Immigrants Rights - Elena Letona
Some immigrant rights groups are adopting a strategy of education and teaching undocumented workers their legal rights. What do you think?
The issue of illegal immigration is alive and well in U.S. Latino communities. Not all Latinos are supportive of undocumented workers in this country, but many are. Maria Elena Letona, executive director of Centro Presente in Cambridge, MA gives Blog La Plaza her opinion.
Immigrants Rights
In my 11th grade Spanish class we have recently been learning about immigration and illegal immigrants rights. I believe that it is the right thing to do, for different immigrant rights groups to teach illegal immigrants their rights. Often illegal immigrants are seen in the US failing to complete their “American Dream,” and the reason for this is because no illegal immigrants are ever told their rights. Therefore, because they don’t know their rights they are constantly being cheated against by selfish American business workers. These immigrants work for wages that they think are good, because compared to their native countries these wages are an improvement, but they are not enough to live in the US. With knowledge of their rights these illegal immigrants will be capable of succeeding to a better extent, and not living on the streets. In California one third of the more than 7 million illegal immigrants live in California. Therefore, some 2 million illegal immigrants are living in California, and are being cheated against by the selfish businessmen. Unless you wish to see immigrants travel across the world and leave their families in order to support them, and then only fail their goal and immigrate for nothing, then help immigrants by donating or working for an immigrant rights group. These immigrants are risking the lives of themselves and their families and it is not right for them to do this only to fail and be unhappy by themselves in the US. Daily thousands of immigrants from South America, where most immigrants come from, risk their lives daily to hop on trains and jump fences. Some immigrants lose legs, arms, and life when they fall under the train trying to hold on for a seven hour, bumpy ride across the Mexican-Guatemalan border. After this ride they then have to travel through Mexico, and then find a way to breach the Mexican-American border. This impossible struggle many times ends with being cheated in work, and earning close to nothing to do manual labor. These immigrants need help and it is every persons obligation to help not only these immigrants, but the families they have left behind.
By Logan on April 30, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Illegal Immigrants
It seems there is much obfuscation in the arguments from both sides – but the real issue is ILLEGAL.
The argument for their reasons for coming, their needs, their ‘good intentioins’, their demands for rights – which don’t exist if you are not a legal immigrant or citizen in all countries including the US – are moot because they are ILLEGAL.
US citizens are demanding that all support, financial or social, be reserved for those here legally or who are citizens.
For non-citizen ILLEGALS to demand anything more than their return ticket home is ludicrous.
The longer the border is open enough to allow illegal entry – the larger the problem becomes.
Closing the borders to illegal entry will allow an orderly management of those good-intentioned immigrants and ensure that they are paying their fair share of taxes and social support, and are not penalized along with the ILLEGALS.
By Anonymous on October 31, 2007 at 08:24 PM
Immigrants Rights
It is easy to get pulled into the hysteria of illegal immigrants, and mass crossings at our borders. I think the majority of the Mexican and Latin American immigrants are being drawn to N. America for simply a better paying job. Also, I’m sure there is allure and mystery of travel for the young who have heard the stories from the older generations.
Economics are what is driving the emigrant to leave their home towns and villages, yet economics are very seldom mentioned by our leaders as part of the issue. Time to revaluate NAFTA.
What idiocy, but our current leadership could come up with building border walls? I smell big fat contracts and Halliburtin/Brown and Root mixed in somewhere in this approach.
By Mike Green, Marfa TX on October 22, 2007 at 09:59 AM
Rights
I believe that your time would be better spent by educating them on how to apply for documents which will allow them to stay in this country legally
By annonymous on October 20, 2007 at 03:32 PM
Rights of the Undocumented
What else would we expect from the People’s Republic of Cambridge? But in the REAL world there are REAL issues of border control. I’m all for soldarity with our brothers and sisters from down south, but I’m not sure I support open borders and big “Welcome to the U.S. signs” for every undocumented immigrant. Rights? Sure, they have them like everyone else, but they are still here illegally.
By Anonymous on October 20, 2007 at 11:30 AM
Illegal Immigration/New Blog
I am a public school teacher and we are discussing issues pertaining to Latin America. Illegal immigration has been a major topic as we have begun our studies with Mexico and US relations. The “La Plaza” blog will be a great resource while not being too “educationally”. Kudos! Thank you.
By R.A. on October 19, 2007 at 05:50 PM