Our country is divided.

I'm not being dramatic, just realistic. Go into a random classroom and spark up a conversation on immigration and you're sure to start a hell-fire of a discussion that will not have a conclusion. Immigration policy right now since the year 2000 has been one of the most important political topics because of the unfortunate events of 9/11. The country is quite frankly, scared of outsiders and to a degree, rightfully so. What happened on that fateful day really put legislation in motion to crack down on immigration policies and make them even more difficult. That being said, there are many sides to this topic and I aim to address some based on my own personal experiences and knowledge.

I'm actually only a permanent resident (green card holder, for those unaware of what permanent resident entails) and I'm in the process of becoming a citizen, but what many are not aware of is the long process it took to get me here. It's been 18 years in the making! The popular opinion on immigrants is that we illegally came into the country; however, most immigrants actually legally came here with a visa and just overstayed their welcome.

Now, I'm not saying that those actions are correct either; however, the notion that everyone illegally came here is incorrect. Furthermore, a lot of Hispanic countries are third-world countries and thus either very poor or very underdeveloped. My family wanted a chance at a better life and so they brought me here when I was younger with the intention of giving me the opportunities they could not have. Because I'm a first-generation college student in my family, pushing myself further and supporting myself financially without any kind of help from my parents or others, I think they did well with me.

Still, becoming "legal" is tougher than people think. It took my family 12 years to become permanent residents. So when I hear others give the rhetoric of "Oh, they should just apply to become a citizen like everyone else" well it's simply not that easy anymore. The United States is considered one of the countries with the toughest naturalization process! In the past it was easier to become a citizen, but now it takes a while longer which is time that not everyone unfortunately has to better their lives.

When I was still "illegal" there were so many fears. What if my mom or dad got stopped while driving and we were found out? How could I manage going back to Costa Rica when all I have known is the United States? At least for me, I always retained the Spanish language and could read, write, and speak it, but what about those kids who weren't even savvy to the language of their origin country? I can't even imagine what it must be like to undergo such an experience.

Before Obama implemented DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and before I was accepted as a permanent resident, I was maintaining my grades and actively participating in school with the hope that I'd maybe have the chance of going to college. At that time, undocumented students could go to college but many had restrictions and some did not allow for undocumented students to attend. Furthermore, undocumented students do not receive government or state aid which means all expenses are paid out of pocket. The amount of work, effort, and money that has to be put in is astounding.

Some of the closest people in my life truly impress me because of how difficult paying for college can be and make me proud to call them a friend. They are here making the most of themselves as Dreamers. For those that don't know, Dreamers are the name for illegal alien minors that qualified under Barack Obama's Dream Act for conditional residency. The act aimed at allowing minors that were brought to this country at a young age by their family to have jobs, pursue higher education, and cement themselves into feeling like they belong in this country. The act proved to be a ray of hope for children who had no influence on the path of their life based on the actions of their parents.

Dreamers are looked down upon by half of the nation, but they truly reflect perseverance. Even though Dreamers are granted the ability to have a work visa, a license, and attend college without restrictions, they are still unable to receive financial support from the state and government. Dreamers usually have more than one job to pay for college and study nonstop to be able to receive third-party scholarships that can assist them in tuition payments. They contribute as much to the economy as anyone else and are hardly ''lazy'' as quoted by some of the political figureheads of the country.

Illegal immigration is never an easy topic to address because there are so many viewpoints to how it should be monitored.

As a former illegal immigrant who had the same fears and doubts as current aliens, I still think the United States should crack down on immigration policies. This does not mean I support mass deportation or the breaking up of families, but the United States needs better guidelines. For example, the current problem of repealing DACA poses a huge threat to those already under it. The logical solution to that would be to grant permanent residency to those that can provide documented evidence that they contributed positively to the country.

Some of these contributions can include but are not limited to: studying in college, working jobs, and paying taxes. As long as these individuals show that they have a clean record, it would be right to grant them a green card. Also, speeding tickets and minor infractions of the nature should not be deterrents considering even citizens get them all the time. A wall should not be built and is a waste of taxpayer money considering, as stated previously, more immigrants come here legally through air travel than actually crossing borders. Additionally, people are actually leaving the United States to go back to their origin country more often now because of the financial state of the country.

Before, the United States was in a better state of condition where people could come here and do well but now the margin of difference is not that high. The country should also recognize political and economic turmoil in other countries to determine if people residing there are in need of assistance. With Syria for example, as long as an intensive screening process exists, there should be no reason why people escaping the horrors of the country should not be accepted.

Overall, it's hard to point fingers at who is entirely right and wrong. The United States was founded by immigrants, but it is a country just like any other so it needs to have set immigration policies. Do I believe the way immigration is being run currently is effective? No, but I also do not agree, even as a former illegal immigrant, that illegal immigration can just be dismissed. Every person has their story and their hardships, and sometimes I believe that if you come from a struggling nation, there should be leeway.

The problem is that because of 9/11 everyone is afraid of foreigners and we've lost a little of our humanity in pushing away people who need help. At the end of the day, we are all human beings, and though laws exist to regulate us, we still need to keep our humanity when dealing with others. If you were a parent wanting to give your child the best possibility of life that you could, what would you do? The answer is simple but is clouded by responses like "Oh, I would want to give them the best chance, but I would do so legally." What if you didn't have the time to wait years to do it legally? We're all equal so let's not think ourselves as above someone else and instead support each other instead.