Trump’s America Has Ruined Immigration

America’s appeal as a chance for a new beginning is slowly dwindling away

After three tries and thousands of miles traveled, he had finally made it to the United States. With only a couple of dollars in his pocket, he was ready to start his journey to live out the American Dream. Greeted by his aunt, and before he even had time to settle in, he was already looking for work. Despite making it over the border in one piece, each night he faced the trauma he endured. It haunted him for some time. He ran into many armed men who preyed on the vulnerability of immigrants. They were robbed of many things, some of the clothes he had packed, and the money he had saved. His innocence had long been gone in his hometown; it was one of the reasons he left to seek a better life. Each day, somebody would be killed due to gun violence. He knew that there wasn't much of a future for him there.

That is the story of my dad. Many immigrants share a similar story to the one I just told. Crossing the border illegally is never easy and can be very dangerous, but when you no longer see a future somewhere, why would you stay? The topic of immigration has seemed to divide the United States in recent years, particularly under the Trump administration. Some believe that we need harsher policies, but many who agree with Trump's way of dealing with immigration have no idea how increasingly difficult it is to reside legally in the United States as an undocumented person.

Crossing the border illegally is very risky; the common way people get across is by getting in contact with a smuggler, known as coyotes. Over the years, the price of getting you across the border has gone vastly up, and it’s not even guaranteed that you get across. It is also worth noting that people get scammed this way. They are told that they will be guided and helped along the way, only to be deceived. Not every smuggler is exactly trustworthy. You are putting faith into a stranger and putting yourself in a very vulnerable and scary situation.

Another thing that makes crossing the border risky is the journey itself. Depending on where you live determines which route you take. But long, uncomfortable car rides or walking through deserted areas are inevitable. Many walk for days, and some don’t make it through the entire trip. Since you have to pack light, there isn’t much space for food, some are even given drugs to keep them awake to keep going. Being malnourished, combined with the stress, over-exertion of walking countless hours, and not getting proper rest, can lead to death. Espically if you get separated from your group.

Many walk for days, and some don’t make it through the entire trip.

If that doesn’t get them, then there is also a chance of getting robbed by gangs. Certain cartels hang around known travel areas, waiting to ambush. They take what they please and have no sympathy. Some may not necessarily walk across the border; sometimes they are hidden in a car's trunk, hoping the car is not chosen for a random inspection. It is very easy for something to go wrong. As dangerous as it can be, people will still take that risk for the chance of a better life. Only to be met with a whole new challenge.

The new challenge is surviving in America when all you have to your name is a couple of dollars and maybe knowing some English. If you're lucky, a family member will let you stay with them until you get settled in, so housing is covered. The next obstacle is getting a job; the only issue is that you don’t have a Social Security Number. Many undocumented people look for jobs that pay cash to avoid the awkward conversations with their employer. This very often leads to undocumented workers being taken advantage of by businesses, because they know that they need work and will do it for cheap. And there is nothing the undocumented worker can do about it because they aren’t on payroll, so they get paid what the employers feel like paying.

Another possible obstacle that some undocumented people may face is being indebted to their coyote. Smugglers are not cheap; nowadays, the starting range is 12 thousand dollars. I’ve heard people pay up to 20 thousand. The way it works is that the person wanting to be smuggled will pay a down payment, and once they get you across the border, you need to pay the rest. Sometimes it can be risky because they can charge you interest, and suddenly you are in way more debt than you originally intended. It becomes even more difficult when you factor in that they are most likely being paid below minimum wage, bills don’t magically get paid on their own, and some have a family to take care of.

A common response to hearing about all the deportations happening is “they should’ve just done it the right way.” I believe this response is tone deaf. Whenever I hear someone say this, I just automatically assume that they know nothing about the current state of immigration. Let’s say someone is undocumented but wants to start the process. A common way people will file or self petition, is through VAWA, which stands for the Violence Against Women Act. You do not have to be a woman to apply through this act; the only requirement is that you are a victim of abuse. From there, once your application starts to be reviewed, you are eligible to apply for a work permit while they review your case, which also means you are protected from removal proceedings. But since Trump got back into office, he has only made the process more difficult. Trump has ordered a pause on common applications such as VAWA. They are still being processed, but it is much slower now.

There has also been a change in how work permits are issued. Before Trump, the way it worked was that they would waive the fee for your first work permit, and it would be valid for five years. Now, Trump has changed it; they no longer waive the fee, and the application costs around $600. Instead of it being valid for five years, it is only valid for a year and a half, and you have to renew it a year in advance, or you lose it. If you lose it, you are unable to work and no longer protected from deportation orders. So saying “they should’ve done it the right way,” while actively making it harder to do so, is ridiculous.

VAWA, which stands for the Violence Against Women Act. You do no have to be a woman to apply through this act; the only requirement is that you are a victim of abuse.

Another factor that makes being an immigrant in America hard is ICE. Under the Trump administration, ICE has gained a reputation for distrust, as many see them as unqualified for the job due to its engagement in unjustified actions. Michelle Espinoza, an office manager at Newcomb Immigration, can attest that some of her clients have been “unlawfully detained.” She also commented on their blatantly wrong accusations. “I once had a client be told that if they did not return with an attorney for their next check-in, they would be deported,” Espinoza says, claiming that anyone has the right to appear at these check-ins unaccompanied.

Espinoza described that “ICE agents make it extremely difficult when they detain someone, because most of the time they do not fully know their rights and will agree or sign anything to get out of the stressful situation.” According to Espinoza, the conditions in which people are being held are also very inhumane. She has heard horrific stories from clients who have been held in these cruel detention centers. She recounts some first-hand stories: “I have a client who was detained with her son, and now whenever he sees a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, he begins to cry,” she claims. “I also knew another client who, in hopes of being released, went on a hunger strike.”

“I have a client who was detained with her son, and now whenever he sees a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, he begins to cry."

According to Espinoza, these centers traumatize and dehumanize people who are simply here searching for a better life. She also comments on how difficult these centers make it to reintegrate into society: “When you are sent to the detention center, they confiscate all personal or identification documents, and if they release you, there is a whole process to get back your documents; it is not automatically given back to you.”

There have also been instances where ICE agents have murdered U.S. citizens. Trump is so determined on deporting all the criminals to make America safer, while actively employing under qualified agents and making the streets more dangerous. These agents are not properly trained. They turn peaceful protests into violent ones. Imagine making the journey, going through all these obstacles, only to work with a system designed to work against you and being targeted unjustifiably.

An interview with Kelly Osbourne went pretty viral almost 11 years ago, where she said "If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?" The choice of words was admittedly very poor, but it is still relevant during Trump's second term. At the same time, her statement recognizes that undocumented Latinos are commonly seen as working low-paying jobs. This argument was still being made by people years later.

Since his return to office, President Donald Trump has been vocal about his opinions and plans on immigration. This past fall and winter, in states such as Minnesota and California, ICE and the National Guard were been deployed. Courts and lawmakers have deemed the president's acts unconstitutional. There have been more than 600 lawsuits against the current administration since the beginning of President Trump's term. Some of the arguments that were being made were in support of immigration, but also had that underlying tone that undocumented Latinos are only seen as cheap labor and nothing more. Many do not know the actual struggle.