Week 9: Approaching Immigration

            With an aunt, many cousins, and newly adopted babies in my family having come from China (as well as Guatemala and Honduras), I am naturally extremely grateful for immigration into the U.S. being manageable and allowing me to have these wonderful people in my life.  And when it comes down to it, all Americans who are not of Native American descent have some immigrant blood in them.  However, I understand that the United States physically cannot handle to accept everyone who requests permanent residence, especially given the political turmoil and lack of stability in South and Central America as well as the Middle East.

            So now, the US struggles with the cost of immigration control in the current recession and the effort of identifying deserving immigrants for green cards in light of the rapid population growth as a result.  Also, given that the draft of the Vietnam War led many young Americans to flee to Canada, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 tripled the budget for Border Patrol along the Canadian border to address illegal reentry.

            Though it is devastating that many hardworking families cannot make it into the “land of opportunity,” it is an impossible situation for all involved, and there is no way of pleasing everyone.  So we are left with states like Arizona who feel abandoned by the Federal Government and attract attention to their cause by concocting a new law that causes great racial profiling and the unreasonable requirement of immigrants carrying their papers on themselves at all times.

            While I do not share the bigoted perspective of “the darn immigrants are takin’ all our jobs,” I do have to agree with the concept that we must deny a great deal of people seeking entrance (besides those seeking refuge from oppression and persecution, of course).

            Once immigrants have earned permanent residence or even citizenship, though, I am naturally very happy for them and interested in learning of their past and current cultures as well as welcoming them into the American lifestyle.

            I included a picture of my cousin Jenwei Tsai who moved here from China at the age of 16, alone, and graduated from the University of Illinois just weeks ago with a Masters degree in Agriculture.  This picture is of her researching for her thesis.

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            The second picture is of my adopted cousin Bo, whom my aunt and uncle picked up from China in November of 2009.

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