As a border patrol officer for the Department of Homeland Security, I encounter social problems on a daily basis. Unfortunately, patrolling the borders often means encountering racism. This social problem is perpetuated by the construction of meaning around racism and the intolerance of other races. Society has been taught to dislike illegal immigrants, which reflects the idea of culture as a projection of social structure. However, it is important to avoid ethnocentrism and respect cultural relativism when dealing with different cultures. It is a fine line between being professional and being racist towards Mexicans and other illegal immigrants. While immigrant rights activists argue that they should have the same rights as citizens, the fact remains that they are not citizens and are therefore not entitled to the same rights. The debate over border patrol and illegal immigration is a hot topic, with a racist foundation underlying modern immigration laws. Deportation tears families apart, but it is the price paid for entering the United States illegally. Discrimination and racism will always be present in border policies, as evidenced by the Supreme Court's decision in United States v Martinez-Fuertes, which granted border patrol agents the right to stop and question people "of apparent Mexican ancestry" within one-hundred miles of the border....
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...With border patrol, you may encounter racism, but it is essential to be open-minded and do your job with the utmost professionalism. Works Cited Cuauhtémoc, C., & Hernández, G. (2008). No Human Being Is Illegal. Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine, 60(2), 23-31. Locked and Loaded. (2006). Nation, 283(6), 29.
The article by Rob Guerette is a case study involving the widely-reported increase of immigration into the United States. It tackles migration issues as well as related issues such as border security , security initiatives by individuals.. The article also provides in-depth research about the impact of illegal immigration into the United States including migrant deaths, deaths of non-migrants at the border, border security and the challenges faced by United States border patrol officers. The main purpose of the article was to provide an explanation as to whether the Border Patrol has any effect in saving the lives of people attempting to enter into the United States (Guerette, 2007).
The primary function of the Border Patrol Agency is "Line Watch"(web), which involves the apprehension of terrorists, smugglers and illegal people at the border. The book ‘Border Patrol nation’ by Tod Miller is a classic example of the Border patrol agency day to day activities and work culture. Tod Miller has researched and written about US-Mexican border issues for last 15 years. The book contains eleven chapters, which are well structured and inter related in respect to the arguments, evident and stories. This makes the book well
A leading American historian on race, policing, immigration, and incarceration in the United States, Kelly Lytle Hernandez’s Migra! A History of the U.S. Border Patrol tells the story of how Mexican immigrant workers emerged as the primary target of the United States Border Patrol and how, in the process, the United States Border Patrol shaped the history of race in the United States. Migra! also explores social history, including the dynamics of Anglo-American nativism, the power of national security, and labor-control interests of capitalistic development in the American southwest. In short, Migra! explains
The immigration debate has been in the news a great deal recently. Most of the attention has been focused on the illegal immigrants entering our country from Mexico, mostly Hispanics and Latinos. Uncontrolled immigration is harmful to the United States. It harms the American worker and it harms the American economy. The open borders are a threat to national security because terrorists, smugglers, and drug dealers can also freely cross the border. These key facts cannot be ignored and outweigh the claims that race and ethnicity are part of the debate. Immigration should be restricted and a better I.D. system would help stabilize the immigration problem.
The author is using personal experience to convey a problem to his or her audience. The audience of this piece is quite broad. First and foremost, Mexican-Americans just like the author. People who can relate to what the author has to say, maybe someone who has experienced something similar. The author also seems to be seeking out an audience of white Americans who find themselves unaware of the problem at our borders. The author even offers up a warning to white America when she notes, “White people traveling with brown people, however, can expect to be stopped on suspicion they work with the sanctuary movement”(125). The purpose of this writing is to pull out a problem that is hidden within or society, and let people see it for what it is and isn’t.
In the early 1920's, many generational Americans had moderately racist views on the "new immigrants," those being predominantly from Southern and Eastern Europe. Americans showed hatred for different races, incompatibility with religion, fear of race mixing, and fear of a revolution from other races. At the time, people believed the Nordic race was supreme.
It is important to look at the history of border patrol before judgment. Border patrol has been around since the early 1900s. Their motto of professionalism, honor, and integrity for human life has been a motivation for them through the years. It initiated when mounted watchmen were set up, to prevent illegal immigrants for entering, for the U.S. Immigration Service. Over several decades they gained funds, strategy, coordination and most importantly organization. After the 18th Amendment prohibited the import and export of alcohol, the watchmen had bigger goals and higher expectations. Many limitations were brought also brought upon by the Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924. The first border patrol academy opened in 1934. In 1940 Immigration service became part of the Department of Justice. Later, Border Patrol Agents gained permission to search illegal immigrants anywhere in the United States. This was very significant because it made immigrants subject to arrest for the first time in history. They could, however, only b...
Racism (n): the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other race (Wordnet search, 1), a controversial topic in today’s society, a subject that many people try to sweep under the rug, but yet a detrimental problem that has been present in America since the colonial era. Will this dilemma come to a halt? Can all Americans see each other as equals despite their skin color and nationality; and what role has it played in past generations versus today’s generations and how will it affect our future? Has this on going way of thinking gotten better or worse? These are questions raised when many think about the subject; especially members of American ethnic groups and backgrounds, because most have dealt with racial discrimination in their life time.
In conclusion, racism is a big issue in the United States affecting not just only foreigners but also citizens. Leslie Marmon Silko as a mixed-ancestry-person has had to face discrimination and racism in the United States. The author feels very proud of her family because racism did not grow up in her hometown along with her. Moreover, she shows her sympathy to undocumented immigrants by pointing out the cruelty that Border Patrol offices do not just to them but also to citizens. Also, her tone is very disappointing and angry because of what is going right now with the United States and the Border Patrol making racism stronger and stronger overtime making some rights, such as freedom start to vanish all because of the same issue, which is racism.
Dating back to the beginning of times people have always been looked at different depending on the color of their skin or what your religion, race, or beliefs may be. It is in our human nature to not like people for certain things that they are. Many will argue that in this day in age we are no longer at a race war but how can you be so sure when you actually open your eyes and see reality. Rapper Kanye West once said “racism is still alive, they just be concealing it” and these words are everything but false. You must ask yourself the real question about racism and it is how could you ever cure such a thing in people’s minds? People are free to think and believe what ever they would like and old habits such as racism will never change in people.
It appear that we have been investigating the cause and effects of race and racism for quick some time, as middle age adult in the year 2015, I feel that we have run into a brick wall which seems too hard to break though, to wide to get around and runs to deep to get under.
Vaughan, Jessica M. “Aliens Who Overstay Their Visas Are a Serious Security Threat.” Opposing Viewpoints: Immigration. Eds. David M. Haugen, Susan Musser and Kacy Lovelace. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2009. 182-193. Print.
A social justice issue that I find very interesting is the way we view and treat the immigrants in our country. Immigrants contribute to our lives in many ways. The United States was founded upon immigrants and look where we are now. We must figure out a way to utilize the benefits that immigrants can offer our economy and society. We often have a misinterpretation that immigrants are taking all of our jobs and ruining our economy. To my surprise, I found this to be incorrect. F...
Over the years it seems as though our country has become more populated and unsafe from the illegal immigrants and smuggled goods, such as drugs and weapons, which make it into the United States. Although there are many illegal immigrants and contraband that are able to make it into the U.S undetected, there are a significant amount of people and contraband that are caught by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP is a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and was formed in 2003. “It is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations and is charged with keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S” (CBP). One of the departments of the CBP is border security, which is a team of individuals that work together to protect our country from “illegal immigrants, narcotics smuggling, and illegal importation” (CBP). Border patrol was established in 1924 and has changed dramatically over the decades. The one aspect that has not changed is “the overall mission to detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the U.S” (CBP). The border patrol is responsible for patrolling the 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters. According to CBP, “In 2013 420,789 nationwide illegal aliens were apprehended and 2.9 million pounds of drugs were seized.” As one could tell, there is a significant amount of illegal immigrants and smuggled goods coming into the U.S. However, the number of illegal immigrants that have been seized is lower than it has been in the past, but I still believe that having a strong border security is necessary in continuing to keep immigrants from trying to come into the U.S illegally and transporting illegal goods. “The primary goal of bo...
Racism is the mistreatment of a group of people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, place of origin, or ancestry. The term racism may also denote a blind and unreasoning hatred, envy, or prejudice (Dimensions of Racism). Racism has had a strong effect on society. Despite the many efforts made to alleviate racism, what is the future of African Americans' Racism's long history, important leaders, current status, and future outlook will be the main factors in determining how to combat racism. Racism is still present in many societies, although many people are doing their best to put an end to racism and its somewhat tragic ordeals.