Immigration is one of the most hot button issues facing the
United States today. It is at the root
of some laws like the Arizona Immigration Law and the Dream Act Law. While
there are many central topics concerning immigration, one of the most debated
is the migration of field and farm workers to the United States.
Many men and woman endure scorching heat and exhaustion
trying to survive and feed their families by working in slaughter house or
growing food themselves. To their dismay, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opened up Mexican markets to massive pork imports from US companies causing Hispanic workers all over to
lose jobs since food was being produced at a faster and cheaper manner in the
United States. Consequently, this causes many workers to seek employment in the
United States since their jobs were terminated due to the more advanced technology
of the United States. The migration for better work and a better life altogether
is what caused the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the Unites States to call this country their new and hopeful home. I honestly believe that those
seeking a better life for themselves and their family should NOT be ostracized and
turned away just because they were born in an underprivileged country. I
thought that America was the home of the Land of the Free, and a place for new opportunities
and yet, Hispanic immigrants are being denied that right. I know firsthand the
cruel treatment inflicted upon those who are not “legal citizens” (whatever
that means).
My best friend, Pablo Alvarez, is one of the smartest individuals
that I have the pleasure to have met. He is so passionate about his studies and
also about helping out the Latino community. He helped organize fundraisers to
raise money for scholarships for undocumented high school students, talked
about the Latino community and our progress at events and presentations and
worked at a Latino High School in downtown Chicago for 2 years. He was a AP student,
captain of the soccer team, active member of various clubs and a 4.0 GPA student.
Now you would think he went to UIC, or Loyola, DePaul, Northwestern or any
other top school around Chicago. Sadly no. He wanted to attend a private
school, and even went to spend a few nights over there and absolutely loved it.
He was also talking and bragging about the university and I knew at that moment,
he was destined for greatness in college. However, his dreams were shattered
when the university found out he was undocumented, and thus, was not allowed in
the university. He was shocked, depressed and heartbroken. A well rounded
student rejected just because he doesn’t have a little blue card with 9 numbers
on it. It made me so angry. He ended up going to Northeastern, but as his last
choice.
I really want to stress how imperative it is to stop these petty
immigration issues. Let those who want a better opportunity for life, work, or
in my friends case, school, have it and show the that United States really is what
it makes itself out to be.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12779175/gomberg.munoz.2009.pdf
https://webcourses.niu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3075082-dt-content-rid-16628804_2/courses/20132-ILAS-100-----1/How%20US%20Policies%20Fueled%20Mexico%27s%20Great%20Migration%20_%20The%20Nation.pdf
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