Dear Future President,

From the beginning of time til even this day in age, people have migrated hundreds of miles to come to the U.S. to make a better life for themselves. During this past election, immigration was a common issue and argument that was constantly brought up. I am here to share some research and personal insight to this issue and how exactly it is affecting the latinx and hispanic communities.

Illegal immigration is nothing new to the U.S. In 2014 there were roughly 11.1 million undocumented immigrants in California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, and South Carolina. 54% of the 11.1 million were said to have come from Mexico and or Cuba. Of these immigrants, 26% work in the farming industry while 15% work in construction. It was also stated those that are U.S. born would have the advantage of getting a job over those that are undocumented.

Many American’s believe that illegal immigration threatens our economy and safety. “Go back to where you came from”. “They are stealing our jobs”. “Lazy, uneducated, and thieves”. These phrases are just a part of the negativity and hate that is being pushed upon latino immigrants of this country. Most immigrants when they come to this nation take any job they can get. They want to provide for their family just like everyone else in America, but because the process is long and expensive they cross the border themselves. Not all latinos or hispanics are bad. Those who are “thieves” should not be the ones to represent my whole culture.

This is what I ask. I want visas to be accessible to everyone and cost less. To immigrate to the U.S. you need to give the government a number of applications. In order to do that, you need to be educated on the current immigration laws, which change all the time. Since these laws are hard to understand, you would most likely need an attorney which makes the process expensive. On the other hand, visas are given to only so many people. To add to that, obtaining one is a process in itself. You have to take classes which can be costly as well as paying for applications. If we gave people an easier process of coming to this country, we might be benefiting this nation with more people who are ready to work and make this country amazing.

Josaline Mendoza Chaparro. My grandmother immigrated to this country when she was 23 years old. It took her 7 times before she finally made it to the U.S. She moved here with her 3 kids in hope of having the ability to make something of herself. She worked up until she was 93. A woman who worked her whole life, failed a total of 6 times and still kept trying is not someone who I necessarily would call lazy or undetermined.

People come here for a better life, successful future, and a chance at achieving the American dream. We are not all gangsters, or thieves, or robbers, or involved in cartels. We are people who want nothing, but to better ourselves and our future generations.

Future President, something needs to change.

Yours Truly,

Aryssa