Problems Facing Undocumented Immigrants

FACTS -50,000 or so undocumented immigrants graduate from high school every year. -California and Texas were the first states to allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants in 2001. -Since 1830 to 1996, we had the most undocumented immigrants.  In 1992, 1,800,000 immigrants entered the US. The top 10 countries from were immigrants came in recently: -Mexico, Philippines, India, Vietnam, China, D.R., Cuba, Ukraine, Russia, and Jamaica.

WHY THIS ISSUE IS A PROBLEM This issue is a very big problem because people's lives are being destroyed because of the fact that many people start wonderful lives and live here for many years serving as U.S. citizens. Then out of nowhere, they get sent right back to their countries where they have to start all over again.

INTERVIEWS

To help me understand immigration, I interviewed 3 people. First, I interviewed 2 specialists from Progresso Latino who helped me a lot. Then, I interviewed another very bright lady named Ana Raposo who was actually here undocumented, but still made it through. My interview with Gregg Pehrson: Gregg was really nice. He told me about this one woman who worked at a fish factory. She would get up every day at 4:00 A.M. to cook breakfast for her children. Every morning, at about 6:00A.M. , a van would pick her up at her house and take her and another 12 people to work. Then, it would take those 13 people back to their homes every night. Well, one evening, this lady was on her way to her house, tired from a long day of work. However, this driver had been drinking earlier that day, and he got really drunk. Then, in the middle of the high way, they crashed. The van turned over, and sadly, this particular driver passed away. This case is related to undocumented immigrants because this fish factory knew that these people were all undocumented, and didn?t care for them. If these people weren?t undocumented, this company would have had hired a better, more responsible driver. Right after this incident happened, before anyone could get to get them in trouble with the law, they just picked up and disappeared. This incident happened 2 years ago, and until this day, nobody has been able to track the people from that factory down. Interviews My interview with Lisette Rincon: My interview with Lisette was very interesting. She told me how there are 3 basic ways of getting your papers: -The first would be to get married to a U.S citizen. -The second would be if your parents came here and got their papers. They could tell the government that they want you to come. However, they can only do that if you are their child, and the child has to be 18 or younger for girls, and 21 or younger for boys. -The third way would be that you would have to have a talent that no one else in the entire United States can do: This way, your own country would sponsor you with a visa. She gave me a lot of information, which was very helpful. Interviews My interview with Ana Raposo: Ana Raposo is my grandmother. I always knew that she had experience with immigration, however, didn?t know how much, until, I decided to interview her. -How old were you when you got here? "23. I came to Puerto Rico with a visa, but it expired, and I decided to stay." -How did you get the Visa? "My brother was in the army in the Dominican Republic, and the government gave visas to sisters, and mothers of military men for a time." -When your visa expired, what did you do? "Nothing at first. Then I decided to travel to New York to look for a job. When I got to NY, I bought a job at an agency for $25.00."

For More Information:

Article about immigrants

U.S. Census

HOME

ACTION PLAN: My suggestion for solutions to this probably would be that people should be able to enter the United States freely, and for the government to just keep a close eye on them for a fair period of time. If they act like good U.S citizens, then they should have the right to stay. When I went to Progresso Latino, I found out that what they do there is truly amazing. There, they are all divided into groups that focus on different kinds of issues that all have to do with immigrants. They make people feel safe even if they are undocumented. Progresso Latino lets them know all of their unalienable rights. Progresso Latino is definitely a big help.

Send Comments to:

Ana Cristina, student/Eileen James, Instructor, CVS Highlander Charter School

jamfind@att.net

ORGANIZATIONS  THAT ARE ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM: These are just some of the organizations that are addressing this problem. Here, we also have some web sites, telephone #s and addresses that could help you find more info on this issue: Progresso Latino 626 Broad St. Tel. 728-5920 http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?iD=1000587 MY SOURCES ARE: Progresso Latino: Gregg Pehrson Lisette Rincon http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=1000587 http://gothamgazette.com/article/immigrants/20030603/11/410 http://www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/undocimmigrant.htm http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0008/figol.gif http://images.google.com