Current immigration policy explained by an immigrant
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Politics

The current immigration policy, From The Perspective Of A Current immigrant

No tolerance doesn't mean no humanity.

Isabel Rejto
Jul 11, 2018
DePaul University
135
Statue of Liberty
Pixabay

I came to the United States four years ago in September 2014, after graduating high school. I was finally living my dream of studying in the US. If all goes according to plan, I hope to get the chance to stay in the US and do public relations work for a company. Although I am here now, I had to work through a long process of applying to come to the US, and the process is still not over.

My first Visa allowed me to study as a student for four years and came with a fee that had to be paid off. I realize my level of good fortune and luck in having the ability to pay the necessary fees to remain in the country as a legal immigrant. Now that I have finished college, I'm on the path to obtaining a work Visa. Essentially, this will extend my student Visa to allow me to work for one year. If I receive the extension, I will have to reapply for some type of work Visa to allow me to continue living in the country. If, at any point down the line I don't receive permission to stay, I'll have to leave.

Being a legal immigrant takes work, but it's possible.

Yes, there are steps to getting into any country, but they are there for a reason.

Abiding by the rules and laws governing a land is the only way to make legal entry and hope to remain in the country. However, the immigration issue has taken multiple issues and muddled them together. I've broken them down into their respective parts to understand how each is separate but feeds into the overall issue facing immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) officers.

Children have been used as decoys to help illegal immigrants enter the United States.

Remember, these are not their biological children. These children have already been separated from their families when they were taken from their home countries. Officials in the US already separate children from criminal families. The same principle applies here and is ultimately safer for the child to be removed from a criminal and/or someone to whom they are not related.

Children are often already unaccompanied.

If they arrive without their parents, they can't be separated. A host of children cross the borders on their own, so they are protected in holding facilities.

There is a process for asylum seeking.

I know, I know, the media keeps saying there's a process, but painting it in a negative light. Yes, the US has the ability to take these asylum-seekers in, but there is a system to ensure they are properly vetted.

Although overall figures are declining, it's important to see where the increase is coming from.

In Central America, most of the immigrants who are able to make it as far as the US-Mexico border are women and children. Immigration from Mexico itself, Europe and South America has declined, though, but when there is an increase it can't be helped who it affects.

These are the issues which are becoming intertwined with one another. The media doesn't do an adequate job of separating out the issues and providing a clear context. I do not agree with the no-tolerance policy. It doesn't excuse the inhumane treatment of children, regardless of whether or not they are with or without their families, proves a need to rethink the issue and the solution. We cannot treat everyone as a criminal, but we can't treat everyone with open arms when time and time again, many have proven to undermine the system. It's important the issue is taken care of with humanity, with a change to the policies through pressure and legislation, and an end to the inhumane treatment of human beings.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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