The book Seeking Refuge: Central American Migration to Mexico, The United States and Canada examines the reasons why millions of people from Central America migrated to these three countries, and defines each of the country’s unique responses to large numbers of refugees. The author, María Cristina García intricately describes the experiences of citizens from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala during their country’s civil war eras. She explains that because most of these citizens’ land (home) was taken from them to be used in governmental industries, there only other options were to migrate northward or be murdered. The migrants who had to opportunity to migrate, were eventually either put in harsh government camps or living illegally in neighboring countries. News about the Central American refugee crisis attracted the attention of many non-governmental and grassroots organizations who expressed great concern for theses migrants living conditions. The general violence and lack of human rights these migrants endured was seen as unacceptable to many, as a result the Refugee Advocacy Movement …show more content…
Considering that clergymen and nuns experienced the violence brought on from war first hand, they played an important role in documenting the corruption. It was not soon after religious groups began helping victims, that they themselves became the targeted victims of local government forces in countries like El Salvador. “Flyers circulated throughout the capital city…urging the population: Be a patriot, kill a priest” (pg.23). Knowing they were prone to threats, the religious groups remained inspired to fight against foreign policy in order to get their cause published in the press. García argues that it was the religious groups’ willingness to suffer and “moral devotion” to the defenseless, which help give the refugees a voice in a state where they had
Starting a new life is very problematic for many Central American children that migrate to the United States. There are a lot of difficulties involved in the process to migrate to the United States including the journey to get there. An extremely common way to migrate is by train. Migrants usually take away many life lessons from the journey to the United States such as the generosity and assistance from fellow Central Americans. On the other hand there’s extreme hardships. For example, the many robberies, and gang violence a migrant can face on the journey to the United States. During the trip, migrants learn that they usually cannot take things for granted, especially how scarce food, supplies, and other necessities are.
As you read you can picture his settings and characters. For the purpose of this book review, the reader will discuss how a migrant community in search of the “American Dream” encounters the “American Nightmare” as described by Tomás Rivera in his novel, “ …And the Earth Did Not Devour Him.”
The author mainly focuses on the struggles of a man, Kevin Villanueva, who was deported because he was an illegal immigrant in the United States. The author focuses on his story of getting deported back to Honduras and how much of a culture change it was for him. The author also focuses on the struggles that occur when he was deported back to Honduras. Throughout, Kevin describes his whole journey, from almost dying in the hot desert trying to cross the border the first time to getting deported and seeing the struggles that the people of Honduras faced everyday.
In a story of identity and empowerment, Juan Felipe Herrera’s poem “Borderbus” revolves around two Honduran women grappling with their fate regarding a detention center in the United States after crawling up the spine of Mexico from Honduras. While one grapples with their survival, fixated on the notion that their identities are the ultimate determinant for their future, the other remains fixated on maintaining their humanity by insisting instead of coming from nothingness they are everything. Herrera’s poem consists entirely of the dialogue between the two women, utilizing diction and imagery to emphasize one’s sense of isolation and empowerment in the face of adversity and what it takes to survive in America.
All are firm in their convictions and believe they have good intent, but over time a net of moral corruption enfolds them all and they are forced to make choices based on what is necessary, not what is right and wrong. Acts of Faith is the story of politics and religion and the successes and failures of these relief workers as they get swept up in the plight of Africa. Eventually the vastness of human misery that is war swallows all of them. What began as business enterprises, liberation of slave...
In his essay, Rodriguez believes that the diplomatic affairs we see on the evening news are merely being disguised as a religious war. The fight over oil or land when in reality it is the fight between whose side God is on, the attacks under the control of Al Qaeda when perhaps it’s the greed for power or world domination. According to Richard, these religious wars are allowing terrorism to become prevalent; often times within the same culture (147).
Martinez, Demetria. 2002. “Solidarity”. Border Women: Writing from la Frontera.. Castillo, Debra A & María Socorro Tabuenca Córdoba. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 168- 188.
Las Cases argues that if those outside of the faith see Spain engaging in this war, they will be seen as, “Christian men, forgetting Christian virtue” instead of the nation showing mercy. While Las Cases wants Spain to treat the natives with compassion, he knows this is not how he’ll win the dispute. He must frame his appeal in ways that flatter the King or positions that oppose Las Cases, will hurt the image of Spain and undermined the king’s rule. To prove this point, Las Cases says that while Sepulveda claims to be upholding the King’s rule, he actually, “tears to pieces and reduces your rights by presenting arguments that are partly foolish, partly false, and partly of the kind that have the least force.” His next move is to criticize the soldiers who have the evil intention of looting the native’s possessions and are not bound to pay restitutions.
Between the years of 1976 to 1983, the period known as the ‘Dirty War’ was in full force in Argentina. During this period, thousands of people mysteriously went missing, and are referred to now as the ‘Disappeared’. It is believed that many of the disappeared were taken by agents of the Argentine government, and perhaps tortured and killed before their bodies were disposed of in unmarked graves or rural areas. Whenever the female captives were pregnant, their children were stolen away right after giving birth, while they themselves remained detained. It is estimated that 500 young children and infants were given to families with close ties to the military to be raised. Within this essay I would like to touch on the brief history of the Dirty war and why the military felt it was necessary to take and kill thousands of Argentina’s, and also the devastating affects the disappeared, and stolen children are having on living relatives of those taken or killed. It is hard to imagine something like this happening in North America relatively recently. To wakeup and have members of your family missing, with no explanation, or to one day be told your parents are not biologically related is something Argentina’s had to deal with, and are continuing to face even today.
“The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.” In America, Americans are blessed to have the right to freedom. Unlike other unfortunate countries, their freedom is limited. In many Latin American countries, the government’s leader has all power of the Country. Citizens have no rights to freedom, they are trapped in a cruel country where innocent people are killed each day. Civilians fear to speak out to the regime of leader; However, there were a few courageous citizens enough to speak out against the government. For example, “The Censors” by Luisa Valenzuela and the historical fictionalized account, “In The Time Of The Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez reveal individual 's role in overcoming oppression.
The United States offers an opportunity for migrants to support or reconnect with family: a goal that often is not reachable at home. Dorothy experiences something similar with the Wizard of Oz, as he is said to be the best possible opportunity for her to get back to Kansas. As will be discussed further, though, neither of these assumptions are true. In fact, in the eyes of Dorothy, Enrique, and many other Central American migrants, these two figures lie behind a false curtain. The two destinations seem to unfortunately result in a sense of disappointment for the travelers.
Oxman-Martinez, J., Martinez, A., & Hanley, J. (2001). Human trafficking: Canadian government policy and practice. Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees, 19(4).
In The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail, Oscar Martinez comments on the injustices that occur while migrating from Central America. Central Americans are forced to leave their countries in fear of the inevitable consequences. The systematic abuse Central Americans endure while migrating is founded on that fear which results in more repercussions for migrants. The psychological effects of migrating is used by Martinez to give insight on the atrocities that happen in Central America. The corruption involved while migrating in Central America is against human rights and should be brought immediate attention internationally. Martinez uses the experiences of migrants to expose Mexico’s passivity on the subject and to expose readers’ to the hard truths that occur while migrating.
Even though immigration brings in people from all over the world, many people tend to focus and stereotype all undocumented immigrants as coming from Mexico. As we can see through the novel and through the recent immigrant influx during the summer, the United States is seeing more and more people from Central and Latin America. These native countries are unable to provide a safe, productive environment for its people, so they need to look for a way to support their families. Even if that means going through the dangers of the trains, crossing the Rio Grande, and realizing that the “picture perfect” society of the U.S. is nothing but a
Bestseller journalist, Sonia Nazario, in her literacy non-fiction, Enrique’s Journey, describes a young man’s journey trying to reconcile with his mother in the United States, but has to go through many obstacles to reach her. Nazario’s purpose is to inform readers about how immigration affects children and their mothers in Central America. She adopts an optimistic/determined tone in order to reveal to her readers the difficulty and bravery the children have to face to get to the United States. Nazario begins her credibility with ethos to retrace an abandon teenager’s journey through Central America, pathos to follow the mother son relationship, and logos by giving facts and statistics for illegal immigrants in the U.S.