The Immigration Became Illegal By Aviva Chomsky

For many decades the history of the United States and immigration has always been a very talked about topic of debate. Many Americans did not like the collision that immigrants would have upon the native-born American people, while others welcomed the flow of people as adding to America’s multiculturalism of difference. According to Immigration: Good or Bad for America (2016), a large amount of immigrants try to enter the U.S. borders without proper documentation, in this manner being labeled as illegal immigrants. In addition, the United States unusual position as a nation of immigrants is being questioned by

In Our Fear of Immigrants, Smith begins with the story of a fourth grade class in Berkeley, California that is devastated by the loss of their friend, Rodrigo Guzman, whom authorities sent back to Mexico because of an expired visitor’s visa. With the help of their parents, these fourth graders in Berkeley, California sent their friend a comforting video and wrote a letter to their Congressmen in protest against the deportation of Rodrigo. Smith then tells of the protestors in Murrieta, California who blocked buses transporting undocumented immigrants to a holding facility (751).

Humanity is ever so much more complicated than one could have ever imagined. Humans can thrive on change, but ultimately look for something to declare as home. In search of this home people travel long distances and risk everything they have. When an American contemplates the word immigrant, one imagines the countless people from Mexico crossing into our country or the refugees that hope to make this country their home. What eludes most of us, however, is the reality that most people were, at one point, immigrants to this country and that our forefathers came here exactly the same as refugees come today. What is brought to mind when I hear the word immigrant is hope and perseverance. I remember the countless people who have traveled here

As discussed by many, immigrants typically are known to come to America to pursue a sense of freedom that they are not finding in their home country. Whether it is the opportunity for a higher-paying job, a way to practice religion without persecution, or the opportunity to start a family in a safer environment, many immigrants have similar plans. And while people who lean towards a negative outlook on immigration may say that these people take Americans’ jobs and land, others think that immigration gives United States n economic edge in the world, bringing culture to our country.

Writer Jeremy Adam Smith, starts his argument by telling a story about a little boy named Rodrigo Guzman. Rodrigo’s teacher noticed that he has been absent for a few days and found out later, that him and his family have been deported back to Mexico. Rodrigo’s teacher had told the fourth-grade class what happened to Rodrigo and his family. The kids in his class were shocked to hear that their friend had been deported and wanted to do something about it. In Jeremy Adam Smith “Our Fear of Immigrants”, many Americans fear immigrants based on what they learn from their in-groups. He believes that some people fear immigrants, find them a threat and how people try to tame xenophobe.

The book “Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal” by Aviva Chomsky describes what the process of immigration is actually like and how complicated and rough it truly is for an immigrant. Especially those who have crossed the border illegally and/or those who possess illegal documents. However this book questions what does it really mean to be illegal. As well as throughout the book it illustrates that immigrants are being treated rather closely to how slaves were treated. The work they do connects these ideas as well as other facts such as families being disconnected, immigrants being trapped in a certain part of the world, unable to travel far, and the tiny amount of rights they have compared to an average white american citizen.

Immigrants from Latin countries moved to the U.S because of ongoing conflicts in their home country. Most of these Immigrants began their life in Miami where there was a large number of them. One challenge these immigrants faced is language barriers. It was hard for them to fit in with society because they didn't speak English which is crucial. Apart from that they also encountered discrimination by the local citizens who claimed they couldn't find any English speaking person in stores. The local population viewed them as invaders and it led to protests demanding laws that require all of them to speak English. Some states passed these laws which made immigrants feel unwelcome and rejected by the society. In order to earn a living and support

Many in Mexico had difficulties in finding or maintaining a job that could support their family, as a result families started to flee the country “finding employment in the secondary US economy (Rank 2001) – undervalued jobs, characterized by erratic hours, cash payment and no benefits such as health care” which seemed like the only option poverty-stricken families had (Cleaveland 567). The author Elliot Barken says that families were “Fleeing extreme poverty, [and] many made their way northward to seek work and provide for their families back in Mexico after the economic crisis swept across Mexico in

During the 1930s, the Mexican Americans had a tragic on The Great Depression. Back then the Hispanics were also called Chicano because that name is another short version of saying Mexicano. Thousands of people had ran away from Mexico and if they go to the United States, they are considered as a United States citizens so they are marked as white on the United States all the way till the 1930s by law. In that time a lot of Mexican Americans had move to the United States “Mexicans and Mexican Americans make up one of the largest and most rapidly growing minority in the United States.” (Gelletly,4-15-16 Book). This also makes the Mexican and Mexican Americans the second largest minority group in the United States. In the United States the government is in charge and counting on how many people living in the United States, so about 20million Mexican and Mexican Americans are living there. The Great Depression had led all of the people’s life to a bad and poor condition liken living, food, money, jobs, and etc. Especially if they have children(s), it makes it a lot harder for them to work and they got to work extra hard for not only themselves, but also for their family too. One of the important thing why Mexican Americans moved, they all just one to have a good and better life besides them struggling for their life “…Many Mexican choose to

On the other hand, Aviva Chomsky clearly demonstrate that people look for a better future and head towards the opportunities, immigrants in U.S. are not fighting for a student loan or access to a free clinic, they are fighting for the opportunities that they are denied in their native country. The myth that “Immigrants only come here because they want to enjoy our higher standard of living” (Chomsky 121). It is a myth because immigrant must of the time they come here to work and build a better future for their families without enjoying the benefits that a U.S. citizen has. According to Chomsky states that “Poverty, lack of opportunity, and danger push people to leave; opportunity, availability of jobs, education, and safety pull people elsewhere” (Chomsky 122). The lack of jobs on their natives’ countries made them to look for a better future, also in most countries the violence is incredible high compared to the U.S. that the jobs are everywhere and their security system made the immigrants feel safe even though there trap in their cruel system. In addition, the medical system is better for example a Filipina Nurse states that “The thing I love about America hospitals is that we have enough supplies and equipment. In the Philippines we boiled our own rectal tubes, you use the catheters over and over. But, here you just use it once and dump it out” (Chomsky 125). Compared, to the Philippines their resources are limited most of the time, while the U.S. has all the basic

From the 19th century to the present day there has been a massive migration from Mexico to the United States of America. There have been many causes for this migration from the Mexican Revolution to the need for laborers in the United States. This migration has brought benefits as well as problems like the thousands of unaccompanied children currently crossing the border to the United States.

The political backlash to the widespread economic hardships of the time, which should have been aimed at the capitalist system of exploitation, fell instead on minority workers and their families. Mexican immigrants, welcomed as laborers during the economic boom of the war years, were scapegoated during the depression and subjected to racist attacks and severe immigration restrictions. Over one million immigrants came from Mexico to the United States between 1900 and 1930, filling the demand for low-wage, unskilled workers in the growing U.S. economy. Most Mexican Americans were farmers and they settled in the communities in California and the Southwest. Many Mexicans and their children became U.S. citizens. Mexican Americans faced a great deal of increasing hostility because they were competing with whites for whatever low-paying jobs that were available.

Another major hardship that was faced by most immigrants was the way that they were treated. Often times they were treated like second-class citizens and were thought to be inferior to the natural born citizens. They also seemed to only be able to hold jobs that no one else really wanted to do, for very low wages. Most of the time people would

“I came to America because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, I found out three things. First, the streets weren’t paved with gold; second, they weren’t paved at all: and third, I was expected to pave them” an old Italian immigrant once said. Immigrants faced many obstacles coming to America such as finding work, finding a place to live, acclimating to their new surroundings and learning to communicate. When immigrants came to America, they expected their life to become better and have an easier life.

Immigration, a very popular topic, but most people only think about one side. The U.S citizen side is common knowledge, but what about the immigrant’s side? In the novel, The Book of Unknown Americans, by Cristina Henríquez, and in the article "Sick and Afraid, Some Immigrants Forgo Medical Care”, by Jan Hoffman, the major theme is immigrants and their fear. As shown in the novel and the article, immigrants have feelings and families, hopes and dreams. Immigration is a very controversial issue in the United States, but it should not be, since immigrants are people too, according to both of theses sources. Medical issues, the fear of harm, and unfair treatment, are the major things that both of these sources have in common and agree on. Immigrants are struggling in America, in more ways than one, and many are wondering if coming to America was the right choice.