Is This Really the Land of Opportunity? | Teen Ink

Is This Really the Land of Opportunity?

December 14, 2016
By Cristian_315 BRONZE, Denver, Colorado
Cristian_315 BRONZE, Denver, Colorado
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

The United States is famously known for its diversity around the country. It’s known as the land of opportunity; is that true that anyone can have the opportunity to follow their dreams? Apparently, this only applies to the people born in the country, and not to other races from different countries. The people who were born in other countries that come to the United States are called immigrants.


The United States have lived among immigrants for decades.It’s actually proven that Native Americans have lived long before America was a country. Immigrants from Asia, Philippines, Mexico, Central America, The Caribbean Islands, Canada, and most from Europe have actually lived here. With the arrival of the twenty-first century, it seems immigrants from Mexico and Central America are the most disrespected. But the two most disrespected immigrant cultures are Mexicans and Muslims(Lee). Over the years, powerful leaders have decided to deport undocumented immigrants. These immigrants are called undocumented and illegal because they have illegally crossed the border between Mexico and the United States. Deporting people who came here for work and a better life is an  injustice most don’t address , or care about. This needs to be considered an injustice with a solution for 11 million immigrants(Soergel). Many whites don’t realize there is still discrimination. This is also an injustice; citizens need to know that America isn’t perfect. They need to know that there is still discrimination against other races. The reason why this is an injustice is because most Immigrants have done nothing wrong in this country.


Immigration was not an injustice many years ago. There weren’t as many immigrants in 1995 according to statistics(Krogstad, Passel, Cohn). Society didn’t have the problem of millions of Immigrants entering the U.S. undocumented. In 1990, there were about 3.5 million immigrants. Most became legal residents and a permit to work and stay. In 2013, there was about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. More than half face deportation when they have only worked extensively and have done nothing wrong. “More than 60 percent have lived in the United States for at least a decade”(Semotiuk).  Immigrants are being considered criminals according to Donald J. Trump. But who is he to tell the country, what's right or wrong? His comments to Immigrants have been hate and discrimination to them. With the decision to deport millions of Immigrants, they have decided to protest in Washington D.C. ,  asking for an immigration reform(Robinson). The immigration reform is supposedly the privilege to improve the lives of immigrants. Giving them the permission to work and stay in the U.S.


Immigration Deportation needs to stop now! It’s wrong to send people and their families back to their country of origin. You may think sending them back to their country of origin is not harming anyone. Sending back to their country of origin is not the same as living here in the U.S. than in Mexico. The INS, or the Immigration Naturalization Services, are in charge for deporting Immigrants, back to their country of origin. The INS have not just been deporting undocumented adults; children without representation are now being deported to.”Children without lawyers were five times more likely to be ordered deported” back to their country or origin(Villagra). This is clearly unfair to deport children of age 6 or 10 who have done nothing wrong. The only crime done by Immigrant children was to dream. Mexico is not the place to dream and go to school. Mexico has had a history of corruption and dictatorship(Estevez). Immigrants who come from outside the country to go to school and college, are called Dreamers. These Immigrants have become U.S. citizens after Barack Obama passed the law. These young adults do not deserve to be sent back to a country of corruption and crime. My father is currently an immigrant, and if you decide that it’s right to deport him, please think again. His only crime was to love me; I know him and eleven million more, are good people. They may be your best friend or your family. Your ancestors may have been immigrants that came into the U.S. undocumented, years ago. You might think your family is pure white, but this country was founded by immigrants. A fiction book based on real events called “Crossing the Wire” tells the story on how teenagers cross the border, to help their families back in Mexico. I recommend you read this book, to see what the life of an Immigrant teenager is like. Immigrant teenagers actually do cross the 2,000-mile border to find work. Most do it for their families, and some do it for their future.The good people of Mexico cross the border to have a better life, outside the everyday crime in their neighborhood. With the U.S. candidate Donald Trump in office, what’s next for these students? Will they keep their citizenship, or be sent back  to one of the world’s most on corrupt countries?


American citizens need to realize that packing up eleven million Immigrants and giving them a one-way ticket to Mexico or Central America, is not the solution to make America better. In fact, it will destabilize the country. Many may not believe that; Immigrants critical contributors to our nation and how it functions. Each year, combined, Immigrants pay nearly 12 million dollars in taxes. Immigrants work in fast food restaurants and other minimal wage jobs, only to afford food and the rent. We are not a perfect country; deporting eleven million people, will not make you perfect. The food you get at Mcdonald's most likely may have been prepared by undocumented Immigrants. I’m sure you have a good job, and that you make more than twenty thousand dollars a year; if that’s the case, don’t discriminate the people that do the work you don’t want to do. You should appreciate them for taking the sacrifice; to work every day  and only earn eight dollars an hour. Although not all immigrants work in minimum wage jobs, most do.Even if you are not against immigrants or in their favor, please do not support those who wish to deport every Immigrant in this country. You should not think they are criminals just because the language they speak, or the color of their skin.


You might be thinking that all I’ve said is unbelievable; to actually think that all eleven million immigrants are good kind hearted people looking for a better life. I don’t believe that every undocumented immigrant should have the right to be proud U.S. citizen. “There are approximately two million legal or illegal immigrants with criminal convictions” who are either serving sentence in prison, or who are out there in the United States(Zimmerman). Those are the criminals Trump is calling out to. But he clearly stated that all Immigrants are bringing crime, drugs, and rape(Lee). What trump and everyone else is saying about Immigrants being criminals; It’s true. But that doesn't mean nine million more should be sent back too. About thirteen Americans are killed by illegals under the influence. Sometimes this happens when Immigrants can’t read the signs on the street(Meyers). This is particular our fault; we provide better jobs because most don’t know how to read, write, and speak English. Not every car accident happens because Immigrants can’t read. If the education is provided, Immigrants would be able to understand this country more.Two million men and women who decided to kill, rape, or bring drugs should be sent back. These are not good people and I’m sure you don’t want these men and women here. I believe that Immigrants with severe criminal records should be deported. They are in fact killing Americans. Solving the problem to this injustice is really hard too. It would cost a lot of money and a lot of support from citizens. Taxes might increase, if minimal wage immigrant workers, receive a raise in payment. A lot of people have hate for hispanic Immigrants, and with the victory of Donald Trump; this injustice will most likely continue on.


Not all Immigrants are criminals; most cross the border to find work. A lot of countries where Immigrants come from are corrupt.The United States should do something, but they haven’t. So other countries’ people have decided that moving into the U.S. is the only alternative for a better life.



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