Jose Antonio Vargas gives personal experiences he encountered throughout his whole life. He mentions his legal status in order to connect more with his readers. This piece of work is both an astonishing and reflective since most of the individuals in America are undocumented. He properly discusses personal encounters with individuals with a different mindset than him and he is able to provide them more knowledge towards his illegal status. Vargas provides various facts and information regarding the immigration laws that are currently happening in the United States. I personally connected with him throughout his whole article due to having personal experiences with this topic. It astonishes me the most that Vargas was brave enough to go public with his own personal story. He was not afraid to tell the rest of the …show more content…
Vargas discusses that there was no way of him becoming legal, even with a green card. He briefly explains that he is from the Philippines and was practically raised in America. He considered himself an American till he found out that he had no legal status whatsoever. One day he meets a man named Konrad Sosnow that asked him why he thought he was so special for getting a driver’s license without having proper documentation. Vargas responded that he never thought of himself being special but rather than a man that needed to survive. After their brief discussion, Sosnow was so moved by Vargas words, he emailed various important people such as the President and elected officials, to consider an immigration reform. Reading Vargas astonishing experiences made me think that everybody, no matter their legal status, should have an equal opportunity in America. America is known for the land of the free and the American dream. Everybody should have an equal opportunity even if they are not from this
In Sueños Americanos: Barrio Youth Negotiating Social and Cultural Identities, Julio Cammarota studies Latina/o youth who live in El Pueblo, and talks about how Proposition 187, the anti-immigrant law, is affecting Latina/o youth in California (Cammarota, 2008, p. 3). In this book review, I will write about the two main points the author is trying to get across. The two main points I will be writing about are how Proposition 187 is affecting the Latina/o community, and about how Latina/o youth are copping in the El Pueblo barrio. Afterward I write about the two main points the author is trying to get across, I will write a brief description of the author and write about the author’s strengths and weaknesses.
The book, “Y no se lo trago la tierra” by Thomas River and the article “Immigrants: The Story of a Bracero” author David Bacon both represent a historical time. In the year 1942 the U.S and Mexico negotiated an agreement that was known as the “Bracero Program”. This agreement gave Mexicans the opportunity to come to the U.S and enhance a better life. On the other hand, for Americans it was an assistance they required to keep the country going after the World War II. This need took the U.S to do a complete turnaround. Before they were trying to prevent Mexican immigrants from entering the country and now they had to open their doors to them. Thus, U.S was in need of Mexican laborers to help supply soldiers with food and keeping the agriculture growing. Moreover, a vast number of Migrant Farm Workers come every year and are spread all across the countries taking positions that Americans would never tolerate due to hard conditions, the insufficient wage, and the physically challenging labor they have to face. All this leads to a hard historical time for both counties as Thomas Rivera and David Bacon illustrate their protagonist points of view throughout stories and testimonials of the experience and struggles they were faced with during this time.
The Latino Generation: Voices of the New America is a book written by Mario T. Garcia. This book tells the individual life stories of individual Latino Americans all attending the same class at University of California, Santa Barbra. The book discloses stories and events told by 13 students each who narrate from first person and give us a brief description of their life. The book is composed of 13 sections with an additional introduction and conclusion (Garcia, Kindle). Within this reflection I will describe the key points within this book and compare the stories within this book not only to each other, but also to additional stories of Latino Americans and how Garcia’s book rids the general public of misconception of Latinos.
Part Three of the book “Just Like Us” written by Helen Thorpe is comprised of illegal undocumented individuals residing in Denver Colorado. The individuals consist of a group of four Mexican young adults all with the dream of one day attending college and finally obtaining a legal status within the United States. In this portion of the readings, Yadira, Marisela, Clara, and Elissa are entering their senior year at their University and have defined the odds of successfully completing college while maintaining an illegal status. Helen Thorpe clearly demonstrates a passion in tracking individuals that are determined to become legal citizens within society; however, lack the proper advocacy and documentation to do so. Part Three of the book envelops
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.
After reading The Book of the Unknown Americans, I realized how difficult immigrating to the United States can be. I am an immigrant also, so just reading the story makes me relate to many problems immigrants experience relocating to a different country. Immigrants often face many issues and difficulties, but for some it is all worth it, but for others there comes a point in time where they have to go back to their hometown. Alma and Arturo Rivera came to the United States to better their life, but also so that Maribel could attend a special education school. While Arturo had a job things had gone well for the family, but once Arturo lost the job and passed away the two of them had to go back because they felt that that was the best option for them. Reading this book made me realize how strong an individual has to be to leave their own country and relocate somewhere else not knowing if this will better your life or cause one to suffer.
Vargas stated facts on undocumented immigrants entering our country writing that, “The Obama administration deported almost 800,000 people in the last two years-- they are speaking out. Their courage inspired me.” He stated this information because he knew he had a chance of entering the county legally with the proper documents and had hope. Vargas may have not felt as frightened as he did before after hearing this, so he opened up to his employers and started telling them the truth. After Vargas stated the statistic “There are 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States,” he reassured himself he was not the only in this situation. He might have written this so the reader knows he is not the only undocumented immigrant in this country illegally, and that he deserves a chance here. Using this statistic as a form of logos helped Vargas explain to the reader that he is not the only illegal immigrant in the United States, but he wants to also prove that he is different than them. Considering the facts that almost one million undocumented immigrants were let into our country and that 11 million undocumented immigrants are hiding in this country, Vargas is telling the reader that he could have a chance of living here legally. Using logos throughout his article helped him because it gives us a better idea of how many undocumented immigrants are living in our country and we need to be more welcoming since a lot of undocumented immigrants already live
However, others may disagree, but in addition to lacking nce their arguments are also insignificant. Although there is a controversy on this matter, America should welcome immigrants that are already here. Immigrants may earn legal status as well as cost just as much or less than deportation. But, so what? Why is this notable? Well, here’s why, the future is on the line and we have to take charge. If leading undocumented immigrants to a path to citizenship, includes all of the previously mentioned advantages, there is no point to do otherwise. If we don’t go through with this, imagine the troublesome possibilities, imagine the costs, imagine the risks. It is necessary to lead undocumented immigrants to a path to citizenship, and your help is needed. Share this essay, spread the outlook, get involved, and do what you can to make sure, we are where we need to be in our
A large part of the undocumented population was formed by Asian immigrants. Many of them have been deported by Obama Administration. Moreover, many of these are refugees who fled to the U.S. after the wars in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, had entered the United States as infants and toddlers. They have little or no family connection. Thousands of Cambodians and Vietnamese have faced the prospect of deportation (Hing 48). Some of the organizations, such as Asian Pacific Islander Youth Promoting Advocacy and Leadership appealed to Barack Obama administration to halt further deportations and has staged protests to raise awareness and engender action against deportation (Hing 49). However, according to Rep. Judy Chu, chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, undocumented young people from Asian and Pacific Island nations make up only 2.6 percent of recipients of deportation relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, even though they account for about 8 percent of those eligible (Foley 56). Asian Americans do not get the same level of attention as Latino American because of the myth of “model minority”. The public can only see the good side of Asian immigrants in the U.S. Many of the stories about undocumented Asian immigrants are unknown. Jose Antonio Vargas who came to America in his early age. He is a successful journalist and activist. But now he is facing the risk of being
Before answering this question first, we need to understand Linda Chavez was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico but now lives in American so she is considered Spanish American, and also she is a liberal. So her opinion is going to be somewhat the same as a liberals views, but because she is Spanish American she has some different opinion on illegal immigrants. So why did she bothered to write about this topic because illegal immigrants happened in the 2009 and is still happening today. Also she has Experience with this topic because she is Spanish American. What she was hoping would happen is for her reader to see that illegal immigrants are not as different from native-born and immigrants may have better family values that us. After reading her writing she wanted her readers to be aware of this situation happening around them and how immigrants are not what everyone thinks. In the texts we can see this because the percent of the both parents in a household was higher with immigrants than native-born. She also states that a lot of illegal immigrants are hard works but people may say that illegal immigrants are “lazy” and she shows us this with percents “ Nearly half of illegal immigrants between the ages of 18 and 24 who have graduated from high school attend college. A surprising 25% of illegal immigrants adults have at least some college, with 15% having completed college.” (Kennedy, 525). Linda Chavez would not see these percents and think that illegal immigrants are
To say that immigrants in America have experienced discrimination would be an understatement. Ever since the country formed, they have been seen as inferior, such as African-Americans that were unwillingly brought to the 13 colonies in the 17th century with the intention to be used as slaves. However, post-1965, immigrants, mainly from Central and South America, came here by choice. Many came with their families, fleeing from their native land’s poverty; these immigrants were in search of new opportunities, and more importantly, a new life. They faced abuse and Cesar Chavez fought to help bring equality to minorities.
Labor and Legality by Ruth Gomberg-Munoz is an intense ethnography about the Lions, undocumented immigrants working in a Chicago restaurant as busboys. The ten undocumented men focused on in Gomberg-Munoz’s are from Leon, Mexico. Since they are from Leon, they are nicknamed the Lions in English. She describes why they are here. This includes explaining how they are here to make a better future for their family, if not only financially, but every other way possible. Also, Gomberg-Munoz focuses on how Americans see “illegal aliens”, and how the Lions generate social strategies, become financially stable, stay mentally healthy, and keep their self-esteem or even make it better. Gomberg-Munoz includes a little bit of history and background on “illegal”
Humans have a never ending thirst for a better life, and a better existence for themselves and those they hold dear. Jose Antonio Vargas was sent away from the Philippines by his mother hoping that he would be able to achieve a better life, and be happy. In “Outlaw: My Life in America as an Undocumented Immigrant” Vargas is able to find his better life and happiness in America but also fear and anxiety. Vargas gives us a look into the life of an illegal immigrant the good, the bad, their achievements and their constant struggles. Very much like Vargas my father immigrated to America, but legally in 1986.
Jose Antonio Vargas’s article on My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant is a writing about his childhood journey from the Philippines to the United States as an Undocumented Immigrant. Vargas writes this article to emphasize the topic of immigrant and undocumented immigrant in the United States. He uses all three appeals: pathos, ethos, and logic in his writing, in specific, he mostly uses pathos throughout of his entire article with a purpose for the reader to sympathize and to feel compassion for him. The use of these appeals attract many readers, they can feel and understand his purpose is to ask for others to join and support other people who undocumented immigrant like himself. In addition, it gives other undocumented immigrant people courage
Furthermore, Vargas faced many personal and career obstacles in his story. For example, at the age of 12 his mother sent him thousands of miles away to live with Vargas’s grandparents in America who were both naturalized citizens because she wanted to give him a better life. After Vargas arrived in San Francisco, he fell in love with the area and loved living with his grandparents. As years went by, Vargas, who was 16 at this time, went to the D.M.V. to get his driver’s permit, but fortunately the clerk working at the office told Vargas that his Green Card was fake and never to come back. After questioning his grandparents, Vargas finds out that he was smuggled into the United States of America and all his documents were fraudulent. In Vargas’s essay, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant”, his story fiddles with the readers emotions and makes the reader ponder the issue of immigration in the United States of