Being a child of immigrants has impacted me in the most intriguing ways possible. My parents' have faced a large amount of conflicts that has matured them to the parents that I needed to positively influence me. My parents have given me the values of hard work and responsibility and the understanding of poverty at a very young age. My parents haven’t been sheltering me from the world and has given me a space where I can experiment freely without judgement and where I can express myself. Before…
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As an immigrant from a central American country, i understand the necessities of many communities as the ones that i saw in my country. It is my hope to learn from their perspective of life, one that might be more simple and to appreciate what i have. I do not dislike less developed areas, but instead believe that it is in those areas that greater change can be done and major cultural barriers can be overcome. It is in fact, in less populated areas where people are usually more friendly and open…
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It is a huge roadblock in people trying to achieve their dreams. In the short story, poem, and autobiography, “The Trip” by Laila Lalami, “Exile” by Julia Alvarez, and “Outlaw: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas. Each author tackles in the topic of life as an Immigrant. All three works have a similar theme; despite all of the challenges, it is important to take risks, be brave, persevere, and to have determination to achieve one’s dreams or goals. In Laila Lalami’s story…
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little is mentioned about the underlying religious nature of these early immigrants. Communion of Immigrants, by James T. Fisher, brings forth the extreme importance of this religious dichotomy and attempts to unwrap some of the more important events brought forth by Catholic immigrants and their mark on our current American ideals. With the Protestants coming first and forming the early colonies and then the later waves of immigrants, mostly Catholic, to these Protestant colonies a tumultuous relationship…
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Before the Civil War, immigrants could come into the United States easily. The difficult part for them was just gaining enough funds to get on the voyage to America. However, after the Civil War ended, the federal government began placing various restrictions on immigrants that arrived. Ellis Island was one of the tools that was utilized in order to help the new immigration policies that were being set. Ellis Island is often seen as being the gateway for many immigrants that wanted new opportunities…
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As of the year 2012, there are an estimated 11.4 million “illegal” immigrants living in the U.S (Zong/Batalova). Take a second and actually put that number into perspective: 11.4 Million. That is more than the entire number of people that live in the state of North Carolina(U.S. Census Bureau). A majority of immigrants want to become an integral part of society; however, the government’s immigration system is so complex that it makes an immigrant’s path to citizenship extremely tough. Not enough…
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The stages of becoming an immigrant are challenging, and it wasn't easy for Jose Antonio Vargas to just come out and tell people that he was undocumented. He arrived in the United States as a child unaware of what his documentary papers were or even what they were. As he grew older and adapted to his surroundings in the United States he tried to obtain a driver's permit at the age of 16, but wasn't permitted as his documented form papers weren't even illegal. As we read in the New York Times essay…
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immigrating to the United States of America. Some immigrants introduce American culture and traditions to their lifestyle, which brings them to consider themselves as Americans. By doing so, they start to build a new Americanized legacy of their own. Some immigrants chose to hold on to their culture and traditions to keep their heritage intact. Amy Tan’s short story “Rules of the Game” illustrates the importance accorded to heritage by Chinese immigrants in America in the middle of the 20th century.…
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Social citizenship refers to being afforded all the rights ranging from economic welfare and security to being afforded inclusion in the social heritage and ability to lead a civilized life according to the standards set in the society. The concept differs from political citizenship which just entails the right to participate in the political process through acts such as voting and holding office. On the other hand, legal citizenship is associated with individual freedoms and rights such as those…
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human rights to food and water. Fundamentals of life: food, shelter and water. Immigrants are fleeing their homeland because those needs are not being met or because they are being persecuted. Their country is unsafe in some way by nature or people. Immigrants come to the United States for safety, security and the promise of a better life. I want to show the incoming immigrants that we care about their well-being and that we will lend our hands in any way possible for them to get the essentials…
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