Immigration Reform: Who is Going to Speak for the Invisibles?
Behind the Immigration Reform
To better understand the dilemma an illegal person is facing let me give you an example. A student comes to the hoping for a university education, great job, green card and a peaceful life. Things don't go as planned, he/she does not have an employer willing to sponsor for work visa (H1 or H2), and so the green card is out of the question. At the same time the visa expires, the person is unable to extend the visa and, not wanting to go back to the life at home, the person decides to stay. No social security number, no driver's license, no insurance for the person struggling to live and work at a job that no American wants to take. Then one fine day, the whole nation erupts saying that the person is here to rob the nation, taking away the jobs and, sucking the benefits system dry. What is that person to do? You tell me.
Another scenario: A poor farmer in Central America, struggling to feed his family, hears about the opportunities offers. He goes to an embassy to get a visa, but under which category? Skilled labor? He does not qualify for that. A person with exceptional ability? No. Among all of the visa categories for entry into the , he does not qualify for any of them. There is no "a person who is struggling to stay alive under poverty and apathetic government" visa category. Or is there such a category? He decides to come here the difficult way, cross the border through the Arizona desert, and live his life with an "illegal" tag.
In this debate about 's border safety, the integrity of the legal system and protecting "legal" Americans, the tales of people willing to risk it all to come here is lost. There are no stories of families from fleeing the poverty. There is not story about the family from Kashmir fleeing the terrorism or the artist from looking for freedom to practice her craft. Their voices are just lost among the horse cries of politicians and those seeking to capitalize on human emotions to be on the Bill O'Reilly show.
People don't leave their country, their families, and friends just to come to and enjoy their lives. For the most part, represents freedom, a chance to live a decent life, a hope, an opportunity. Americans have to understand that. The portrayal of immigrants as lazy, looking for free benefits and an easy way to citizenship has to end.
So what is the solution? Immigration reform has to happen, but it should be representative of a broad set of populations. It should not just focus on brining in the tech graduates or the multi-millionaires. There should be clear, fair provisions for people who are poor and marginalized in their nations looking for opportunities to come to . Of course, criminal background checks and other safety measures should be taken; immigrants should not be treated as criminals just for trying to come here.
Published by Bhumika Ghimire
Bhumika is writer blogger turned activist. Hopes to be a Pharmacist before its too late. Currently training to be a pharmacy technician. View profile
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7 Comments
Post a Commentno one really talks about the children that were brought to the U.S by their parents. they bring them here very young(2 or 5 yrs old) then they start school they learn the english language, grow up and realize their immigrants and know they can't go to college so they quit school. I think these people should be the first to become legal citizens due to the fact they lived practically their whole lives here
ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL! I fear that we are sending a horrible message to our children. "It's OK to break the law, I want to work." DETAIN AND DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL LAWBREAKERS!
There are over 12 million illegal aliens in this country, most of them from Mexico and the Spanish countries to the south of them. When did their problems become ours. In the Colonial days of this country, our people decided that they didn't like tyrant rule of England and led a revolt and changed this country into the great country that everyone wants to come to. This is what these poorer or third world countries need and their people need to do. Instead of closing our hospitals, taking our social security benefits, our jobs, and all the benefits that derive from being a citizen, try taking a stand in your own country to make it great like ours.
Now, you made a comment about what to do when your visa expires. If you come over here on a student visa, you are signing that visa stating that you will promise to go back to your country when it is time. So, when a visa holder stays after their visa has expired and you knew all the time that you would stay when that time came, tha
The key word here is "illegal". Illegal immigrants should be treated as criminals because, by definition, that is exactly what they are.
You article completely ignores the other "invisible"...the legal immigrants who worked hard and sacrificed a lot to come to this country the legal way. Jobs are being taken away from them as well to give to those who coasted in on a free ride and I dare say it's just as big, if not bigger, slap in the face to them as any American who was born here
By being here illegally, everything an illegal immigrant takes, whether it be money from an employer or a home on a quiet street is stealing from American citizens. Americans are finally waking up to what nearly every other country in the world already knows...and people are screaming racism and zenophobia. You'll notice these people are the ones that are here illegally.
Wake up. America HAS spoken, and it isnt' in your favor
Maybe the motivation of need gets taken out for a walk by those who come to America to work. Americans who are here, are resident and some feel that work isn't a privlege but a right. Your article is insightful, honest and brings to light issues of this very current situation in the U.S. You didn't force me to get off the fence though, and, I think you should close down on the reader, make them commit- make them think, then make them move...not easy to do. That's not a criticism it's a suggestion, your writing is really, really good, you keep it simple, and that's an art.
I have never thought illegal immigrants lazy. I've known enough of them to know that they are some of the hardest working people around, because they are desperate for a better life, and I can not look down on anyone for that. My problem comes when jobs are being outsourced at the higher levels, and entry level jobs are handed off to illegal immigrants over American citizens. I do not know if this is how it is all over the U.S., but it is in my state. And the cost of living keeps going up. There is no solid solution for immigration reform. I do not ascribe to either extreme. But for the benefit of everyone, something does have to change.
Right on.