When it comes to the world and its problems, I am completely clueless. I do not care much for politics and do not really pay attention to the issues afflicting the world, this country, nor those of my community back home. I was once told that that quality, if you could call it that, meant that things were not really all that bad. I've come to realize that this is not how I should be treating the issues at hand.
The articles we read discussed illegal immigration and undocumented students. I can honestly say that these things never really concerned me before I got to UCLA. I was only sort of aware of these issues. Not that I was being ignorant of these issues, it was just something that i never really had to deal with. I had friends who were immigrants but they all had their green cards. So things were not really that much different for them. And although my family immigrated to this country, some illegally, most had already gotten their papers, at least as permanent residents.
UCLA is where I met my first undocumented student. This is when I learned how people struggled and fought their ways to make it here. I knew I was privileged but I never understood easy I truly had it. I never had to concern myself with struggling to get my drivers license, worry about being deported, hide my status of citizenship, think twice about leaving the country, or not being able to get a job because I had false documents. Jose Vargas story is just one of the many stories of undocumented students trying to succeed. That story really connected with me because I have some very good friends here with similar backgrounds. And I cant help but think of how the raise in tuition effects all those who are not fortunate enough to qualify for financial aid, undocumented or not.
I found it interesting to read about the ICE memo on the incentivizing of illegal immigrants to stay here in America. And was quite shocked. With the few things I do hear on tv and other news media, it seemed that the goal for this country, and that of a lot of Americans, was to deport all the illegal immigrants. But this the exact opposite of what the ICE seemed to be proposing. Which I think seriously conflicts with the view of those who want to prohibit undocumented children access to public schools.
If the goal now, even it may be a political at heart, is to keep undocumented people here then it should be continually allowed for undocumented children to keep going to public schools. It has already been ruled legal for undocumented children to attend public schools and overruling that seems pointless when a government stance on allowing undocumented people to stay here. And on a more humanitarian note, I think that everyone should be given the opportunity to an education.
I know the two sides to the immigration issue and I can understand both perspectives. But what I think that really needs to be evaluated are solutions. And I do not mean kicking out people who have been raised here and consider this to be their home just because they do not have a paper saying they can be here.
Just like the writer, I was never really aware of undocumented students. When I was in primary and middle school, I was aware that there were people who came to the United Stated without documentation, but I never knew that it would pose a serious problem in their lives. During my high school years, I lived in the Middle East, and was naturally unaware of the immigration status of students in the United States. The Middle East has more than enough problems as it is, and I wasn't particularly interested in reading up on American news, especially because it wasn't of particular relevance to me at the time. Then, when I moved back to the United States and started school here at UCLA, I spent a year still completely unaware of the existence of undocumented students. And when I did learn about it, I was confused, because I figured if they didn't have the financial resources then the government would take care of it. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed and shocked to learn otherwise. Early last month, around UCLA commencement time, an article about an the struggles of undocumented student was posted on the UCLA site. It took her an extensive period of time to graduate with her bachelors because she would have to take time off school to make enough money to pay for tuition. And she persevered and stuck through and graduated. That's AMAZING. How can ANYONE not want to support that kind of dedication and sheer awesomeness? How can the government even CONSIDER denying someone the access to education? In this country, we're always talking about the importance of education, and here we are, in a FIRST world country, denying people on our own soil that right. While I will give policy makers the benefit of the doubt and assume that they aren't denying undocumented students support (or try and not let them attend primary school) out of spite, I do believe that they are not viewing these people as humans, but are seeing them as statistics. Nothing affects us as much as when we know the stories and hear the pain...
ReplyDeleteCheck out Imelda Plascencia's story, the undocumented student who EARNED her degree : http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-students-overcome-adversity-207875.aspx
Unlike Noor and the writer, I grew up in Mexico, in a border town aware of the situation of many immigrants (both documented and undocumented). I was fortunate enough to have papers and be able to commute to school in a two hour school bus drive, which is why I believe everyone should have access to public education. Experiencing the students effort to learn English (since I was in a bilingual classroom) and the sacrifices made by their parents is proof that they want to succeed and like mention last week, they see getting a bachelors degree as a way to better their social-economic status. I see education as an important basic necessity in everyone’s lives, which is why I disagree in the passing of laws such as the one in Alabama by Governor Bentley making public schools to indicate the citizenship status of the students. I see it as a blunt attack on the undocumented population by instigating fear and making parents to not take their children to school. This has to be stopped! The US shows off from having the best education around the world and yet in some places they are ok in prohibiting education to children; what fault to they have. If the immigrants do not have an education then they attack them for taking away jobs from American citizens and if they do have an education they do not see it as a positive contribution to the country.
ReplyDeletei am somewhat divided on this issue...in my head this issue is undocumented students vs. illegal immigration. Most students who are undocumented were brought here not by their own choice. The problem lies with illegal immigration. There are many immigrants who go thought the legal paper process and come here completely legally. some don't. this is where the problem lies. we need a clear cut system implemented by the government. in my opinion we need to seal the borders to illegal immigrants (like actually seal...not the fake seal we have now) and adopt those who individuals who are already here. Now, my separation in this issue lies with the undocumented students. like i said, many of whom do not choose to come here...they are brought here to a better life by their parents. because of this, i don't think undocumented students should be discriminated against. this is not fair. at then end of the day, the fix to these problems ( not an easy one of course) is to strengthen our borders and adopt those who are here...which means no discrimination..especially in regards to education.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the writer, I grew up unaware of the situation outside of my own little bubble of influence. Yes, the news would broadcast worldly events, but these events would never really effect me directly so it was easy to just watch and put it on the back burner. Honestly, I never really thought of undocumented students and the issues they faced until I got here to UCLA. Maybe I have met undocumented students in high school, but they never openly admitted it. Now I can understand why they didn't after reading about Jose Vargas, and other stories of the struggles undocumented students face.
ReplyDeleteI feel that now that I am becoming more educated on these issues, I need to go out of my comfort zone, and start to realize that although I may not be undocumented doesn't mean that I can be apathetic of these issues.
I definitely think that education should be a birth right as a human to anyone and everyone especially until high school atleast. Education is to broaden one's mind, not to restrain it with ideas of someone's immigration status. I don't think that should be another way someone is discriminated against especially when most people who are undocumented are in a situation where the United States is home to them and they have never known anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that government tries to deport all undocumented people out of America or stop them from attending schools. People who were brought here as children are innocent and sure have the right to get educated. Despite the humanity and justice reason that we all know, ensure their education brings benefit for this country. Lots of undocumented people consider America their home, so if they master some skills, they definitely can contribute to the growth of the country. I believe why America is so strong is because its freedom and diversity and thus different knowledge, experience and thoughts can be integrated, refined and encouraged. And that's why America attract people from all over the world. However, I am not broadcasting America should accept all the people who want to come here, but think of way to control illegal immigration situation while keeping advantages here.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading an article for either this global studies or this sociology class that said that being born in a first-world country was winning the birthright lottery. You can't quite choose where you're born, but you get your citizenship and your standard of living assigned to you based on that. Undocumented children that were brought here illegally deserve to have the right to education, and they had no choice in coming here. I'm not too sure where I stand on illegal immigration, however. Illegal immigrants simply want the best lives for themselves and their family, but living in America is not a right. The legal means of immigration may take forever, but other people have managed.
ReplyDeleteThere is never going to be a clear cut way to know how to deal with the issue of undocumented students/immigrants. Its difficult to generalize people and place them in one category. To be honest everyone is in their own category. You have families that immigrated here (illegally) for the sake of their children. You have people that immigrated here to flee from harsh conditions. And you also have criminals coming here to the US. There are so many varying stories as to why people come, and for that reason it will be hard to make a law concerning undocumented immigrants in general. Like most others i believe that undocumented students are a group that definitely should be given the same right to an education as a documented student.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is unfair to tell someone who has worked all their live and sacrifice so much to be someome that they cant do something because of a paper. Having a paper that says u were born here doesn't make you better than anyone else, or makes you a valuable member to society. There are thousands of people that are American citizen who don't want to do anything with their lives. They have so many opportunities, but they don't want to do anything with them. There are others who if were given some of thoose opportunities would do so much.America is made up of immigrants from all over the world. It is the culture and lifestyles of all these different places that have made this country what it is.it is stupid to discriminate someome because they were born somewhere else because their culture has added so much to America. U.s talks about opportunities. Is it the land of the free where you don't have to scare to voice your opinion. If you think about it what opportunities and freedom do undocumented people have none. They try so hard to better themselves, and what do they get a whole bunch of hoops that they have to jump through.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I could identify with this post. I too did not really become concerned with the issue of undocumented persons until I came to UCLA. I had never met an undocumented student when I was younger, at least not that I was aware of. Whenever I saw something about it on the news, I never took the time to really care about the issues. But after coming to this university, reading articles like the ones we had to read for this week, and really seeing the struggles undocumented people have to go through on a daily basis, even to receive an education, it really is a travesty and serious bias in our government. With crucial steps, such as the Passing of the DREAM Act, I think there is hope to rectify the damage that's being done
ReplyDeleteIf there's one thing about UCLA that I absolutely appreciate, it's that each and everyday I meet someone new, someone with a different perspective than mine, someone who thinks and acts differently, someone with a different background, someone with different struggles and goals. Just like many of the people who posted before me, I too did not really understand what it meant to be undocumented until I came to UCLA. Even though my cousin was undocumented, I didn't really understand what that meant for her in terms of gaining an education and getting a job. Now, however, I think I can honestly say that I am a true ally of the undocumented community; their struggles are my struggles, their goals are my goals, their achievements are my achievements.
ReplyDeleteKent, I understand what you are saying. However, I feel as if you are separating Undocumented, and illegal immigration. when you are undocumented, you are immigrating to America illegally. they are one in the same. If we seal the boarders, that means no other parents can take their 5 year old children away from their home and try to give them a better life in America. And the cycle ends. But I believe in what america was originally founded on. People, immigrants, who ran away from tyranny in hopes of a better life. America was the land of dreams. And as the person is willing to adapt, become educated and contribute positively to society, who are we to stop them?
ReplyDeleteI think also in terms about what you were mentioning about peopling going through the system and coming legally.. it is not as easy for everyone. There are rules that takes years to accomplish, and when you are just trying to make a life for yourself, trying to support your family, you are going to do whatever it takes to do that.
Let's say America could not provide the necessities of life, was too dangerous to live in, and you heard that there was another country out there, where hard work and perserverance paid off, where you could have a life, a family, take care of them, see your children have a better life, would you go to that country? Even if it meant being an "illegal"? Even it meant, looking the same, dressing the same, living the same lifestyle, paying the same taxes, but when it comes down to it, there is a piece of paper missing that makes all the difference.
People often cast judgement and make assumptions without putting themselves in the position.
I'm from Chula Vista, a town about 10 miles from the border. I went to school with undocumented students, or students whose parents were undocumented. I rode the bus home with them after school often ending at the trolley station, with me walking to my apartment, and them taking the trolley to cross the border into Tijuana. This was Never discussed of course. I like some of the similar comments I've read never really discovered the in depth meaning of what it meant to undocumented until i came to ucla. then i saw those similar students from high school, in college facing a bigger feat: paying for college, commuting 6 hrs to and from school, always on the look out, never trusting anyone.
I've seen the boarder patrol around my school, and neighborhood, hauling people away.
But it never really registered to me to till college. And that's when it hit that undocumenteds are not just mexican.
This country was founded on immigrants who wanted a better life, and now because they've got it, that meaning is supposed to end? As long as immigrants are not doing anything illegal, i see no reason why we should close our borders. we should make it safer, we should relegate it. Immigration is not going to end so take control of it. Embrace this great American life, and let others have a fighting chance too.
Reading everyone comments really moves my heart. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of the hardships all undocumented students go through. This makes me want to share my story to everyone.
ReplyDeleteI transferred to UCLA as an undocumented student in the fall of 2010. Unfortunately, I wasn't eligible for financial aid, therefore, I had to find my own ways to pay for college. I held down 3 jobs last year in order to be able to pay for my education. Thankfully, I made it through my first year! I will be eligible for financial aid for my last year but to me, this is just a miracle. It has been soo hard for me but my education is something that I will always value with all my heart because I have made it on my own.
I believe that in order to be a better society, we need to create awareness and educate the people. We are not simply intruders in this country, we are human beings with many dreams, goals and aspirations in life. There are actually many of us who are working hard to be someone. :)
It is always so enlightening to hear about people learn about these issues. Thank you so much for writing this blog, it is very interesting and the last line really resonates with me. I completely agree, I believe everybody has the right to an education.
ReplyDeleteI too was one of the vaguely informed people regarding immigration/undocumentation. I have learned a lot about the wold this 1 year at UCLA that it scares me to find out more tragic stories that are occurring to my peers. I definalty disagree with the notion to use a public education as a means of isolating and identifying undoccumented students. I feel that it is a natural born right regardless of residential status, should never be denied. I really wish that something could be done, but the fact of the matter is this is a very controversial issue. On one hand we America are "afraid" of being hurt and corrupted, and on the other side, our economy benefits from undoccumented people, and may even be worse with out them.
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