Why did you come to the United States?
“I thought there was going to be a lot of jobs and there's better educational opportunities here than there is in Mexico,” Anonymous 40-year-old, Mexican, Mother of Two
“For a better life” Melvin.
“The delinquency over there is way too dangerous and my mother was worried about my safety because I was a young male and although here there aren’t many open doors for exactly everyone at least I’ll be safer here than over there and have better options as well,” Jaime
Have you been through the immigration process?
“Back then when I came (as a minor illegally) it wasn’t as hard as it is today, in my case it was easier because my mom was already here and she had already filed for our papers, but for my brother (who wasn’t a minor) it was way harder than it was for me,” said Melvin. It took him 8 years to get his papers and that is that he was a minor then.
“My process took about 3 years thankfully, because I know that others could take longer but now, I’m a resident.” Oneyda.
“We’re barely going to start (oldest son just turned the age requirement to help her fix) but they already told us we were going to have to wait so we don’t know how long it could take”, Anonymous mother of two.
Do you think we should make the process easier than what it is now?
“I think we should but it’s not going to happen, it’s just going to get harder. That’s the way it's been going” Melvin.
“We should make the process easier, I understand there are people who probably have a bad record, but what about those who don’t? There’s people who live decently and I think the process should at least be easier for them.” Anonymous Mother of two.
“Yes the process should be easier because everyone yearns to be here and there’s people who haven’t made any mistakes, to who which they could investigate them and check their records and if their clean then the process should be easier because they’re really just trying to make a living,” Jaime.
“To come to the US you need money and family here who can support you or else you won’t make it,” Melvin.
Does/did living in the United States as an immigrant ever worry you or scare you? Make you nervous?
“I don’t live in fear or nervousness, just precaution,”. Anonymous mother of two.
“I was scared to get deported, I was extremely sad because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go back to my country for a long while or see my family there, and I was also embarrassed when at certain places they would ask for my ID and I didn’t have one,” Oneyda, 39, Guatemala.
“I was scared the cops would ever stop me for any reason and ask for my identification but I’m always aware and cautious. Also very sad I wasn’t going to be seeing my mom for a while,” Jaime, Salvador.
America makes it seem like everyone and anyone is welcome, especially if they’re in need for help. But do we really welcome foreigners? These people are only trying to make a better living for themselves and they are not breaking any laws, they come here to live decently and help their other family members back home because their families have no one else to rely on and the conditions from where they’re from aren’t always the best.
After reading this excerpt, it could be assumed that America is welcoming the less fortunate. However, is this really the case? There are many people who come to the United States looking for a better future. But does the US really make them feel welcome as the Statue of Liberty promises? The immigration process has only become harder and harder throughout the years. To look further into the question, I interviewed people who have personal experience with immigration. These are some first-hand views from those outside the borders of America who see the process as an opportunity and a challenge.
Have you been through the immigration process?
“Back then when I came (as a minor illegally) it wasn’t as hard as it is today, in my case it was easier because my mom was already here and she had already filed for our papers, but for my brother (who wasn’t a minor) it was way harder than it was for me,” said Melvin. It took him 8 years to get his papers and that is that he was a minor then.
“My process took about 3 years thankfully, because I know that others could take longer but now, I’m a resident.” Oneyda, 37, Guatemala.
“We’re barely going to start (oldest son just turned the age requirement to help her fix) but they already told us we were going to have to wait so we don’t know how long it could take”, Anonymous mother of two.
These are only a few people who have gone or are going through the immigration process. Every case is different but they all take a while.
Why did you come to the United States?
-“I thought there was going to be a lot of jobs, and there's better educational opportunities here than there is in Mexico.” Anonymous 40-year-old, Mexican, Mother of Two
-“For a better life” Melvin, 40-year-old, Guatemala.
-“The delinquency over there is way too dangerous, and my mother was worried about my safety because I was a young male, And although here there aren’t many open doors for exactly everyone, at least I’ll be safer here than over there and have better options as well." Jaime Salvador.
The United States is known as the land of opportunity. In some countries, people aren't as fortunate as we are here, so they come looking for prosperity and better future. Like in Jamie's case, there are countries where it's extremely dangerous to live because of gangs or cartels. There are some countries where there is no enforceable law, so the conditions are bad. People aren’t as safe as they would be in the U.S. because the law here is respected. People genuinely come here looking for a better life.
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"Approximately 43.3 million foreign-born people live in the United States."
-Jaime, El Salvador
-Anonymous, Mexican, mother of two