Years from now, our children and our children's children will be reading about this week in their history textbooks. They will read about Donald Trumps first week as the President of the United States, the women's march that followed soon after he became president, his election, views and the controversy that surrounds him. During this election, I had a very tough time understanding Trump's policies on illegal immigration, since this country was built on immigrants and since my own grandfather is an immigrant.
My grandfather doesn't talk about his childhood often. Perhaps it was his Jewish upbringing in Egypt during the 40s. His early years were spent in hiding. He was not just hiding from terrorists, bombers, or self-proclaimed liberators; he was hiding from his own faith - a victim of Nazi-era dogmatism and Germany’s Holocaust. My grandfather immigrated here, legally after spending time hiding in Paris during the World War 2. My grandfather is against illegal immigration and I understand why. He went through the proper channels and took the time to become a US Citizen. Personally, I have a tougher time with immigration policies, I often wonder if it was my grandfather's wealth, color, and ability to speak English that helped him along the way. I wonder what would have happened if he was not allowed into this country legally or felt as tho he couldn't get into the country through the proper channels. Would he of tried to come into the country illegally?
President Trump's policies are clear, we are moving into an error with tougher immigration laws, an error in which the US will be deporting more people and letting fewer people in. Trump has already introduced policies that require immigrants without authorization to be detained if they are caught trying to cross the border. He is making a huge effort to expand the policy of rapidly deporting illegal immigrants who have committed or charged with crimes. He instructed Homeland Security to begin constructing a wall along the US- Mexico border. As of right now, congress has no approved the wall but funds are already being allocated.
I understand the tougher on immigration policies have a reasoning behind them. I am just unsure how far President Trump will take it. If illegal immigrants, who have made a life for themselves in this country, will be ripped from their homes at night. If the children of immigrants will feel as helpless as my grandfather felt during his childhood. I wonder if these policies will simply just lead to stricter proactive policies or if our country will write a new history on immigration one that is darker and self-destructive.
