A Student’s Perspective on Immigration
The following journal entry was written by a student at Saint Gertrude High School in Richmond, VA, who traveled to World Leadership School’s El Paso program in June 2018.
My eyes were opened to the realities of the US-Mexican border when I traveled on a recent World Leadership School program to El Paso, TX. Upon arrival in El Paso, we met a group of refugees from South and Central America who were brought to the retreat center where we were staying. These families had been processed through US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and released to the retreat center, where they would make plans to be united with family members living in the United States. My friends from school and I played with play-doh, colored, and passed the soccer ball around with the children. In addition, we were able to talk to the adults in Spanish about their lives. I enjoyed being able to connect with them in another language. Some people spoke a native language as well as Spanish. One of the children had a birthday while we were there, and we got to sing “Happy Birthday,” have cake with her, and give her a copy of Charlotte’s Web in Spanish.
While all of this was happening, Jeff Sessions made a speech to law enforcement officers in Fort Wayne, Indiana reinforcing the current administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy of referring all border crossings for federal criminal prosecution. This new interpretation of the policy leads to children being detained separately while their parents are sent to jail. This meant that families like the ones we met at the retreat center would be separated and sent to detention centers. A few days later, on June 20, President Trump signed an Executive Order to keep children and their parents together in detention centers. While I am glad that families will no longer be separated, I believe families should not be put into detention centers because it is inhumane to punish people who are trying to seek a better life by coming to the United States.
When I was in El Paso, we were able to speak with an immigration lawyer about the process of coming to the United States and the many difficulties it entails. We learned that to come to the United States legally, there are few options. One option is to request asylum, meaning the person must prove they faced persecution in their home country due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinions. The lawyer told us that 98% of asylum requests in El Paso are denied, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently ruled that people seeking asylum on the basis of domestic violence and gang violence no longer qualify. The other options are time-consuming and expensive, which places them out of reach for most people.
We also met with a border patrol agent named Joe. At first, I was skeptical, however after we listened to his story and asked questions, he offered a suggestion that resonated with me. He said the United States should make it easier for immigrants who are seeking a better life and looking for work to enter the country legally. I agree with Joe and would add these immigrants should not be sent to detention centers upon arrival. The people who come here are trying to create a better life for themselves and their families, and we treat them like criminals. I am frustrated with the immigration system in the United States because we make it nearly impossible to come here legally, and then wonder why people are coming illegally. Unless you are a Native American, then you, or someone in your family immigrated to the United States.
By: Katie C.
