lawyer and advised me to go back to England as that’s the only way for my hubby to apply a petition for me. Meanwhile we took his advice I came back to UK so when he tried to process for me the petition we found out that I have ban for 10 years as I overstayed my visa more than 1 year. Londoner Oregon My story starts in Haiti 1978. My mom was only 15 and pregnant. My dad 22. My dad left me and my mom and came to America for a better life. When I was about 7months old my mom decided to let my aunt take me to America under a different name. When I came to America I was passed around with no status or papers. My father later became a U.S. Citizen and never applied for me. I am now 35yrs old and I don’t know any other country but here! And I don’t have enough money to fix my situation either I feel lost. Chenille Boston I was brought here when I was 10 years old. I am now 28yrs old. I went to elementary, middle and high school. I have three daughters with my fiance. He is a U.S citizen born in California. He wants to apply for my residency here, but we are scared that because I was brought here illegally they could send me back to El Salvador. I have been working as a Medical Assistant for 8 yrs and started taking courses at a local college to get my nursing degree. We want to get marry but we don’t know if USCIS will sent me back. Carolina Wheaton, MD I came to the U.S. when I was 7 years old. My stepfather was an american soldier who married my German mother in Germany and also adopted me before we entered the U.S. My mother passed away in 1968 and told me I was a citizen. Being a young girl and not knowing what credentials that were needed to get government benefits for Medicare and monthly Social Security payouts for later after all my husband and I have paid into the system since age 16. We have been married for 48 years. My husband is an American citizen, born in Tx. Presently Homeland is supposed to look up my history in the U.S and finding info on permanent resident and citizenship through my mother. I was 18 when she received her citizenship. It has been 2 years that Homeland has had my info filled out by Catholic family services. I also applied for my permanent resident card. I really don’t care at this point which one they send but it has been one year for the green card and everything is at a standstill for both applications. What does a person do with this Obama care? I am over 65 and cannot get Medicare through Obama and private insurance is very expensive! Marianne White Amarillo Tx I’m married a wonderful citizen American for 8 years, live together for 10 years, but we are living out of states since 2004 due to visa denied. The reason is ” sham divorce for immigration” from consulate officer…for 10 years my husband never go back to USA and I’m so scared to go to US consulate to interview for visa (for any kind of visa). I just feel so sorry for my husband. He could not see his parents for longtime… because we love each other so much no matter what we stay…but still…feel so sad and don’t know what to do next. Mai Ho Chi Minh City

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Op-Ed: The immigrant experience, as told by college essays

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For more than 20 years, Marcos M. Villatoro has read and graded hundreds of essays about immigration as a writing teacher at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles. Here are excerpts from two student essays.

‘What if this coyotaje stole her daughter?’

I don’t know whether my mother left my father or whether she tried to get him to come with us to America. I like to think that my dad didn’t want us to leave, but my mom chose herself and [me] rather than a man who wanted to hold her back from all the infinite possibilities a new life in America could only give her. Only she and I crossed the border. We went on an airplane. The winds howled and the rain felt like it shook our plane. I screamed every time I saw the lightning and heard the thunder that followed. I was 4 and this is one of the truths I wish I could forget.

I was later told that when we landed, my mother was instructed by a coyotaje to separate from me and allow me to go with her and pretend she was my mother. They said it was so we could all blend in better. My mother refused. What if this coyotaje stole her daughter? There would be no way to track me down. The police wouldn’t help her, her family wouldn’t be able to help her because those that were already in America barely had a faint grasp of it and those who were in Mexico could do even less.

— Diana Rodriguez, who graduated in 2018

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute »

‘The day that my uncle got deported’

Santa Fe del Rio, Michoacán, is where I am from. I was brought into a new country with no self-expectation nor self-identity. I did not understand what it meant to be far from home until one day, the news [came] that my grandparents’ visa was no longer valid and due to circumstances, they could not apply for a renewal. The day that my uncle got deported is the day when I was old enough to understand that odds are, I probably won’t ever see them again.

For a good period of my life, I did not care about the fact that I was and am undocumented, however the time to apply to college began and I noticed that being undocumented according to others is who I am. ... When the personal statements were due, my college counselors would repeatedly tell me to write about being undocumented, but I soon came to realize that being undocumented doesn’t make me. ... Esa no soy yo (That’s not me).

— E.O., a student who asked to be identified only by her initials

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Stories have the power to promote both understanding by being a window into others’ lives and empowerment by mirroring our own experiences. Watch videos and read written accounts by immigrants past and present, learn strategies for eliciting stories from your students, and share your story with others. Search below or use the “ B rowse ” tab to explore a list of all available options.

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417 Immigration Topics to Write about & Essay Examples

Welcome to our list of catchy immigration essay titles! Here, you will find a variety of immigration topics to write about as well as writing prompts and presentation ideas.

🔝 Top 10 Immigration Titles for Essays

📝 key points to use to write an outstanding immigration essay, 🏆 best immigration topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on immigration, 🎓 simple & easy immigration essay titles, 🥇 most interesting immigration topics to write about, 📌 immigration writing prompts, ✅ good research topics about immigration, ❓ immigration essay questions, ✨ creative titles for immigration essays, 🚀 immigration topics for presentation.

• How Migration Shapes Identities
• Assimilation vs. Multiculturalism
• Immigration Policies and Their Effects
• Global Responses the Refugee Crisis
• Immigration and Crime: Fact vs. Fiction
• Immigration’s Impact on Social Integration
• Educational Challenges and Opportunities for immigrants
• What Are the Health Impacts of Immigration?
• The Effects of Immigration on Family Separation
• What’s the Role of Immigrants in Entrepreneurship?

Immigration essay is a popular type of assignment in various topics, including politics and social sciences. In a globalized world, people can migrate from one country to another for work, study, and other reasons.

This post will discuss some points that you could include in your essay on immigration to earn a high mark!

First of all, you should provide some background information on the subject. For example, if you are writing an essay about immigration in the United States, describe and discuss the key periods when immigration was high. Try to think about the following questions:

• What motivates people to immigrate a certain country?
• Why is immigration higher in developed countries than in developing ones?
• What are some examples of government policies promoting or reducing immigration?

Secondly, you should cover the key pro/con immigration arguments. Whether your essay is argumentative, persuasive, or informative, you need to acknowledge that immigration has both advantages and disadvantages. Here is a list of questions that you might want to ask yourself while writing the paper:

• What influence does immigration have on the economy?
• Does immigration make it easier or harder for people to find employment?
• Why are some people against immigration, even when it’s legal?

The third point you should address in your essay is illegal immigration.

This is a significant topic in many countries, including the United States. To make sure that your paper receives an excellent mark, answer the following questions:

• What are the reasons that make people immigrate illegally?
• What are your country’s policies with regards to illegal immigrants?
• What impact do illegal aliens have on the economy and society?
• Why are some countries targeted by illegal immigrants more often than others?
• What can governments do to prevent illegal migration without violating human rights and freedoms?

One of the most important immigration essay topics is the immigrant experience. While many students write about immigration, they often fail to present a comprehensive view of the concept.

To avoid this mistake, consider what immigrants feel and experience when they decide to come to a different country. If you have a friend who is an immigrant, you can interview them. Here are a few ideas to think about:

• What are the most widespread challenges faced by immigrants?
• How do people plan their life in a different country?
• Do language barriers affect their relationships with other people, access to medical care, and education?
• How do immigrants adjust to a new culture?
• Can an immigrant integrate fully into the community?

Lastly, when thinking of essay topics about immigration, it is impossible to ignore the impact of immigration on society. Indeed, most essay titles in this area are focused on positive and negative social consequences of immigration. To cover this point in your paper, you may try to answer these questions:

• Does immigration facilitate social division and can this effect be prevented?
• Why do some people oppose cultural and racial diversity? What is cultural assimilation, and is it helpful to modern societies?
• How can cultural pluralism and multiculturalism influence communities in immigrant-rich countries?
• What can we do to ensure that immigration benefits all people, including native citizens?

Hopefully, this post has provided you with some things to talk about in your future immigration essays. Make sure to check sample papers and free essay titles about immigration on our website!

• Essay About Immigration Causes and Effects Some of the major causes of immigration in the current world include; Political unrests and wars This is one of the common causes of immigration in various regions of the world.
• Immigration: Advantages and Disadvantages It is important to mention how immigrants tend to affect the economy of the country. According to the statistics received from the US Bureau of Labor, the participation of foreigners in the workforce was 3.
• The History of Jamaicans Immigration to Canada The final section examines and discusses the migration of Jamaicans to Canada from 1960s to the financial year 2000. Despite the importation, the Maroons who in 1976 migrated to Halifax became the earliest Jamaicans to […]
• Irish-Catholic Immigration to America The importance of this event appeared from the fact that the Irish migration was one of the most significant contributors to the American immigrants’ inflow.
• Immigration Issues in Alfonso Gonzales’s Book “Reform Without Justice: Latino Migrant Politics and the Homeland Security State” Focusing on the emotions associated with the discussed ideas about the necessity of the comprehensive immigration reform, it is necessary to pay attention to the desire to support the claims of the Latino migrant activists […]
• Ferguson v. Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Case The applicant and the council counter this claim by stating that the officer’s dismissal was based on not finding evidence credible and failing to consider statements such as “Ms.
• Immigration: Benefits for the Nation or a Drain on Society? Immigration is a topical issue in the contemporary U.S., which has divided the community into two opposing camps.
• Comparing Sweden Immigration Policy with German Immigration Policy As Herrera and Moualhi posit, “In liberal-democratic polities, the question of ‘who makes immigration policy’ evokes the question of the extent at which those policies mirror the preferences of a majority of citizens, or rather […]
• Thunder in the Sun – A Tale of Basque Gold-Rush Immigration The examination of the plot of Thunder in the Sun and credible sources focused on the Basques’ culture and immigration into the United States has revealed some inconsistencies in terms of historical evidence.
• History of Puerto Rican Immigration to New York Amid the earliest Puerto Ricans to immigrate to New York were Spanish crown exiles both men and women, due to their political beliefs and resistance for the cause of Puerto Rican sovereignty In 1917 United […]
• Chinese Immigration to Cambodia in Personal Story Mom was forced to gather up some money from relatives who were already in the refugee camp to exchange for the release of my sister.
• Travel and New Land: Immigration Experience I have shared my thoughts with many immigrants and found out that many of them have the same feeling of the obligation to stay loyal to the political machine of this country due to the […]
• The IDEAL Immigration Policy Advocacy All IDEAL candidates, like most applicants nowadays, would be required to pay a processing fee in advance to cover the price of doing background checks and conducting visa interviews.
• Immigration in the United States and Canada in the Post Hart-Cella Act (1965) and Canadian Immigration (1976) Act Era Two basic factors motivate Immigration in the world; the first one is the reason to move from country of origin and second, the reason to move to a host country.
• Immigration in New York City and Its Effects Steele and Perkins examine the impact of the apparent volume of migrants in the neighborhood on the propensity to redistribute in New York City.
• The Maya Immigration to the United States Therefore, each narrative included in the article “Maya Youth in Los Angeles” by Alicia Ivonne Estrada helps a reader to determine the factors that affected the Maya immigration to the U.S.
• The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada The IRB is comprised of the Immigration Appeal Division, the Immigration Division, and the Refugee Protection Division. The governor-in-council appoints the Chairperson of the IRB who is supported by the vice-chairperson and deputy chairperson.
• The National Immigration Enforcement The intention of ICE to employ their agents in sanctuary cities will only make the gap between the cities and enforcement agencies wider.
• Migration Patterns: American Immigration However, it is also crucial to refer to the effects of such processes, including the overview of local communities, the impact on the economy, and the overall development or lack thereof when multiple individuals move […]
• The Harvest of the Empire: Immigration in the US The situation has become more acute in the last few years because of global problems like the coronavirus. The entire economic development of the colonies was subordinated to the interests of Spain and Portugal.
• Climate Change and Immigration Issues Due to its extensive coverage of the aspects of climate migration, the article will be significant to the research process in acquiring a better understanding of the effects of climate change on different people from […]
• Immigration: The Key Challenges As evidenced in the four articles, the key challenges of immigration revolve around high unemployment, border militarization, and legality of DACA. The border agents, as explicated in the Carroll’s article, have doubled to 23,000 for […]
• Immigration in the US: Historical Background Therefore, it is likely that he would have supported the introduction of quotas and would have taken a position similar to Jefferson.
• The Immigration Crisis in Texas The clash between the federal government and the state of Texas over the implementation of immigration law and the exercise of these powers has been ongoing for decades now.
• The 0 Visa: Immigration Case Study The purpose of the work is to consider an example of a 0 visa case from a family of three people and the possible issues that an officer may encounter.
• Soledad Castillo’s Immigration to the USA To reach the USA at that time, the group of people Soledad was with had to stay invisible and quiet because the actions they took were illegal.
• Irish Immigration to America and the Slavery Despite the fact that the Irish encountered a great number of obstacles, the immigration of Irish people to the United States was advantageous not only to the immigrants but also to the United States.
• Discussion of Holocaust and Immigration In “Holocaust Education and Remembrance in Australia,” Suzanne D.and Suzanne H.discuss the adverse effects and after-issues of immigration among the Jewish community and how it led to the concept that the Holocaust had a long-lasting […]
• Phenomenon of Immigration Analysis The phenomenon of immigration is often viewed as a complex one due to the concerns and fears associated with the increase in the number of immigrants within a community.
• Immigration Controversy in the United States This might have a significant influence on the quality of decisions and the care provided to immigrants. The financial and emotional obstacles that children of immigrants encounter in a new nation are sometimes complex.
• Immigration in American Economic History Because of the discriminatory attitudes that existed in society, I was not able to find a high-paying job. Those were the physical challenges I had to face in the form of sickness and starvation.
• Migration to the Caribbean vs. African Immigration While the 19-20-th-centiury migration to the Caribbean historically has nothing to do with African immigration, the underlying cause of racism and discrimination case the main reason for migration connects the specified phenomena.
• Abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detention Centers Although the abolition of ICE detention centers could potentially encourage the violation of the country’s immigration policies, they constitute a tool for racial subordination and exacerbate the problem of mass incarceration.
• The Irish Immigration to America in the 19th Century The increase in food production and income from the war led to increased fertility rates among the Irish. The abrupt end of the war in the early nineteenth century precipitated the emigration.
• Immigration System and Homeland Security The combined efforts of the agencies constituting the Department of Homeland Security in addressing the safety needs of American citizens have a predominant impact on the immigration system.
• Immigration and Homeland Security as Issues It is important to note that the issues of immigration and homeland security are the problem of the moral duty of the United States as a beacon of democracy and the safety of its current […]
• Geopolitics, Diplomacy and Small States: Immigration Challenges in Switzerland The current foreign policies of the country have remained ineffective in regulating the influx of foreigners in the country. The following are some of the specific challenges that are associated with the high rate of […]
• Globalization, Immigration, and Class Division It includes the widespread globalization of countries, diverse economic perception of each, and the acute ethical and legal side of the immigration issue.
• The Florence Project: Immigration According to a fellow volunteer at the Florence Project, one of the biggest non-profit organizations in Arizona, the need for social and emotional support for Mexican immigrants has been of utmost importance across the state […]
• The Texas Border, Security, and Immigration Immigration from Mexico is not thought to represent a violation of U.S.security, but the issue of the Texas border remains relevant and intriguing.
• The Immigration Stations of Ellis Island and Angel Island Although the Angel Island Immigration Station was often referred to as the “Ellis Island” of the West, the conditions in these sites were very different, and so was the treatment of the arriving immigrants.
• Alabama and California Immigration Policies The higher population of immigrants in California pushes the states to create a positive environment for the majority as opposed to Alabama.
• Waves of Immigration: Recognizing Race and Ethnicity In 1965, Congress overturned the discriminatory immigration quota system and passed legislation based on the principles of family reunification and the attraction of a highly-skilled workforce to the United States.
• Immigration: Social Issue Feeling Analysis From the global perspective, the most influencing countries in the world use visa and other conditions of entering the country as a migration regulating tool.
• The Problem of Immigration in the US Puerto Rico came to capitalism and imperialism, and the transformation of this territory into a state “under the wing” of the United States led to the loss of culture, tourism, and an increase in poverty […]
• Illegal Immigration Policies and Violent Crime The authors of this article discuss how illegal immigration and border enforcement influence the level of crime along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Strategies for Solving the Issue of Illegal Immigration in the US The first one is enforcing the measures preventing it, and the second one is changing immigration policy in order to make legalization easier.
• Immigration: Life Chances and Difficulties Other factors are unsuitable weather conditions, persecution, threats to life or health, poverty in the country, risks of disease, and infection. Therefore, immigrants want to find a better place to live in order to improve […]
• The Crisis of Cultural Identity of Luxembourg Due to Massive Immigration The possibility of a city-wide display exhibiting the workmanship and specialties of Luxembourg could be a method for opening the secret of the nation’s way of life. There is an incredible blend of individuals who […]
• Resolving Mexico’s Immigration Crisis A stable rate of immigrants and refugees, particularly traveling in so ‘caravans’ coming from South and Central Americas into Mexico with the hopes of reaching the U.S.or finding permanent residence in Mexico at the least.
• Immigration, Cultural Encounters, and Cultural Clashes He also obeyed the religious traditions of his country by avoiding beef in his food, opting for milk and cornflakes as a meal.
• The Birth of Illegal Immigration In addition, Americans blamed Chinese immigrants for low wages and the unemployment rate, which further influenced the ban on Asians to move to the U.S.
• Immigration: Orientalism and Yellow Power The migration was propelled by drought and floods on the Opium trade between the Chinese and the British. The initial resistance against the Chinese started in 1875 with the enactment of the Page Act.
• Biden Ends Workplace Immigration Raids, Reversing Trump Policy Firstly, the announcement will contribute immensely towards the integrity of most employers in the sense that it is going to push employers to pursue only documented immigrants for labor without putting excessive pressure on the […]
• Immigration: The Costs and Benefits According to the author, due to the prevailing ethnocentrism and the division of society into “us” and “outsiders,” the community often treats immigrants with prejudice.
• Analysis of DACA and Immigration Illegal immigration and its handling has always been a hot button topic in the US, especially after the events of 9/11 and the creation of the department of homeland security.
• Cost of Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Functional Components of the Incident Command System Out of the functions described in the table focusing on the NRF, the most useful and important one is definitely prevention of terrorist attacks and associated incidents.
• Analysis of Immigration Issues The lack of protection for the work of immigrants demands compared to people born in this country and who had the opportunity to get a job because the state protects them.
• US Immigration Policy and Its Correlation to Structural Racism That may create breaches in the immigration policy and cause social instability that could endanger the status of immigrants and even negatively affect the lives of the nationals.
• Immigration to the US in Relation to Covid-19 Overall, the human right to change the place of residence should be upheld by the nations of the world. To conclude, the issues related to immigration should be of more significant concern to the world’s […]
• Ambiguous Loss: Immigration and Separation of Families To lessen the impact of ambiguous loss, immigrants and their families need therapy, community support, and advocacy for policy change to keep them safe.
• Impacts of Immigration and Urbanization Urbanization is a special term that describes the decreasing proportion of people who live in rural areas, the population shift from rural to urban areas, and the possible ways of societies’ adaption to these changes. […]
• The Implications of Immigration When considering the results of the process, both the sender and the receiver country must be discussed, as well as the implications for the migrants themselves.
• Aspects of Immigration Reform Creating a fair, legal, and humane immigration system requires the legalization of almost 11 million immigrants already staying in the country and the simplification of obtaining citizenship in the country.
• COVID-19 and Immigration Issues On March 20th, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Department of Health and Human Services issued a special order to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• Homeland Security Analysis: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services The mission and duties of this agency are closely related to the September 11 events not to face similar losses and threats in the future.
• Immigration Policy in Germany and the United States Germany and the United States contrast each other in resolving the public issue of immigration. The immigration policies of Germany and the United States cater to specific key stakeholders.
• Immigration and Naturalization Service Officer Career For the present paper, I have selected to profile the careers of Custom Officer and Immigration and Naturalization Service Officer. However, the entry-level position for customs is often administrative assistant, who works mainly with documents […]
• Immigration: Where Did Your Ancestors Live? Officially, it is referred to as the Republic of Haiti, and the population of this country is approximately ten million people.
• Immigration from Asia and India: Political Impacts In retrospect, the literature review of the issue at hand has shown that there is a significant gap in the study of the factors that shape immigrants’ ability to reconnect with their cultural roots.
• Immigration: Political Impacts and Social Changes Particularly, the author posits that the increase in the amount of labor force that immigration entails leads to the improved performance of local companies, hence the rise in GDP rates and the overall increase in […]
• Angel Island Immigration Station While European immigrants coming into the country at the beginning of the twentieth century were more familiar with Ellis Island of New York, the Orientals underwent the experience of the immigration station at Angel Island.
• Hearth and Home Perception in 19th-Century Victorians Due to Immigration Nevertheless, the Victorian perception of what constitutes the concept had undergone severe changes in the 19th century, when the heart of the British Empire saw a significant wave of migration into the metropolis from its […]
• Debate on Immigration Policy: Law Enforcement Practices It is presumed that a wise immigration policy performed by the representatives of the police departments is likely to stabilize the current set of things and to reduce the number of illegal unregistered immigration cases.
• Immigration Museum and Cultural Diversity in Australia History The timeline presenting the main periods of immigration which is exhibited in the gallery can help to understand the development of the cultural diversity in Australia from the historic point of view because various periods […]
• Immigration Debate: Literature Study The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U. The Immigration Debate: Studies On The Economic, Demographic, And Fiscal Effects Of Immigration.
• Immigration Asylum and Nationality Law In the UK it is very easy to move from a temporary settlement to a permanent one and it has increased the levels of net migration to the brimming level.
• Immigration Policy, Border Security and Migrant Deaths The research design that was used to collect this data was to investigate the rate of deaths that were experienced among the immigrants since the enactment of the immigration policy.
• Immigration and Refugee Law in New Zealand Consequently, the refugee policy comes about due to the flow of obligations courtesy of the 1960 UNHCR Convention, that is to say, the provision of refugees’ protection.
• The Current Immigration and Customs Immigration has always been the backbone of American history and the country’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity. Immigration in the U.S.is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and its various agencies.U.S.
• Immigration and Its Impact on Employment Opportunities of Local People On the macroeconomic level, the inflow of immigrants to a country leads to an expansion in the size of an economy.
• Immigration and the United States On the other hand, the approximated number of immigrants in the region is 58 million, and the group is projected to be the main source of the future labor force.
• The Immigration in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, in particular, is a noteworthy case study subject due to its history as the center of the UAE government and its corresponding influence on the question of immigration in the nation.
• Immigration Programs in the US Despite its economic, military and cultural power and the concept of an American dream, the US is far from the land of hopes it is portrayed to be.
• US Politics of Immigration The representatives of the Democratic and the Republican Parties of the United States have opposite viewpoints on immigration-related issues. In conclusion, the views of Democrats and Republicans on immigration are completely different.
• Immigration and Multiculturalism: Flow of Workers This paper aims to address the question of whether the flow of workers makes a positive impact on the host country in the context of society and business.
• The Immigration Benefits Specialists define labour migration as an advantageous process that positively affects the development of the economy in countries of employment and the improvement of the quality of life of families of labour migrants in their […]
• Immigration in Canada and Ethnicity: New Perspectives Such a reality will continue to influence and affect the life outcomes of the greatest number of Canadian citizens with diverse backgrounds in the future.
• Immigration From Mexico to the United States In the present day, the immigration of Mexican citizens to the United States is a topic of considerably intense debates for various political and economic reasons.
• Role of Immigration in Development of Canadian History Changes to the Immigration Act in the 1960s and the Royal Commission recommendations that led to the bilingual framework and multiculturalism stance of the Canadian government signified the significant shift for the country from being […]
• The History of Immigration to the United States and the Nature of Racism The development of the idea of race and ethnicity along with the idea of racial antagonism has two main stages in the history of the United States.
• Immigrant Adaptation Patterns Generally, the main difference of this form of adaptation is in the fact that immigrants may continue having their own cultural perceptions as their connections with the motherland are still strong due to family ties, […]
• Mitt Romney Softens Stance on Immigration The minority vote, particularly the Latino, has been on the increase and could have an effect on the election by providing a margin of victory on some of the states such as Nevada, Colorado and […]
• Illegal Immigration Control in the Texas Although the public assigns immense powers to the governor’s office, Texas’ office of the governor enjoys weak institutional powers because of the constitution’s provision of multiple offices that server alongside the office of the governor.
• Chinese American Immigration The Chinese American immigration consists of two distinct periods: first wave occurred between the 1850s and 1880s and ended in the appearance of federal laws that restricted the immigration: and the second wave that started […]
• US Immigration: Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Philippines The origins of Philippines immigration lie in its historical and political links with the United States Philippines used to be first annexed by the United States in 1989 and then an insular area of the […]
• Immigration Of Mexicans Into The United States In The Early 20th Century In the book, “Becoming Mexican American: ethnicity, culture, and identity in Chicano Los Angeles 1900-1945”, the author, Sanchez, addresses various issues that led to the immigration of Mexican into the United States. Community crisis is […]
• Berlin: Music, Spies, and Turkish Immigration And I think that Berlin’s split during the XX century has also influenced the music that was produced and written here: in its core, it reflects the differences and similarities between the East and West.
• The Illegal Immigration Prevention Policy For example, one of the biggest of them would be the necessity to analyze all the gathered information. Therefore, it is safe to assume that there would be no shortage of information for the Chef […]
• The Immigration Crisis by Armando Navarro This is a strategy that has been incepted to reduce the immigration of the people especially in countries that have direct business transactions.
• Birthright Citizenship in the US This is whereby a foreigner travels to the United State for a short period for the sole reason of giving birth in the U.S.in order to guarantee the citizenship of the child.
• Failure of Immigration Laws in Pakistan and Its Influence on American Economy The military death and announcement of the Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by the president of the United States of America have raised eyebrows on the immigration policies of Pakistan as a sovereign nation.
• “Arizona Immigration Law Debate Triggers National Shockwaves” by Nowicki While the motives of the author are unknown, it is likely that proposing the debate as so contentious will cause the audience to be more enticed to read and more engaged in the material.
• Immigration: The Ethical Side So, in order to make it clear, the essay will touch upon ethical advantages and disadvantages of immigration for the countries of origin and for the US.
• Mexican-US Immigration: Causes and Effects The drift of Mexicans or Latinos into the US is begging for increased concerns recently, especially among Republicans and the concern around decision tables is to itemize and resolve causes and effects that are directly […]
• Current Immigration Patterns in Canada The refugee population is made up of the populace who come to seek refuge in Canada as well as the populace made up of persons brought to Canada by churches, private sponsors as well as […]
• Arizona’s 2010 Immigration Law and US Economy A challenge is thrown to this clause by the 2010 Arizona immigration Law in America. It is this very thing that the founding fathers of the American Constitution had feared and thus took steps to […]
• The American Immigration Debate In the context of the present discussion of the immigrant debate in the US, one should turn to the work of Brimelow who has offered a rather radical solution to the problem of immigration.
• Immigration Issues in the USA The USA is the country that was built up of immigrants at the period of British colonization about three centuries ago; people who could not find their happiness and welfare in the Old Land came […]
• Causes and Consequences of Immigration to Canada The Chinese and Japanese still kept their oriental culture while the rest of the immigrants adapted to the new way of living in Canada.
• Ellis Island as an Immigration Station The minority of the un-admitted immigrants who had spent time and energy on the long journey to the Island led to the Island being referred to as “The Heartbreak Island” or the “The Island of […]
• Race Relations in Britain. Immigration Situation This was the first large-scale migration of colored immigrants as compared to the minimal migrations that Britain had gotten used to.
• Saenz’ Opinion on Comprehensive Legislation on Immigration In addition to this is the fact that, it would be in accordance with the respect for human rights that the country stands for.
• Russian Immigration to America after 1945 The first wave of migration of the Russians was in the second half of the nineteenth century and during the early 20th Century before the First World War.
• Social Issues in Kuwait: Immigration Workforce Among the frequently highlighted issues in the country, one is the low productivity among the local workforce due to the high influence of favoritism and nepotism in promotions and merits.
• Immigration in California: “Moving Still” by Francisco Jimenez The atmosphere of fear and poverty forced the families to break the rules and to overcome the frontier in the pursuit of welfare.
• US Immigration in Late 19th Century In the late 19th century, following the stream of the “Gold Rush”, millions of immigrants entered the United States, most of them attracted by the opportunity to earn “easy money” and to escape the hardships […]
• Humanities. Immigration Issues in the United States The scope of the problem of illegal immigration in the United States has remained undefined due to the vagueness of the immigration policies.
• The Effects of Immigration in Texas The period between 200 and 2006 saw the population of the foreign-born in the Texas state increase by twenty-four percent and it was during this same period that the state gained over 650,000 immigrants bringing […]
• Jobs and the American Economy: The Issue of Immigration The issues of immigration to the USA, either legal or illegal are of great significance for the US government. Since the 1990s, lots of academic researches have tried to charge the extent to which immigration […]
• Catholic and Jewish Immigration in the United States The experiences and challenges of starting a new life in America were very different for both the Catholics and the Jews primarily because of their different social cultural and social economic disparities.
• The History of Canadian Immigration and Innovative Federal Immigration Policy Though this phenomenon has outlined in positive financial growth in Canada there are lots of fundamental complexities that immigrants usually have to challenge when immigrating to Canada comprising the underdevelopment of community services, difficulties in […]
• Women Study: Immigration and Mothering One of the most essential areas of such studies is immigration in relation to gender and specifically mothering.”Immigration and Mothering; Case Studies from Two Generations of Korean Immigrant Women” by Seungsook Moon is an attempt […]
• Illegal Immigration: Difference in Covering the Matter The aim of the paper is to discover the difference in covering the matter of illegal migration to Canary Islands from sub-Saharan including periodical issues, radio broadcasts, and a photo, in order not only to […]
• Amending Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 The arguments for the former side include the following: first is that there is an unprecedented increase in the inflow of illegal workers in the United States.
• Why Immigration Is a Problem When Amir came to rescue him, he is beaten by Assef and Sohrab hits Assef with a stone from the sling in the eye and it is when they manage to escape and go back […]
• Necessity of Immigration Reform in America Basically, immigration reform pertains to policies and programs that aim to improve the development of the quality of life that will aid in the adjustments of the immigrants.
• Open Immigration Borders Migration: Effects of Muslim Ideologically, the presence of the Muslim religion has affected the lives of the people of France in one way or the other.
• Immigration, Hispanics, and Mass Incarceration in the U.S. This article evaluates the effect of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, that led to the legalization of approximately 3 million immigrants had on the crime rates in the U.S.
• Immigration and Labor Law The majority of research findings suggest that despite the active work of the legislative branch on the improvement of immigration policies, the lives of both documented and undocumented foreigners are obstructed with multiple limitations and […]
• Immigration as a Source of Community Problems In order to address the immigration concern, one will have to create a more welcoming and inviting economic and social environment for immigrants, reducing the propensity toward a cross-cultural conflict and engaging the members of […]
• How Immigration Affects Global Business The purpose of this paper is to apply different case studies and thoughts to describe how immigration continues to affect global business.
• Federal Immigration Policy: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals It allowed people who came to the U.S.as minors to be in the U.S.legally. Hence, my perspective is that one needs to be educated and well-informed on the ongoing situation, as it concerns every person […]
• Immigration History of New York City: The Most Significant Center for New Arrivals This essay addresses the immigration history of New York City through the examination of the general history of American immigration, the city’s background, and its contemporary state from the perspective of newcomers.
• The Migrant and Immigration Issues in the US Society Reading John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Helena Mar a Viramontes’s Under the Feet of Jesus altered my understanding of the problems related to migration and immigration.
• The History of Korean American Immigration Experience Firstly, the documentary by Coffman displays the urge of the Korean people to avoid the Japanese imperialism that was developing on the Korean territory at that time.
• Immigration Issues in the United States It was built on the labor, ideas, and cultural melting pot of immigrants coming to the US in the hopes of achieving the American dream, finding a new life, and establishing a home for their […]
• New Waves of Immigration to the United States The author specifies that, with the U.S.quickly becoming a crucial political power in the global arena, people from the countries that were either colonized by the U.S.or suffered economic issues because of the economic expansion […]
• Immigration and Crime Rates in the United States The paper evaluates the effects of immigration on crime in America and discusses the hidden dangers of America’s political asylum opportunities. There ought to be a law that limits the number of political asylum seekers […]
• Labor Economy and Immigration A particular way to measure discrimination in the context of labor is to calculate mean earnings indicators for groups of people of different gender and age and to come from different ethnic backgrounds; in case […]
• The Immigration Museum: Cultural Diversity in Australia The Immigration Museum is an exhibition center that was opened in 1998, with the aim of exhibiting the cultural diversity and the Indigenous history of Australia.
• International Immigration Flows: Economic Pressure Therefore, these countries experience economic integration and diversification, a factor that attract immigrants to new destinations due to favorable terms of trade.
• Social Issues of the Immigration Journal The authors studied the impacts of multiculturalism of the period 1980s to 1990s on institutional forms of immigrants in the Netherlands.
• Irish and German Immigration to the 19th-Century US In the middle of the 19th century, half of the Irish and German population immigrated to America. One of the main reasons that made Irish and Germans immigrate was the presence of large land in […]
• Employment Law: Immigration Reform and Control Act Due to this fact, Patricia and other employers are expected to follow the specifications of this law. There are several procedures that Patricia is expected to follow in the process of employment.
• Ethics of Illegal Immigration Effects on the US As such, the Immigration Act of 1924 was established, which promoted the immigration of foreign citizens into the US to meet these requirements, and also created several objective preconditions for foreigners to consider entering America […]
• Immigration Influence on Israeli Residents’ Personality Traits The research problem of the present study is how immigration, the following acculturation, and multilingualism influence the personality traits of Israeli residents.
• Changes in Immigration Policy Nevertheless, there are a lot of issues surrounding the policy that is connected both to the reaction of the community and the possible negative outcomes of its implementation.
• Fiscal Concerns and Public Attitude towards Immigration In the past few years, immigration has changed the demographic composition of a majority of the developed countries. The political economy approach considers the economic impacts of immigration that lead to native people rejecting or […]
• Illegal Immigration Issue in the USA The secure border could also be considered one of the possible solutions to the problem of illegal immigration as it will help to control this very aspect.
• Muslim Immigration to European Countries This popularity has been because of the high number of immigrants that have been witnessed in the preceding years in France, Germany, and Britain experiencing the largest influx of immigrants from different countries.
• Women’s Immigration and Its High Price However, these women and children must meet their daily needs, which implies that they have to seek employment from the host regions and countries.
• The New Immigration Laws Creating a New Realty The main advantage of this new policy is that it empowers the customs and immigration officials to deport anyone that they arrest for being in the country illegally.
• Donald Trump’s Immigration Speech The audience consisted mostly of his electorate and, judging from the reaction of the crowd observed in the video, the majority of the listeners were sympathetic with the content as they reacted positively to the […]
• Immigration Pros and Cons for the Immigrants Themselves This paper will evaluate the economic consequences of immigration to immigrants and will give a summary of how this is going to outweigh its negative social-economic consequences to the unskilled immigrants.
• Immigration as the Positive Economic Consequences in the USA On the face of it, the principal benefit, which an unskilled immigrant is likely to receive in the USA, is the level of wages set for different types of basic labour.
• Immigration and Urban Change in the USA As the former colony of the British Empire, the USA was built by the hands of the immigrants, so immigration issues were and still are among the top problems in American society.
• Open Immigration, Its Benefits and Morality In this paper, Kukathas articulates that the benefits of open migration as compared to other approaches to the question of immigration. In this essay, Risse makes the argument that “the natural resources of the planet […]
• Illegal Immigration, Its Causes, Methods, Effects It is the duty of immigration officers to update all the expired visas and ensure that either they are renewed or the victims leave the country.
• Current Immigration Issues in the United States First of all, the goal of this speech is to inform the audience of the current immigration issues in the country and how they have been and are promised to be treated by the politicians.
• Immigration in Trump’s Candidate Speech
• Immigration and Healthcare in the United States
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for Women
• Illegal Immigration Crisis: Problems and Solutions
• The Economics of Immigration
• Immigration Pros and Cons for the United States
• The Problems of Immigration: Muneera Qahtani Views
• A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life
• New York Times: Obama Vows to Push Immigration Changes
• Media View in Shaping Immigration
• Immigrants’ Human Rights in America: The Issue of Immigration as Old as the Country
• Immigration Effects in Patrick Buchanan’s The Death of the West
• How Immigration Relates to Post-Human and Globalization?
• Immigration in America: the Current Understanding
• Justice of Immigration in the United States
• Ontario Immigration Rates Growth
• Reasons of Immigration Literature Growth
• Operation Jump Start in Immigration Issues: Pros and Cons
• Immigration and Its Effects to the Middle East
• Relationship of Immigration and Median Household
• Sheriff Joe’s Illegal Immigration in Arizona
• Immigration Laws in Arizona State
• UK Immigration in 2015
• Ethnic Groups in the US Immigration History
• Political Sciences: American Immigration
• Immigration Debate in the US
• Waves of Immigration to the United States
• Immigration Issues in Different Spheres
• Illegal Immigration in the United States
• Illegal Immigration Problem in the United States
• Immigration and Deportation Processes
• Is the Legalization of Illegal Aliens a Good Solution to Illegal Immigration in America?
• Middle Eastern Immigrants in Australia
• Immigration as Social Issue in Australia
• The Aspects of Immigration into Australia
• Role of Frontex in Combating Illegal Immigration in the European Union Territory
• Illegal Immigration in the United States as an Economic Burden
• The Issue of Muslims’ Immigration to Australia
• Stopping Illegal Immigration: Border Security
• Analysis of Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Immigration History
• Arab Immigration in USA
• U.S. Immigration Reform Policy Circa 2001 to Present
• Immigration and Changes in British Society around the Time Period the Novel is Set
• Bridging People Together: When Immigration Issue Comes to the Forth
• Immigration and Multiculturalism in Australia
• Economics and Immigration in Japan
• Immigration and Illegal Foreigners in Japan
• Legal Mexican Immigration Wave Since 1965
• Immigration to Australia (Arabic Case)
• Impact of the DREAM Act on Immigration in America
• Immigration of Filipino Nurses to the United States
• History of Immigration in the United States
• Women and Immigration Challenges
• Immigration Reform in the United States
• Immigration Admission and Control Polices
• Immigration Policies and Economy
• Types of Diasporas: Articles Analysis
• Public Opinion on Immigration and Ethnic Relations in the US
• Effects of illegal immigration on the economy of the United States and the measures that be taken to minimize the effect
• Is Immigration an Economic benefit to the Host Country?
• Controversy Surrounding Immigration
• How Has Immigration Transformed the Life and Culture of London Over the Past 150 Years?
• Canadian Immigration Policies: Points-Based System
• U.S. Immigration Encouragement
• Errors Made by the United States Citizen and Immigration Service When Processing Immigration Forms
• Socio-Economic Benefits of Immigrant Population in the US and Canada
• Immigration in the Film ‘The Guest worker’
• Economic advantages and disadvantages of immigration into the U.S.
• Sweden and Denmark: Immigration policies
• Age at Immigration and Second Language Proficiency Among Foreign-born Adults by Gillian Stevens
• Immigration Specificity of ELLs in Canada and the USA
• Immigration Reform and the Economic Impact
• Immigration Reform in US Government
• Justice Theories and American Immigration System
• Political Immigration as Addressed in City on the Edge: The Transformation of Miami
• Impact of Immigration on the Geography of Canada
• Immigration: “City on the Edge” and “Friends or Strangers”
• The Political Affairs and Strategies of Immigration Laws in the State of North Carolina
• Immigration Bill in US
• Immigration bias on Hispanics in North Carolina
• Myths About Immigration in the U.S.
• Immigration, Socioeconomic and Upward Mobility and Cultural Assimilation
• The Root Cause of Racism and Ethnic Stratification in the US
• A Speech Touching on Immigration Reforms
• Women Immigration to US
• American Immigration History
• History of Immigration and Its Timeline in the United States
• History of Immigration – United States
• Rights of Immigrants and Immigration Policy
• Globalisation, Immigration, Race and Ethnicity in Vancouver
• Immigration and Discrimination in the Workplace
• Immigration Debate: Romney & Obama
• Immigration’s Influence on the USA
• Economic Consequences of Immigration
• Economic Consequences of Immigration on Socioeconomic Activities
• Immigration in the Contemporary American Society
• Factor that Cause Immigration
• Consequences of Immigration
• The Issue of Illegal Immigration
• Coming to America: An Exploration of Immigration
• Annotation of Immigration Effects on Homicide Offending for Total and Race/Ethnicity-Disaggregated Populations
• Anti-Anti Immigration: Principles to Make Migration Work
• The Impact of Immigration on the American Society and Culture
• Immigration as Political Issue in the USA
• Immigration Policy: Government Approach and Solutions
• Effect of Immigration on American Economy
• Migration, Immigration, and Emigration, and their Effects on Religion, Women, and Minorities in Egypt
• Illegal Immigration: Views of Policy Makers, Media and General Public
• The Impact of Immigration on the Economy of the USA
• The Chief Tool of the “White Australian Policy” was the Immigration Restriction Act, 1901
• The Immigration History in the United States
• Argument for Measures to Control Illegal Immigration
• The Immigration Status for Students
• Free-rider Problem and Illegal Immigration
• The History of Canada, Its Position on Immigration
• Economic Contribution of Slaves and Present Day Legal and Illegal Immigration
• Legal Immigration versus Illegal Immigration in America
• Crossing Borders: Immigration Issue
• Immigration and Crime Rate
• Pros and Cons of Immigration for the Immigrants
• Immigration Admissions and Control Policies
• Immigration Policies Challenges
• Analyzing the Issue of Illegal Immigration in the US
• Immigration and Ethnic Relations
• World Publics Welcome Global Trade – But Not Immigration
• Arizona Immigration Law Reform
• The Fact of Immigration in the US and Media Reaction
• Arizona Immigration Law: What For?
• Maria Full of Grace and De Nadie: Immigration in Terms of Shots and Angles
• Are Attitudes Towards Immigration Changing in Europe?
• Should Anti Immigration Measures Between the Us and Mexico Be?
• Are There Valid Economic Grounds for Restricting Immigration?
• Can Illegal Immigration Ever Be Solved?
• Does Education Affect Attitudes Towards Immigration?
• Should Nations Restrict Immigration?
• Why Do Americans Think Immigration Hurts the Economy?
• Can Illegal Immigration Lead to Terrorism?
• Can Immigration Alleviate the Demographic Burden?
• Does Immigration Affect Demand for Redistribution?
• Should America Encourage Immigration?
• Can Immigration Compensate for Europe’s Low Fertility?
• Are Concerns Over Immigration to Do With Culture of Economic Reasons?
• Can Immigration Reduce Imbalances Among Labor Markets?
• Does Immigration Affect the American Economy?
• Can Immigration Slow U.S. Population Aging?
• Can Old Immigration Theories Be Applied to New Immigrants?
• How Unification and Immigration Affected the German Income Distribution?
• Can Selective Immigration Policies Reduce Migrants’ Quality?
• Can Immigration Mitigate the Rising Pension Burden in Europe?
• Does Border Enforcement Protect U.S. Workers From Illegal Immigration?
• How Was Immigration Throughout the 1960s?
• Does Educational Choice Erode the Immigration Surplus?
• Should Countries Implement Immigration Quotas?
• Does Europe Need Mass Immigration?
• Can Immigration Save Our Social Protection System?
• Does Immigration Affect Public Education Expenditures?
• How Should the United States Treat the Present Day Immigrants?
• Should Immigration Standards Tougher?
• Who Has the Most Impact on Illegal Immigration Policy?
• Immigrant Stories: A Visual Journey
• How Cultural Identity is Redefined in Modern Immigration
• How Immigration Transforms Culinary Traditions
• Symbolism of Borders, Walls, and Bridges in Immigration Narratives
• Analysis of Science Fiction Works on Alien Immigration
• Does Language Unite or Divide Communities?
• Ways to Depict the Emotions of Immigrant Experience
• Immigration Stories in Song Form
• How Digital Technology Impacted Immigration
• The Possibility of Extraterrestrial Immigration
• Global Migration Patterns Throughout the 20th Century
• Immigration Policies Around the World: Comparison
• Push and Pull Factors of Immigration.
• The Impact of Immigration on Host Country’s Language.
• Approaches to Immigrant Inclusion.
• Challenges Faced by Refugees and Asylum Seekers
• The Role of Migrant Workers in a Country’s Economy
• Educational Opportunities for Immigrant Youth
• Myths and Reality of Undocumented Immigration
• How Immigration Detention Relates to Human Rights Concerns?
• Border Security and Migration Management Strategies
• How Do Migrants Negotiate Their Sense of Belonging?
• Humanitarian Issue of Family Separation
• Immigration Biases and Stereotypes in Media Representation
• Celebrating Diversity of Immigrants in Host Countries
• Social Problems Essay Ideas
• Social Responsibility Topics
• Colonization Essay Ideas
• Segregation Research Topics
• Immigration Reform Topics
• Human Trafficking Titles
• Cultural Identity Research Topics
• Demography Paper Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Immigration to America — Immigrant Experience and Challenges

Immigrant Experience and Challenges

• Categories: Immigration to America Overcoming Challenges Personal Experience

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Words: 661 |

Published: Aug 24, 2023

Words: 661 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Leaving home, embracing the unknown, challenges of adaptation and cultural transition, the pursuit of education: bridging cultures, preserving cultural identity, overcoming stereotypes and building bridges, the american dream: a journey of possibilities, a message of hope for the future, conclusion: a journey of identity and aspiration.

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25 great stories about the immigrant experience

• BY Anne Bogel
• IN Book Lists , Books & Reading , Reading Challenge

The sixth category for the 2017 Reading Challenge —for those of you who are stretching yourselves this year—is “a book about the immigrant experience.”

Why? The books that fulfill this category automatically include a diversity of plot lines that make for a good story: the clash of cultures, the journey tale, the confusion of identities, the pang of homesickness, the nostalgic look to the past.

Depending on which title you choose, this could be your opportunity to take a journey you’ll never actually live, to travel back in time, to better understand your neighbors, or to experience your own land through radically different eyes.

Need ideas for this category? There are so many good ones, which is why I’ve included a whopping twenty-five titles here. Most are fiction; a few are non-. All are fair game for this category. I can’t wait to hear your suggestions, and to see which titles YOU choose to read.

What book about the immigrant experience are you reading for this category? What titles would you add to the list?

The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story

Before We Visit the Goddess

The Shoemaker’s Wife

Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand

A Fall of Marigolds

The Sun Is Also a Star

Cutting for Stone

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith

The Hundred Dresses

The Boston Girl

Girl in Translation

The Namesake

Behold the Dreamers

Orphan Train: A Novel

O Pioneers!

The Light of the World: A Memoir

68 comments

The Hundred Dresses was probably one of my favorite books growing up. I always asked my mom to get it from the library. Such a good book!

What a great list! Adding several of these to my WTR list. So glad you included Jhumpa Lahiri, too.

Just finished the Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. A collection of short stories with excellent insights into the universal experiences faced by refugees. Based on the Vietnamese refugee experience.

That’s a great addition!

Wow! I just learned that this must be one of my favorite genres. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my all time favorite with The Boston Girl being one of my favorites as well. Pachinko is tied for best book I’ve read this year (along with This is the Way it Always Is). Thank you for this list, I will return to it for future TBR.

I’d like to add American Street. Just finished it and it was excellent! High school student Fabiola and her mother immigrate from Haiti to resettle in Detroit with an aunt and cousins. Life in urban Detroit is not what Fabiola expects and she finds herself in way over her head due to cultural differences.

That’s a new title to me; thanks for sharing!

The Voyage of Their Live: The Story of the SS Derna and its Passengers by Diane Armstrong is a marvelous account of European immigrants who survived WWII and traveled to Australia to begin new lives. Mrs. Armstrong compellingly weaves narratives of individuals from many walks of life, sharing their heart-rending war experiences, shipboard encounters, and courageous adventures as they began a new life in a strange land. Armstrong is uniquely qualified to pen this work as she was a 9 year old passenger on the SS Derna. As a journalist she has the skills to ferret out interesting details and compassionately tells the stories of many amazing people. It’s an inspiring book of immigrants who overcame great obstacles.

I’ve never heard of this one before—thanks so much for sharing!

Hamilton by Ron Chernow – best biography of anybody ever, period, end of story.

The Story Hour by Thrity Umrigar, or anything by Thrity Umrigar would be my choice for a great novel in this category.

Exit West is one of my favorite titles of the year (though I’ve noticed it’s not for everyone.) I just lent my stepmom my copy of Before We Visit the Goddess, since she lent me Interpreter of Maladies, both of which were so good! Americanah, The Namesake, The Sun is Also a Star, AND Little Bee are all currently on my bookshelves and my TBR list. I really need to get on it!

Thanks for this list. I would recommend The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez, also.

I second this. It’s on my list to read this Summer. A lot of people in my book club read this one and LOVED it!

I was going to recommend this book also, one of my favorites!

One of my absolute favorites!!!! So good!

Hi Anne! Thank you for sharing your list! I will definitely add some of those titles to my TBR list. I just read “That Thing We Call a Heart” by Sheba Karim, and really enjoyed its description of a Pakistani-American teenager navigating love and friendship the year after graduating from high school. While it is an easy-to read YA romance, it also tackles a wide range of cultural topics, including wearing hijab, Urdu poetry, and the partition of India and Pakistan. I would definitely recommend this book!

This year I’ve read a few immigrant stories: The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, Girl in Translation, and Americanah. The first is about an Ethiopian who comes to Washington, DC and deals with gentrification in poor neighborhoods as well as immigration.

And for very young children, we love “The Keeping Quilt” by Patricia Polacco!

Such a great book! Read with a Kleenex!

This one is not really on anyone’s radar. I think maybe they talked about it on a Book Riot podcast. An African in Greenland by Tete-Michel Kpomassie. A young boy from Togo ends up living in Greenland and of course, fish out of water problems endue!

Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor. I couldn’t put it down. It’s the story of the authors parents who were undocumented workers in Calif. The book was passed around my family for a summer and we all loved it and still discuss it years later. The characters become like family.

What a fantastic list, hadn’t heard of several of these! I really loved Joseph O’Connor’s Star of the Sea, a wonderful book about Irish immigrants travelling by sea to America in the mid-19th century.

Great list – thanks for posting! I’d like to add “We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter, based on the true story of a family of Polish Jews who are separated at the start of WWII, determined to survive and somehow reunite. I found it relevant and gripping from start to finish.

Great list. I had read quite a few, several are on my to-read list. I HIGHLY recommend The Song Poet and The Latehomecomer by Kao Kahlia Yang. Deep, emotional, loving non-fiction books of a Hmong family immigrating to Minnesota.

Deb Garvey: Yes, just chiming in to add those two by Kao Kalia Yang. They should definitely be added to the list.

Loved Girl In Translation, Orphan Train, and Major Pettigrew (possibly all recommendations from your blog or podcast!). We Never Asked For Wings by Vanessa Diffenbough was also a good one about Mexican illegal immigrants.

I REALLY LIKED THE ONE I READ FOR THIS CATERGORY— TITLED UPRISING WRITTEN BY MARGARET PERERSON HADDIX. RATED IT 4 STARS OUT OF 5.

Great list, as always. I don’t think anyone else mentioned this one, but I would like to add No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal. I recently finished it and loved it.

The Line of the Sun by Judith Ortiz Cofer would be perfect for this list. It stays with you.

What a great list! I’m so glad to see “Girl in Translation” on this list. I had never heard of it but saw it on my library’s “Too Good to Miss” shelf (where they display good books that have been out for a while) and decided to pick it up. I loved this book and felt such a bond with Kim despite having vastly different life experiences.

Anne, I’ve just been appreciating you and your book recommendations lately and wanted to let you know. Thank you! You are amazing at what you do!

So many great books on this list! I just added several to my TBR list. Will Cather has a special place in my heart, as she lived in Red Cloud, Nebraska, only about an hour from my home. Such expansive and beautiful writing!

Loved Little Bee!

I would add The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street to this list (by Susan Jane Gilman). You could use the same book for the “unreliable narrator” category. Great ideas here. Thanks!

I listened to Behold the Dreamers on Audiobook and I can NOT recommend it nearly enough. So beautiful and such a skilled reader! All of the accents and songs and music–it was enchanting and heartbreaking.

In the Country We Love is a must read. Diane Guerrero’s memoir after coming home from school one day to find her parents had been deported. Heart wrenching and eye opening. Also, The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez, told from the point of view of several different Latino immigrants in one small northeast apartment complex. Also oldie but a goodie, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

Thank you for the list! These are my favorite kinds of stories because, as an adult, I’m actively seeking titles about diverse cultural experiences. I recommend In the Country by Mia Alvar. It’s a fantastic collection of short stories about the Filipino/a diaspora that feel so intimate that they left me thinking about the characters long after finishing the book.

Wow, I guess I’ve found my genre, too! I’ve read, and loved, so many of these books! Little Bee, Brooklyn, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Namesake. I guess I’ll have to add some of the others to my TBR! These are such beautiful, important stories for us to read. Thanks for another great list.

I just finished reading Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran, and it would make a great addition to this list. The story of an undocumented Mexican woman, her American-born son, and the Indian-American couple who become his foster parents when his birth mother is arrested and held in immigrant detention. Excellent read!

The Shoemaker’s Wife is SO good! I only buy books if I want to read them again and again. I bought this one!

I have many of these! Must dive in. Thanks 🙂

In addition to the great titles on the list (especially A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), I would also recommend God Grew Tired of Us: a Memoir. While not the best writing, it’s worth the read as a very thought-provoking memoir of a Sudanese Lost Boy who immigrated to the US in 2001. I read this after watching the documentary by the same name. I also second another reader’s timely suggestion of Lost Boy.

This was one of my favorite prompts in the reading challenge this year. I truly enjoy delving into the struggles and personal victories of others – their lives, cultures and time periods. As a newly identified “Explorer” it was noteworthy that I had already read 10 of the 25 books listed and could identify at least another five from my TBR list. To your list of 25 I would add some oldies but goodies: How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent or The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love; Breathe, Eyes, Memory; The Joy Luck Club; Angela’s Ashes; Brick Lane and My Antonia.

I have read a couple of these already. Thanks for the extensive list – most of them are on my TBR list, but what a great reminder to get reading!

What a lot of great titles here! I’ve really added a lot to my TBR today! Here’s my recommendation – Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin (amazing writer of lots of Christian fiction – one of my favorite authors). 3 orphaned sisters in Sweden come to the US through Ellis Island in 1897, wanting to end up in Chicago. This is a fabulous book!! 🙂

PS And for some reason, it’s only 83 cents on the Kindle today!!

Thanks for the heads up on the sale! Purchased and looking forward to reading. 🙂

Howard Fast’s The Immigrants…just starting this one. Rec9mmended to me by my FIL, an immigrant from Austria.

Great list! Another idea for this category is a graphic novel (a first for me!) I just finished called “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui. I can’t stop thinking about it. Something about the combination of the haunting illustrations and the author coming to terms with her own part in the larger story of her Vietnamese immigrant family…it was powerful. My husband’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam as well, and some aspects of the family’s story in the novel are quite similar to his family’s experiences. I’m so glad I read this book…and now I want to recommend to it everyone I know.

So many great ones on this list! I read both Little Bee and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn this year, and I have The Hundred Dresses on my daughters’ bookshelf. I need to pull it out with them soon. Pachinko is on my TBR list.

Another great one is What is the What by Dave Eggers, about one of the Lost Boys of Sudan.

Wonderful book!

I’ve never thought of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as an immigrant story. Puts it in a whole new light for me!

I’d add A Free Life by Ha Jin to this list!

Great list! I think I have read twenty of them! I’ll add The Leavers by Lisa Ko, a Chinese immigrant story that is very congruent with the world today. It has a blurb by Ann Patchett and one by Barbara Kingsolver, so no need for my endorsement!

I loved The Leavers by Lisa Ko. I was very surprised it was not on this list. One of my favorites of 2017!

A great YA pick is Esperanza Rising—easily read in a day or two, all about a young girl’s immigration experience from Mexico to the US to work as a migrant farmer after her father’s death.

Lisa See is a good author too to watch for themes of immigration–several of her books have it as a central theme, and I have yet to read a book of hers I didn’t love.

http://autodidacticambitions.blogspot.com

These look like such interesting books! Good thing my husband works at a library! I just read The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande. It was honest, good, and I felt as if I had been there with her because of her great descriptive passages!

This is one of your best lists ever. I have read number of these books and have now added several to my ongoing list. The most recent book I’ve read from this list is Exit West. Intriguing and I loved the added touch of mystical realism.

I’d add The Song Poet by Kao Kalia Yang, about a Hmong refugee family in MN.

We just listened to the audiobook for “Ain’t So Awful Falafel” and it would be a great addition to the list too. I especially liked this book because my children enjoyed it as much as I did and I think we all learned more about the immigrant experience.

I can’t say enough about The Book of Unknown Americans (Cristina Henriquez) and the insight it gave into what it’s like for new families trying to settle in the US. Highly Recommend.

I liked Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.

I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I would also highly recommend Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife (my very favorite of hers), The Joy Luck Club or The Bonesetter’s Daughter. I learned so much about the Chinese – American experience and culture that has helped me understand more of Chinese history. I can’t wait to read some of the books on this list.

This is probably my favorite genre of all fiction. Super surprised that you didn’t include Joy Luck Club, though. It’s so good, and a classic!

Another great one is The Distance between us by Reyna Grande. A Mexican girl making it to America. So incredibly good!!

This is my favorite theme to read.

Well three of my favorites made the list A tree Grows in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, and The Orphan Train. As an Irish person living in the Kentucky for 18 years, these three resonated with me.

I remember reading A Hundred Dresses in early elementary school. It really left an impression on me but at the time the immigrant aspect escaped me. Time to revisit!

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Where We Come From - Stories From Immigrants

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Priya Krishna and her mother, Ritu, in their kitchen. Michael Zamora/NPR hide caption

Where We Come From: Our Histories. Our Voices.

Video: priya krishna and her mom explore 'indian-ish' food.

June 22, 2021 • Food writer Priya Krishna and her mother, Ritu Krishna, discuss influences on their Indian cooking. They explore assimilation through food and why recipes like dal represent comfort for their family.

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June 16, 2021 • Colette Baptiste-Mombo and her family moved to an all-white suburb at the height of the civil rights era. She shares how racist attacks changed her life, and how she deals with generational trauma.

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June 8, 2021 • César Magaña Linares is a temporary protected status, or TPS, holder from El Salvador. As an activist and law student, he's redefining what it means to be an immigrant, beyond the headlines.

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June 1, 2021 • Assimilation has a cost. As a third generation Chinese American, NPR Short Wave's Emily Kwong is rediscovering the language her father once knew, and what that means for where she comes from.

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Leaving a War Behind

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World Series MVP Jorge Soler of the Atlanta Braves, who escaped from Cuba, hits a three run home run ... [+] against the Houston Astros during the third inning in Game Six of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 2, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The year 2021 saw many immigrants who made memorable contributions to America. Here are the most inspiring immigration stories of 2021.

Americans Welcome Afghan Refugees: In 2021, the collapse of the Afghan government put everyone at risk who worked with the United States, and Americans welcomed thousands of Afghans fleeing the Taliban. An early sign of the exodus came in June 2021, with the arrival in America of Maj. Naiem Asadi, “a celebrated Afghan fighter pilot trained by the American military, who hid for months with his wife and 5-year-old daughter from Taliban death threats,” reported the Wall Street Journal . “Maj. Naiem Asadi’s case came under the spotlight late last year after Washington reversed its initial decision to help him leave Afghanistan and live in the U.S. Maj. Asadi and his family left Kabul on Tuesday after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) last month granted them parole—a temporary protection status for noncitizens in the country, according to his lawyer.

“During this period, he can apply for asylum, the lawyer said. ‘You can’t even imagine how happy I am,’ Maj. Asadi said on the phone from New Jersey on Thursday, his voice giddy with excitement and his daughter playing noisily in the background.”

As of November 2021, thousands of refugees evacuated from Afghanistan remained living on U.S. military bases, such as Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, where a “village” of temporary housing is called the Aman Omid (“peace and hope” in Persian). “The Afghans here are heroic and ambitious, say the military commanders and officials who run the camp, many of whom are themselves veterans of the war in Afghanistan,” reports Abigail Hauslohner of the Washington Post . “These Afghan guests have sacrificed much for America. I’d actually say that the majority of those in the village have risked more for American security than the vast majority of Americans have,” said Daniel E. Gabrielli, an Air Force brigadier general heading Aman Omid.

Retirees Show Appreciation for Immigrant Essential Workers and Help Them Become U.S. Citizens: In an example of civil society at work, the residents of Goodwin House, a long-term care facility in northern Virginia, raised $40,000 and tutored immigrant workers from Cameroon, Haiti, Jamaica and elsewhere to pass the naturalization test. The effort produced nearly 90 new American citizens among the immigrants.

“These residents decided to do something extraordinary for the migrants who take such good care of them, who treat their senior status with an honor and value that our youth-worshipping, throwaway culture too often neglects,” reported the Washington Post . “The residents raised their hands to volunteer. They tutored the health aides, housekeepers and cooks, drilling them on spelling, the constitutional amendments, the writers of the Federalist papers, the rights of U.S. citizens and other questions on the citizenship test that huge percentages of American-born citizens who call themselves patriots would flunk.”

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Immigrant Saved Lives But Lost His Own in San Jose Shooting: An employee shot and killed 9 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority workers in California on May 26, 2021. Immigrant Paul Delacruz Megia, who died in the shooting, is credited with saving the lives of other workers.

“‘Please don’t let anybody in,’ VTA employee Cecilia Crowder recalls him telling her before closing the door and leaving. Within a few minutes, she said, she heard gunshots. ‘I’m really sorry. Paul saved me,’ she said through tears, holding her palms to her chest. ‘I’m very blessed for him,’” reported the San Francisco Chronicle . “Megia was born in the Philippines and came to the United States as a child, where he was raised in San Jose, said Megia’s sister Julie Soriano. He moved to Mountain House in 2008, where Soriano said her brother was active as a coach and helped out with his son’s Little League baseball and youth football teams.”

This image made available by NASA shows an illustration of NASA's Perseverance rover firing up its ... [+] descent stage engines as it nears the Martian surface. (Xinhua/NASA/JPL-Caltech via Getty Images)

The Mars Rover, the Pickup Truck and the Teacher of the Year: Linda Zhang, the chief engineer behind the new all-electric Ford F- 150, immigrated to America as a child from China. “She came here at 8, speaking zero English,” reported MSNBC . “She learned the first part of the alphabet, ABCDEFGH, the first eight letters of the alphabet, on the plane on the way over to America, but that was her entire knowledge of English by the time she landed. She learned quickly. By the end of her family’s first year here, she was fluent in English. Started to do great in school. She and her family were from China. Her dad had come over to be a grad student at Purdue in Indiana, and that’s how she and her family moved here when she was 8 years old.”

In March 2021, images of Mars from NASA’s rover captivated people on earth. An immigrant from Colombia played a crucial role in the mission. “When NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed  on Mars last week, aerospace engineer Diana Trujillo , who is a flight director on the mission, said it took her some time to process that it had arrived on the red planet,” according to CBS News . “The landing only marked the beginning of Perseverance's stop on Mars, but playing a leadership role in the historic mission to find life there was decades in the making for Trujillo. Her dreams of reaching space and wanting to understand the universe came as a young person in Cali, Colombia. Her parents were divorcing and as a 17-year-old, she decided to go to the United States, arriving with only $300 and not speaking any English. She worked housekeeping jobs to pay for her studies and later joined NASA in 2007.”

Diana Trujillo was not the only immigrant from Colombia recognized for her contributions to America in 2021. “A Colombian-born special education teacher [Juliana Urtubey] in a Nevada elementary school has been named the 2021 National Teacher of the Year,” reported Axios . “The 11-year classroom veteran teaches at Kermit R. Booker Sr. Innovative Elementary School in Las Vegas, where she serves as a co-teacher in pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade special education settings.”

The 97-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor: Hana Kantor, the grandmother of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, survived the Holocaust and immigrated to America as a refugee after World War II. After the Nazis invaded Poland, she was forced into a Jewish ghetto and later a concentration camp. Her three brothers were burned alive in a camp with other prisoners only days before the war ended. “Almost your entire family was murdered by the Nazis, you lived through terrible trauma, but for most of your life, and my entire life, you have been one of the happiest people I know,” said Jodi Kantor on CBS This Morning . Hana Kantor’s outlook on life is clear: “I am happy. I am happy that I survived.”

In 2021, “Washington National Cathedral dedicated the fourth of the planned ‘quartet’ of human rights carvings in the building’s vestibule, honoring the late Elie Wiesel with prayer and discussion of the Holocaust survivor’s legacy of pursuing justice, hope and faith in the face of humanity’s darkest crimes,” reported the Washington Post . Wiesel, who died in 2016, immigrated to the United States.

A view of the charging bull statue created by immigrant Arturo Di Modica at a park in New York ... [+] City's financial district. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

An Immigrant’s Gift to the American People: Arturo Di Modica, an immigrant from Italy, known for placing his 3.5-ton bronze sculpture of the “Charging Bull” outside the New York Stock Exchange, died in February 2021. “Mr. Di Modica grew up poor in Sicily, and he bore an immigrant’s love for his adopted home,” according to the New York Times . “With the country—or at least Wall Street—still reeling from ‘Black Monday,’ the day in 1987 when the market dropped 20% in a single session, he wanted to give the country a get-well present, one that, he said, symbolized ‘the future.’

“What he did not have was permission to place his enormous sculpture outside the New York Stock Exchange, his intended location. Deciding that good intentions trumped petty matters like city permits, Mr. Di Modica spent weeks scouting Wall Street after midnight, taking note of how often police officers passed by. Then, around 1 a.m. on Dec. 15, he loaded his sculpture onto a flatbed truck and drove to Broad Street, next to the stock exchange, where about 40 of his friends were waiting.” 

New York Stock Exchange officials were not pleased with the gift and carted the bull to a warehouse. However, the sculpture gained iconic status after it was placed at “nearby Bowling Green, a park at the foot of Broadway. . . . where it has remained for 33 years, perpetually poised to charge through the Financial District.”

Immigrant Sports Heroes: It was a notable year for immigrants in sports. Japanese-born baseball player Shohei Ohtani drew center stage at the MLB All-Star Game and earned the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for his record-setting performance as a pitcher and batter. “Ohtani is the best player in baseball. Happy baseball voting gave him a very much deserved ‘Unanimous MVP’” tweeted Oakland A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt. “Ohtani donated the $150,000 he earned for participating in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby to Angels employees such as trainers, clubhouse workers and media relations staffers,” reported MLB.com .

The 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler , born in Cuba, traveled a difficult path to America to pursue his dreams. He hit three home runs for the champion Atlanta Braves in the team’s 6-game World Series victory over the Houston Astros.

“’It was six of us when we first got caught, first by a plane (sighting) and then from the (U.S.) Coast Guard when we were in the water,’” he told the Kansas City Star . “’They caught us before they sent us back after five days in the detainment process. Once (that happens) you get a target on your back and become a black sheep.’ More specifically, his father lost his job and Soler was suspended from the national team. Which only stoked their resolve.

“’We attempted it multiple times, but . . . we were always stopped a little before,’” he said, later adding, ‘For a lot of people, it depends (on) how many times (one attempts to leave).’ . . . After seven months and an unspecified number of additional attempts to defect, in 2011 they reached Haiti by way of a boat to the Dominican Republic. ‘At 18 years old, I was leaving everything I ever knew behind just to come,’” he said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns ... [+] during the second half in Game Five of the NBA Finals at Footprint Center on July 17, 2021, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, an immigrant from Greece, was named the Most Valuable Player in the NBA finals after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA title. “This is awesome," Antetokounmpo said at a White House ceremony . “A kid from Sepolia, Athens, Greece—grew up from two Nigerian parents who were struggling every day to provide for us. . . . It's an unbelievable opportunity to be able to be in the White House meeting the president of the United States. I could not be as honored and happy that something like this—that I've accomplished something like this in my life.”

Immigrants and the children of immigrants contributed to America’s 113 medals—the most of any country—at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. “At least 34 of the TeamUSA Olympians were not born here, but made the U.S. their home and proudly represent this country,” wrote Michelle Waslin in The Hill . “Many other American Olympians are the children of immigrants. Notably, multi-medal winning gymnast Sunisa Lee is the first Olympian of Hmong descent .”

Tamyra Mensah-Stock, the daughter of an immigrant from Ghana, famously celebrated her gold medal victory in the women’s 68kg freestyle wrestling by bouncing up and down wrapped in an American flag.

“That American flag around your shoulders looks pretty good,” a reporter asked Mensah-Stock. How does that feel, to represent your country like this?”

“It feels amazing,” she said. “I love representing the U.S. I freaking love living there. I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent U-S-A!” according to the Deseret News .

The most heartbreaking immigrant athlete story of 2021 involved Sang Ho Baek, a pitcher at George Mason University, who died after complications from Tommy John surgery, as reported in The Athletic by Stephen J. Nesbitt. “This is a story of determination, grit and just awful tragedy,” wrote Ali Noorani of the National Immigration Forum.

“It was the end of April in 2014 when the family of four immigrated from Seoul [South Korea] to Salisbury [Maryland]. Youth baseball rosters were full,” writes Nesbitt. “The week he arrived in America, Seong Han Baek [Sang’s father] left his shift at the poultry factory each evening and bicycled the streets of Salisbury, searching for baseball fields. He spoke little English, but he had a map and purpose. Pedaling from stop sign to stop sign, he rehearsed a line. Can my son play on your team? His name is Sang. He is a pitcher. ”

Immigrant Nobel Prize Winners: Three of the four American winners of the 2021 Nobel Prizes in physics, medicine and chemistry were immigrants to the United States. “Immigrants have been awarded 38%, or 40 of 104, of the Nobel Prizes won by Americans in chemistry, medicine and physics since 2000,” according to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).

Ardem Patapoutian, who shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in medicine with David Julius, fled Lebanon’s civil war and traveled to Los Angeles as a teenager after being “ captured and held by armed militants ” in Lebanon. Ardem Patapoutian is an example of how immigration can open up new possibilities and allow individuals to reach their full potential. In an interview with the New York Times , Dr. Patapoutian said, “I fell in love with doing basic research. That changed the trajectory of my career. In Lebanon, I didn’t even know about scientists as a career.”

America is a better place because Ardem Patapoutian, Naiem Asadi, Paul Delacruz Megia, Linda Zhang, Diana Trujillo, Hana Kantor, Arturo Di Modica, Giannis Antetokounmpo and other immigrants were allowed to pursue the American Dream.

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Honoring Our Families’ Immigrant Narratives

Two teachers’ research and ELA unit explored students’ own family immigrant stories while creating a storytelling experience as a vehicle for empathy, community, and great writing.

As we navigate a political landscape that is too often hostile toward immigrants, it's a good time to remember that the vast majority of us are here as American immigrants.

The Power of Storytelling

Recent anti-immigrant rhetoric in the news is disheartening and infuriating, and it urgently pushed us to address these issues in our high-school classrooms. As educators, we felt it was our responsibility to provide students with an outlet and counter-narrative to the dehumanization of immigrants and, recently, refugees. With this context, we wanted to create an experience in which the power of storytelling could be used as a vehicle for empathy, community, and great writing.

We are ninth-grade English and history teachers at a small California charter school that serves many first-generation students. As teachers of color and immigrants, we felt that we had a responsibility to bring these issues into our classrooms and engage in personal reflection and analysis. We jumped at an opportunity to collaborate with Elliot Margolies, founder and director of Made Into America , a non-profit organization with a mission of archiving immigrant stories. In our two-week humanities project, students investigated and wrote the immigration story of one of their family members to be published on the Made Into America online archive. The inherently authentic nature of the task lent itself to strong student investment and writing products.

More notably, the task privileged students whose families are recent immigrants or who had personally emigrated here themselves. Additionally, it gave students an opportunity to utilize their native languages in their writing and view that as an asset rather than a deficit. (How often do we get to do these things?)

Creating the Narrative

Our version of this project spanned eight instructional hours, but it's very adaptable to however you might use it in your own curriculum. We used these traditional steps of the writing process:

1. Kick-Off: Interview Workshop and Skype Call With a Syrian Refugee

Students engaged in an interview workshop where they teased out elements of a good story and developed interviewing techniques. In this workshop, they learned how to ask poignant follow-up questions to gain rich, provocative, detailed responses. For example, students learned that when the interviewee's intonation changes, or when they start to give quirky, memorable details from their journey, the interviewer should say, "Tell me more." Then, students applied and practiced these techniques by writing questions and conducting a Skype interview with a Syrian refugee who recently emigrated to Lebanon. (This step could also be done by inviting an immigrant parent or a guest as an interviewee.)

• Asking Questions Skill Rubric

2. Action Research: Interviewing Your Family Member

Using techniques learned from the interview workshop, students wrote questions to use for conducting interviews with their family member. Before writing their own questions, they examined an example story that one of us had written in order to understand the end goal of their interview. We encouraged students to conduct and transcribe their interview in their home language. (Note: Students with special circumstances interviewed and wrote stories of their neighbors or friends.)

• Interviewing Template

3. Organize Details: Outlining the Story

In order to guide students in their interviews, we asked them to divide the immigration story into five main parts:

• Life in original country
• Why they decided to leave
• How they left
• Arriving in America
• Where they are now and hopes for the future

We encouraged students to cover each part in their story, but emphasized that each story is unique, and that some parts would be longer than others. To organize their interview responses, students copy-pasted their interview into each part of the outline.

• PowerPoint Slides
• Storyboard Warm Up
• Outline Template

4. Drafting and Workshopping the Story

After looking at one more example story from us, as well as exploring the Made Into America website, students started drafting their stories. As they wrote, we held writing workshops around writing in different points of view (POV), embedding quotations, and writing engaging hooks. We also projected and examined student work in real time throughout the writing process. Here are writing skills that we workshopped:

• Students examined POV and "tried on" different POVs (first- or third-person perspective) before settling on the one that most powerfully conveyed their story.
• Students creatively embedded non-English quotations from their interviews.
• Students experimented with different hooks as an opening for their story.
• Draft Guide
• Immigration Story Rubric
• Writing Workshop Materials (hooks, POV)

5. Peer Review and Final Draft

Students peer reviewed and finalized their drafts.

• Final Draft Template
• Peer Review Form

6. Honoring Our Immigrants: Sharing and Celebration

A few days prior to the celebration, we sent the students out with invitations and cards to give to their interviewees. The goal for this celebration was to honor the immigrants, the interviewees, and their families. During the sharing activity, students sat in a circle and shared one part of their story. With a 30-person classroom, each student got one minute to share part of his or her story. At the end, they shared overall reflections and learning experiences with one another. It was a powerful and collective way to end this project.

• Presentation Script Scaffold

Here are some examples of the stories written by students:

• "Angel: Courage and Fortitude" by Oliver
• "Sela Malu: New Life as a High School Student" by Tutaleva
• "Daniel Guevara: Odyssey From Guatemala" by Jaquelin
• "Harry & Malka: Fleeing Pogroms by Ethan

Has your school honored students' heritage and their families' immigrant narratives? Please tell us about it in the comments section below.

in all things  is a publication of the  Andreas Center  at  Dordt University

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My Immigration Story

I am a child of immigrants. In the 1950’s my grandparents emigrated from the Netherlands to Canada along with my parents who were young at the time. I was born and raised in Canada. Being the child of immigrant parents was the most normal thing I could imagine. Growing up, nearly all my friends had parents who were born in another country. When I moved to the United States in 2005 it did not seem to me at the time that I was doing anything particularly difficult or new. The border between Canada and the U.S. was merely a stoppage on the highway, a barrier that is crossed all the time. I entered the United States on an R-1 visa (Religious Worker Visa) that took only minutes to receive after I handed the security officials my paperwork. It was good for three years and renewable for another two. This meant that I would not have any immigration issues at least until 2010, and even after that getting a permanent status (Green Card) was not seen as a difficult process.

However, between 2005 and the renewing of my R-1 Visa in 2008, things began to change. I knew something was different when an FBI agent had to visit with me and the chair of my church council. Nothing seemed guaranteed anymore. At one point the FBI agent had to physically touch the church wall so that he could write in his report that the church existed. Yes, he actually touched the wall to make sure! “Okay, so they are a little quirky,” I thought. The visit did get me thinking about moving ahead on applying for a Green Card sooner rather than later. With the help of my church and an immigration lawyer, this is what we did.

Thus began my odyssey with U.S. Immigration in the year 2010. Looking back on my calendar notes of that year, I see written prominently on a number of months the name of my immigration lawyer and her phone numbers. After filling out the application and getting all the materials together, a rejection letter was the first thing I received from the immigration office. This would be followed by several more. Usually it was a matter of something not being filled in correctly or some question that had not been answered. Each time my lawyer would get back to the work getting my application ready for resubmission. The key date for me in 2010 was April 11. As of that date I would no longer be a legal resident, able to work in the U.S. The date came and went and no Green Card had been issued. I requested that the church treasurer stop paying me as of that date because I was advised that it would be illegal to work and receive payment. I did not want to give U.S. Immigration an excuse to reject my application or even deport me. I continued to work but I did so as a volunteer (I had church services to lead and a class to teach at Dordt College).

By May 16, I was finished. I was working as a volunteer and not being paid. I was growing frustrated with a system. I also began to see a subtle but racist attitude among the people of my community. I told the chair of the church council I would no longer work at the church and that he had to find pulpit supply until this was resolved. He was always very supportive, having himself been an immigrant from Canada. Although people in the church and community were supportive of me, there were many people I met who thought the situation was rather funny. When I explained that without action from U.S. Immigration I could be deported, the common response was “Oh, they wouldn’t do that to you.” Why? Because I was white? They did not say so, but I knew this is what they were thinking. I became increasingly irritated. It became clear to me that many of the good, law abiding citizens of Sioux Center saw the U.S. Immigration issue pertaining just to the Hispanic community. Many of these same “God fearing” citizens would speak in support of a vile congressman who referred to immigrants as “stray cats” saying that if you fed them they would keep coming. Along with him, they did not get it.

During this time I also realized that my driver’s license had expired. I could only have a license for as long as my R-1 visa said I could be in the country. My immigration lawyer said she could write me a letter stating that since I had an application on file, I could be eligible for an extension on my license. Armed with this letter I went to renew my license at the local driver’s license office. The first question the woman asked me was, “Are you a citizen of the U.S.?” I answered truthfully, explained my situation and showed her my letter. She said she could not give me a license. I replied, “If I had said I was a U.S. citizen you would have pushed a button and I would have had a driver’s license.” Her response was, “Yes, but then you would have lied.” By this point I felt a frustration and an anger that I had never felt before. In the presence of many Hispanic immigrants who were also in that office I said, “And why do you think we lie?!” I felt humiliated, helpless, and very angry. I told the person I would continue driving despite not having a license and she could do with that information what she wanted. I stormed out of the office.

Not having a valid driver’s license is a weird feeling. You are cautious never to exceed the speed limit. You drive out of your way to go down a different street if you see a police cruiser on another. You know that if you’re caught, a fine was the least of your problems. You could be given a one way passage back to your country of birth. I was an illegal immigrant in Sioux County, driving a car without a valid driver’s license. “So be it,” I thought.

Meanwhile my application was still in process. I was informed I needed to be finger printed and have an eye scan at an office in Sioux Falls (this also had been done in 2005 and 2008). At one point my application was rejected because I had paid too much for what I thought was the fee. Another time it was rejected because the “medical report” had been opened (they had opened it). This required a new medical report with a new signature from the approved medical doctor. The approved doctor’s office was in Sioux City–45 miles away from where I live and 86 miles from Sioux Falls. The comedy of errors continued for about eight weeks. Everything finally came to a resolution when we contacted our senator and put his office on the case. Within a week of contacting the senator’s office, I had my Green Card. If only we had contacted him sooner!

Immigrating to the U.S. is not for the faint of heart. It requires patience and a willingness to be subjected to finger printing, medical exams, intrusive questions, rejection, and so forth. It is easy to succumb to anger and frustration and many times this is what I felt. The whole system seems designed to frustrate you to the point that you quit and leave. I wonder how many do leave or quit. In the end, I can’t help but think how much harder it would be to go through all this and not speak English or have an immigration lawyer working for me. Most Americans only know the issue from the limited coverage of it on the news. They only know it to be about “other” people who perhaps do not work, commit crimes, or are involved in the drug trade. This limited view is so wrong. Most immigrants work, obey the laws of the land, pay their taxes and are contributing members of the community. On that note, I remain happy to be here.

We are sharing immigration stories at iAt this week.

On Monday, John Lee shared his immigration perspective in Immigration: A Tale of Two Grandfathers . Rikki Heldt gave her testimony of hearing God’s call from behind the Berlin Wall to a teacher in Iowa in Welcome the Stranger on Tuesday.

Do you have an immigration story you’d like to share with iAt? Email [email protected] to share you story with us.

About the Author

Mark Verbruggen is a pastor at First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa. Beginning in the spring of 2017, he will be leaving Sioux Center in order to become pastor at Living Hope Christian Reformed Church in Sarnia, Ontario.

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Thanks for your story Pastor. It would be interesting to know how your parents became citizens of Canada. My father, an immigrant from the Netherlands, had a sponsor, which was a requirement in the early 1900’s. National security (also security for individual citizens) is the issue today that they did not have to deal with in the earlier days of the nation. May God provide some wise leadership for our nation to help develop immigration laws that are just (and use common sense).

Yes my grandparents would have had sponsors as well. It seems that back in the 1950’s the whole system was much simpler!

Thanks Mark. I never realized the extent to which the word “Services” in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was Orwellian (I’m thinking in particular of your line, “The whole system seems designed to frustrate you to the point that you quit and leave. I wonder how many do leave or quit.”) Maybe it’s xenophobia that’s being served.

I was struck by that line too! I had never thought of it that way before. Thanks for spurring our thinking.

Politicians on the far right or left pander to the fears that their supporters carry in their day to day life. Xenophobia works because it sets up a straw man which can be blamed for things in their own life that are not going well. In this case “immigrants”.

I’ve experienced some of the hassles you have had in my dealings with immigration over the years, so I agree with your comment. What’s so curious is that this situation exists in a country that describes itself as a nation of immigrants and has engraved on one of its most iconic national symbols the lines “Give me your tired, your poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore./Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me”. It seems the system is designed to keep these very people out.

Thanks for all the comments.

Something I did not mention in the article (but I will now!) is this: at what point should Christians dare to become more of a prophetic voice speaking out against a politician who clearly does not want to fix the immigration issue? I have no problem with people being loyal to one political party but when the congressman representing that party does not have any desire to work for justice and fairness on this issue (and perhaps others), when should the christian community be challenged to consider voting for someone else? This might mean voting for a party one does not like and has never supported, but maybe that is what we should consider doing. Many Christians in Sioux county never think beyond party politics.

Ideally, it would be great for a person to come forward who is not so tied to the “tea party” base. Let him or her run against him. Polls show that most Americans are not happy with congress and their work, yet ridings continue to send their personal dysfunctional member back to Washington election after election.

Mark, I think that you are a little too harsh on judging the motives of Rep. King. He may have a different philosophy on “justice and fairness” that you refer to, but I don’t think that you are correct to intimate that he does not want immigration reform. I am also displeased with some of Rep. King’s actions but I would allow Christians to decide which party platform meets the values that they adhere to. That is why some voters vote straight party tickets and others like myself will vote per individual. Each of us needs to evaluate that according to our own conscience and the biblical norms than we believe in. May God’s Spirit lead us on all issues that we deal with in His world.

Such good food for thought, and hearing a first-hand account of the frustrations of trying to do things right–even while illegal–helps to humanize an issue that is all too often only heard about through soundbites and 30-second news clips. Thanks so much, Mark, for sharing your story with us! I am struck by the thought of how many times Israel is commanded to care for the foreigners, the sojourners, the aliens throughout scripture. How are we loving our neighbors–whether immigrant or native born–as ourselves?

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. So well said.

A former student of mine sent this my way; I am a Canadian who has been working in MPLS for the last 6 years. I am currently going through very similar immigration struggles and resonated all too well with your article. Additionally, I understand the frustration of the responses people provide to my plight and what it reveals about the lack of understanding about immigration in the first place. I am waiting to hear back from my third appeal to try to obtain a permanent visa but am being denied because as a Christian school teacher, I do not make enough money to be considered valuable to this country. It’s quite the process – thanks for sharing your journey!

Glad to do it!

This is a great story. Thanks for sharing. It takes patience and lot of prayers too. Especially now that the immigration policy is extremely strict in terms of applying a visa especially citizenship. An immigration lawyer is also a big factor. It is costly at times, but they can be a big help. TL Brown Law is a firm that I consider consulting with. I hope I can get mine too.

This story is really inspiring, it is the inspiration to peoples how to recover from the situation which are against sometimes.

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