Immigrant Experience in the United States Essay Example

Introduction

Although the US is known for being a nation of immigrants, throughout the history of the US, there have been periods of extremely virulent nativist policies and sentiments. An example of such a policy in history is the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (Quinn et al. 707). Some individuals fear that the Trump administration may bring back the anti-immigrant policies. Different immigrants have different experiences as immigrants in the US. For instance, some immigrants move to the US in search of employment opportunities, security, and others due to political instabilities and wars in their countries (mainly refugees). A personal interview with John Lopez, a 35-year-old man, from an immigrant family reveals the experience of some immigrants in the US.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Reasons for Immigration

Many immigrants come to the US with the hope of finding better opportunities to improve their lives and hope that they will find peace and political stability in the country to enable them to do that. From an interview conducted, John Lopez and his family moved into the US from Mexico for the same reasons. He said that his family moved into the US from Guadalajara, Mexico, several years ago when he was about seven years old. The reason why they moved to the US was his father's death. His mother was devastated and decided the family should relocate to the US immediately in seek of a safer environment and better employment opportunities for herself (Lopez). At the time, Marisela Lopez, John's mother was working as a waitress at a local pub in Guadalajara. After moving to the US, John's mother got a job as a waitress within a few months of their immigration. John says that although they lived in a relatively small apartment in Chicago, it was much safer he and his siblings were able to attend a nearby school.

Politics of Immigration

The US boasts of being a country that is composed of immigrants from very diverse backgrounds. However, with the Trump administration, it seems that the country is sliding back into the times when it closed its borders to some classes of immigrants. As soon as Trump was in office, an executive order was issued barring the movement of certain classes of people into the country (Quinn et al. 711). Some of the countries that were affected include Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria. Additionally, the immigration of refugees into the US was suspended for four months (Quinn et al. 708). In the interview with Lopez, he expressed his opinion on the role that politics play regarding immigration into the US. He feels that immigration is beneficial to the US as a country as much as it is to the immigrants themselves (Lopez). According to him, President Trump's stance on immigration is not motivated by the need to protect the US, but by his need to further his political agendas (Lopez). He says that the current political climate regarding immigration is likely to dissuade people from coming to the US.

Incorporation of Immigrants

Incorporation of immigrants into society is a two-way process. The immigrants have to adapt to their new environment and the ways of the new country. On the other hand, the "native" people have to adjust to the presence of the immigrants. In the US, the lives of the "native" citizens are affected by "immigrant" citizens as they learn how to live with each other. In the case of John Lopez, his family the process of incorporation into the US was gradual. When they arrived, John recalls that his family spoke little English and interacted minimally with other people (Lopez). However, as time passed by, they began interacting with "Americans" through their various daily activities. For John, school is where he interacted with other people and finally became incorporated into the American way of life. For John's mother, it was through her job that she became incorporated into American life. Like most Americans, John attended school and worked hard with the hope of getting a good job in the future. For John, he wanted to become a police officer to fight crime and prevent anyone else from having to lose their lives due to crime; like his father. Through his education and his job as a police officer, John became fully integrated into his new community. The transition from being "immigrants" to "Americans" is something that John ascribes to both their willingness to embrace change in their new country and the fact that the culture of the American people (Lopez).

Conclusion

In a nutshell, John Lopez's experience reveals that most immigrants into the US come into the country in search of better lives both regarding security and political stability and employment opportunities. Throughout history, politics has always had a role in immigration, as made evident during the Trump administration where executive orders have affected the movement of immigrants. The incorporation of immigrants is facilitated by day to day activities such as education and employment.

Works Cited

Lopez, John. Personal Interview. 5 February 2019.

Quinn, Rand, et al. "The Politics of Immigration and Education." Educational Policy, vol. 31, no. 6, 2017, pp. 707-715.

Appendix

A personal interview was conducted on 5th February 2019. The interview was done in the home of the interviewee, John Lopez in Chicago. The notes from the interview are as follows:

Question: What was the reason for your family's immigration into the US?

John Lopez: My family moved into the US after the death of my father. My mother, Marisela Lopez, thought that it was the best option to ensure the family lived in a safe environment and also to ensure that our family had better opportunities.

Question: What do you think is the role played by politics in immigration?

John Lopez: I think politics plays a central role in the immigration patterns seen in the US. In the past, the number of immigrants into the US has been considerably high due to the immigration-friendly policies. However, with the Trump administration, it seems things will change.

Question: What made you feel like an "American?"

John Lopez: Attending school enabled me to have dreams like other "American" children. For my mother, I think her job help her integrate into American society.