Immigration in America

Two replies or critical comments to other students' postings. These replies should have a minimum of 150 words each. Read each student posting and provide a critical comment for each one.

Student 1

Immigration is "blowing wide open" our ideas of race, identity and class in the United States because it is becoming more diverse.  Ruben Martinez mentions that immigrants are being led by the labor economy, which signifies class in the United States. Immigrants are offered jobs that Americans do not want to have and requires physical labor and effort. Martinez continues and states that small cities are attracting immigrants from around the world such as North Carolina. There is a change in society regarding the various ethnic race groups.

    Angel David Nieves argues that "a growing climate of hostility towards Latinos in the US" has strained race relations in towns across the South because they created a permanent need for both unskilled laborers willing to work for low paying jobs in the international global market. Siler City is an example because immigrants come to this country for opportunity, whether it is for better economic standings, educational benefits, religious freedom, and much more. America is seen as a country of equal opportunity but the reality is that the leading jobs are constructed for Caucasians. My friend is from India and her father has a bachelor's degree and is having a difficult time finding a job because the United States has built a society and has set classifications to who belongs where in society. He has been applying to jobs for three years now and he has experience in his field but has not been given the opportunity to pursue his dream job. He is working as a cab driver until he gets accepted.

The movie, Bodies & Boundaries: An Encounter at the Border, was really depressing. I cannot imagine being in their positions. Only being able to speak to my loved ones through a fence is inhumane to be honest. They have feelings and need love from their loved ones like every other human being, that has the ability to show tenderness and appreciation to each other. I learned that each race experiences discrimination differently. Mexicans are scowled upon when it comes to the border lines. Blacks are focused on when it comes to crimes and Muslims are focused in the airports. I also, learned that the amount of money you earn in a week in Mexicali you can earn it in a day in the United States, which is why they are fighting for survival for themselves and their families.

The video, Crossing the Line: Border Stories, teaches that crossing a border line has a pattern and specific instructions to follow in order to make it into the United States without getting caught. I also learned that crossing the border line is much more complex today than it has ever been. This is so from the improvement of technology such as cameras, sensory systems and the ability to triple the amount of border patrol. This video mentions that money earned from labor in Mexico is not comparable to what is earned in the United States, which is the corresponds to what the lady said from the first video.

Student 2

Immigration has always occurred from the beginning of mankind. Immigration has always been a key component for survival. People tend to want to relocate to a place where there is better opportunities than the ones they have at home or at hand. Because of immigration, most countries are filled with diversity. These countries are filled with different skin colors and different cultures and customs. United States of America has always been a ideal country for people who want to migrate from their country to a country filled with opportunities. To people from other countries, the United States of America is the land of the free and a country with an abundant amount of jobs, better health care, a more advanced school system and overall a superior country. These reasons lead immigrants to come to America and pursue a better life.

 These immigrants bring new things to America. They are what make the United States of America a racial melting pot. In “Race and immigration to USA” Ruben Martinez stated that immigration is “blowing wide open our notions of race, identity and class in the United States”. He states this because the wave of new immigrants that are migrating from their countries to the United States are adding on to the diversity of America in terms bringing in new languages, cultures, and overall diversity. He states there are “more colors” and it is not in one city or state but “across the nation”. This meaning that America is filled with all different types of people. Because many immigrants have come and continue to come to the United States many Americans have become hostile against them. Some Americans are not so welcoming because of the immigrants taking their jobs and posing threats to their personal customs. Angel David Nieves argues that "a growing climate of hostility towards Latinos in the US" has strained race relations in towns across the South, including race relations in Siler City”. This is because of racism and jealousy. Most southerners did not like the influx of Mexicans who settled in their lands and changed the demographic and economic impact Mexicans brought especially in Siler City.

Immigration has always created difficulties for the immigrants who deal with it. What I learned from the movie “Bodies & Boundaries: An Encounter at the Border?” is what I knew already. Immigrants deal with a lot of hardships. Immigrants are forced to be separated from their families. These immigrants from Mexico are forced to speak to their family members through a wall in what is called “Mexicali”. That wall is what separates Mexico and California. There are American authorities who guard the wall and arrest any Mexican who they are able to catch who come from down the wall.

 Immigrants face a hard life. They must learn new languages and suffer poverty most of the times. But their hopes and dreams for a better life are what keeps them going.