Dear Next President,

I feel you should focus more on immigration because deporting immigrants is separating families. This causes suffering and unhappiness to many families by separating them from each other, from the people that they love. Children are the main people who are suffering the most. But why? Because in the U.S, thousands of children, who are U.S. citizens, are separated from their parents. I know that you might agree that returning undocumented persons to their original country is the right thing to do, but please stop and think that broken families are the result.

First of all, I want to say that deporting people is a huge problem in the United States. Deportation is the worst thing that could happen to an undocumented person because it takes away their ability to pursue their dreams. Most people who come to the United States come for one reason, which is to have a better life, for them and for their families. Many undocumented persons have been living in America for many years. They are following the laws as everyone does, just like every American. They have a job, and they work every day very hard. Some of them work in the fields or in many other difficult jobs because they want to have a better life and to provide their kids an education to have a better future. Deporting immigrants is a big problem, especially for families because deportation creates a large number of single mothers struggling after the deportation of their husbands because they usually depend on their husbands to get their families ahead.

Many citizens see unauthorized immigrants as a hindrance to the society. We also hear racial slurs like “spic”, "beaners", "wet backs", and those stereotypes make people feel less worthy than the legal citizens of the United States. Some of those stereotypes keep them down, but I know that they fight to keep their heads up and never give up, even in tough times. My mother taught me that I should never ever give up on what I want. Just like those undocumented immigrants who fight for the American Dream which every immigrant separated from their families by deportation hopes. In addition, Americans don't realize that immigrants have a lot to offer to America, like culture, agriculture, culinary arts, and more.

In addition, something that deportation creates is fear because children routinely conflate the police with immigration officials. Those children who are U.S citizens grow up afraid of the police. Therefore children and their parents live in constant fear from deportation. This emotionally matters to the world, especially immigrants, because they are separated from their families.

Additionally, I think this is an important issue because immigrants families are constantly being torn apart due to deportation. In 2010, my aunt was deported while she was taking care of her children. She left behind a son and daughter and her husband. Her kids were scared. They were 5 and 3 years old. Can you imagine how these children suffered when they saw their mom in handcuffs? I know you can. For this reason, I beg you to please help immigrant families stay together and don't tear families apart.

Sincerely,

Sandy R.