The following article is one of a series of accounts from students who recently returned from Arizona. They were part of a delegation that spent a week touring the state amid the enactment of controversial law SB 1070. The Center for New Community, a national civil rights organization based in Chicago, sponsored the trip, which included nine students from Washington D.C., New York, Chicago and Colorado.
By Dominique Etienne
Boat, plane, car, or even by foot, these are some of the ways people come to America for a better chance. The reasons why people come vary, yet all come with hardships. For a lot of people, leaving home to come to America is not as simple as just packing bags and getting on the next flight with a passport in your pocket. Yet these people try to turn their dreams into reality by leaving everything they know and love behind, often not knowing what they are getting themselves into. Many leave with the clothes on their backs, whatever small items they can carry and a heart full of hope.
For many immigrants the journey to America is a very difficult, fearful and life-endangering struggle. For those coming from south of the border, Mexican border towns are a necessary stop on their journey. They are given specific directions and are told they may die, lose family members or even get caught and brought back home. But all of these risks are worth taking in their quest for a better future. During the night they travel through jungles and deserts trying to avoid animals that might kill them, avoid injuring themselves on unstable ground and through harsh conditions.
After a night’s journey, the sun rises and poses more threats. The sun’s rays beat down onto these mothers, fathers, and children, threatening their lives by causing dehydration, heat exhaustion, and other heat-related health problems that can lead to death. Many times water is nowhere to be found. The sun also provides light, making it easier for Border Patrol agents to spot migrants hiding and traveling in large groups.
Once the migrants arrive to America they often are faced with many challenges including finding work and being accepted in new communities. The main problem they have is making an income. It is very difficult for some migrants who do not have social security numbers or who might not speak fluent English to find decent jobs in their communities. Some migrants have no choice but to take jobs that offer little pay and where there is little interaction with people. And yet, immigrants are still discriminated against, both overtly and not, because xenophobia still runs deep in many American communities.
From this trip to Arizona, I learned that this struggle is the same regardless of race, gender or past experiences. We can all relate to this journey. Anyone who lives in a country where poverty is extremely high, the government is not the best and chances of the government-issuing visas are slim to none. Many migrant people, who are desperate for a better life, start at a point not knowing where to go, where they will end up or even if they’ll get lost on the journey. These migrants are ordinary people trying to improve their lives for the sake of their families and future generations. These people are filled with courage, hope, dreams, bravery, and should be highly respected for what they go through, risking their lives just for a better life.
Author:
Dominique Etienne- Haitian-American, Junior, Physician Assistant major at Howard University in Washington, DC, originally from New Jersey.