Immigrants and Their Struggles Essay Example

Immigration in the United States has been a topic of heated debate in recent years. In fact, during the last presidential campaigns, it was one of the main agenda for the Republican Party that argued against immigration. The Republicans, led by the now President Trump blamed immigrants for taking American jobs alongside encouraging other negative vices such as terrorism. But the reality is that being an immigrant in the United States is the worst nightmare. Even before the Republicans publicly declared s strong stance against immigration, immigrants had for long suffered all forms of mistreatment from the citizens to the law enforcement officers. Although the immigrants come to the United States being optimistic to make fortunes in their lives, they end up being harassed by the law enforcement officers and stereotyped by the natives.

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The immigrants come to the United States or other countries such as Canada to look for job opportunities as others seek a better education. Hoffman recalls a story of a "Polish Jew who came to Canada and made a fortune" (133). As the author and the father arrived in Canada, a Yiddish speaking passenger enters in a conversation where he tells him that immigrants have turned into millionaires upon safe landing in the land (Hoffman 133). Upon hearing the story, the author's father is energized which means that he was inspired to come to the country to make a fortune. Also, as the author and the parents alight from the train, they are welcomed by a man and a woman who told them "you should kneel down and kiss the ground." They further uttered unto them "you are lucky to be here" (Hoffman 133). The welcoming words were a clear indication that immigrants considered a safe landing as a half-way success and that it was something to celebrate. It was an indication that it was highly expected that once in America, one would make a fortune that would not have been possible in the country of origin. As soon as the immigrants settle in America, their children seek education from the American schools. Hoffman began attending school once they settled in Canada where he schooled and got educated. It is through education that most of the immigrants turned their fortunes. For example, Frank finished law school education and would soon secure a good job and make a living in America (145).

However, as the immigrants land in their destination, they are treated suspiciously and most of the time met by harassment from the law enforcement officers. According to Marilyn, all the evils in America have been blamed on immigrants (141). Drugs crossing the borders into the United States are seen as an immigrant cause. Job scarcity is also blamed on the immigrants. The immigrants have become the scapegoat for almost every wrong in the land (Marilyn 141). As a result, the immigrants have been seen as bad people and have become easy targets for law enforcement officers. Marilyn recounts an event where two police officers pursued two immigrants into the courtyard at a church to "ticket them for jaywalking" (141). According to Marilyn, the police officers who are supposed to protect the undocumented persons have turned them into victims of exploitation. Whereas there are many people who walk across the streets indiscriminately, the police have just run after the defenseless immigrants who cannot afford the fines (142). Apart from "fixed" ticketing, the immigrants often experience sexual assault from the law enforcement officers. "I just came in from San Antonio, where a city policeman had been arrested on a complaint from an undocumented person who was a victim of sexual assault" (Marilyn 142). The police officers assume that undocumented immigrants are citizens without rights and they would not report any mistreatment they receive. However, the young girl who was sexually assaulted by the cop gained the courage to speak up and reported the incident which led to arrest of the perpetrator. It is unfortunate that the law enforcement officers who are supposed to protect the rights of the citizens and non-citizens turned against them and even subject them to sexual assault. It is an indication that immigrants are open to all sorts of exploitation in their destination.

Moreover, the immigrants receive all manners of stereotypes in America. For example, a metropolitan University of Michigan approved a program that would ensure undergraduates take a course that would expose them to issues of diversity (Frank 147). Such a move was a dangerous signal because it would encourage "recognizing and celebrating differences among groups which reinforce facile stereotypes about individuals from certain groups" (Frank 147). Encouraging positive thinking about other ethnic groups is another way of stimulating thoughts along the ethnic classifications (Frank 147). Immigrants are stereotyped even on the subjects undertaken. For example, Asian students are assumed to be "gifted with mathematical, scientific or computer-programming talents solely on account of race" (147). The American students have assumed that Asian students are supposed to be good with computers. Among the college students, a poor test is associated with Chinese. For instance, students explain a poor score by asking "what do you think I am, Chinese?" (Frank 147). The Americans have established fear which makes them think that just as Asian electronics and automobile equipment flooded the American market, native-born and Asian immigrants will soon flood the American colleges (147). Just as the Asians look alike, they have been stereotyped to possess similar intellectual capabilities. Stereotyping only serves to categorize an immigrant as a member to a particular group and will not be heard and considered as the individual himself or herself rather as an immigrant.

Conclusion

Immigrants come to American expecting to get good jobs and education for their children but they undergo several challenges before they achieve their goals. Majority of the immigrants who come to America come from poor countries where getting a job is difficult and they see America as a land of fortunes. However, on their arrival, they are treated suspiciously and almost blamed for every evil. The law enforcement officers associate every immigrant with drug trafficking. They are also seen as the main causes of job scarcity. They end up being harassed and exploited by the law enforcement officers who should be protecting their rights. They are ticketed for fines for crimes they have not even committed. In worst cases police sexually harass them. The children of the immigrants are not spared either. They are subjected to stereotypes which make the rest see them as just immigrants but not individuals gifted in different ways like any other American. Stereotyping has resulted in a negative attitude towards the immigrants who come to learn in America as they have been thought to flood the colleges in the near future.

Works Cited

Frank H. Wu. Thinking about diversity.

Hoffman, Eva. Lost in translation: A life in a new language. Random House, 1991.

Marilyn P. Davis. Padre Luis Olivaries, C.M.F. Pastor, La Placita Church of Nuestra Senora Reyna de Los Angeles Los Angeles, California.