Cynthia Dominguez

December 15, 2015

Humanities
Abstract: EXTRA!! EXTRA!!
The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze an important social justice
and labor issue in the United States. I argue for the fair treatment of undocumented
immigrants and their contribution to the US. The expulsions of undocumented
immigrants not only impact them, but also affects their families financially and
emotionally. In conclusion, families do not deserve to be pulled away from each other
when they are all they have and want. Happiness and opportunity for a better life are
human rights and should not be denied to anyone based on national citizenship status.

EXTRA!!EXTRA!!
IntheU.S,theImmigrationandCustomEnforcement(ICE)removedapproximately315,943
undocumentedimmigrantsin2014,pullingthemawayfromtheirfamiliesandlovedones
(FY2014ICE
ImmigrationRemovals)
.Picturetheamountoffamiliesleftwithnoparents,nochildren,andwithsudden
economicproblemsasaresultofthedeportation.Whenafatherisdeported,ICEtakesawayoneofthe
breadwinnersinafamily.Mothersarefacedwithdifferentobstaclessuchashavingeconomicproblemsand
dealingwithasignificantlylowertotalfamilyincomeenablingthemtopurchasetheirnecessities.Children
areleftwithnoparentsandaresometimesmovedtothealreadyoverloadedandunderfundedfostersystem.
Thiscase
notonlynegativelyaffectstheimpactedindividualsandfamilies,butalsonegativelyimpactsthe
nationasawhole.
I
passionatelybelievethattheUnitedStatesshouldembracethepresence,livesandlabor
ofundocumentedresidentsandcelebratewhattheycontributetothecountry.Thisneedstohappenthrough
significantchangestothelawregardingmigrantsandeconomicrefugees,andthroughachangeincultural
attitudesthatcitizenshavetowardundocumentedresidents.Thisisanissuethatisimportantbecause
1

Whenoneorbothparentsaredetainedforimmigrationreasons,afamilysincomeoftendrops
significantly.Forexample,ifthe
primarybreadwinnerofthefamilyisdeported,theotherfamilymemberis
affectedandisnowresponsibleforthefamilysincome.TheUrbanInstitutedevelopedastudydocumenting
increasedhousinginsecurity,includingcrowdedlivingquarters,andfoodshortagesasaresultofthelossofa
detainedordeportedparent'sincome
(FallingThroughtheCracks,bytheAmericanImmigrationCouncil
n.pag.)
.Anotherstudyreleasedbythe
AmericanImmigrationCouncil
revealedthethehighnumberof
fathersbeingdeportedhasledtomanysinglemotherhouseholds,manyofwhommaynothaveaccesstoa
wellpaidjob,childcareassistance,orpublicbenefitsduetothemother'simmigrationstatus
(Falling
ThroughtheCracks,bytheAmericanImmigrationCounciln.pag.)
.Frommyunderstanding,childcare
assistancecanbedeniedtosinglemothersbecauseofhowlittletheymayearninayear.Thiscrisisis
personaltome:Myfamilystruggleswithhavinghealthinsurance.Theyaredeniedcoverageduetotheir
immigrationstatus.Tothinkthatallpeoplewantisfairtreatmentandfairhealthcareforthemaswellfor
theirfamiliesissomethingIwouldwantaswell.Nowthatwegettothepointofhealthcare,personallyour
communityshouldn'tstruggletoobtainhealthinsurance.
Situationslikethisleavepeoplevulnerable,butalso
negativelyimpacttheeconomy.Thosewhocannotaffordbasicnecessitiescanunnecessarilydrain
emergencysystemsintheUnitedStatesjustforbasiccare.

Whileasinglemotherisworkinghardtobringupherfamilyafterthedeportationofherpartner,she
maypaylessattentiontoherchildrenwhileherchildrenontheothersidesufferfromdisordersduetothe
absenceandtakeawayoftheirfather.Childrenofallagescanfaceobstaclesthatwillstaywiththemfor
quitealongtime.
Theconsequencesofseparatingparentsfromchildrencanincludecausingor
exacerbatingmentalhealthproblemssuchasdepressiveoranxietydisorders,butit'sworthrememberingthat

therecanbelotsofeffectswhichunderminehealthydevelopmentandthattheydosoinaninterrelatedway,
(Dr.SchuylerHenderson,apediatricandadolescentpsychiatristatNYULangoneMedicalCentern.pag.)
.
AcaseinOctoberfromtheyearof2011,MyrnaOrozcofacedmentalhealthdisordersalongwithher
youngersiblings.MyrnaOrozcowasdiagnosedposttraumaticstressdisorderandhadbeengoingto
therapiestotreatherselfbutshestoppedgoingbecauseshecouldnolongeraffordit.Asanundocumented
immigrant,Orozcodidnthavetheopportunitytohealthcareservicesbecauseofhersocialstatus.Anna,one
ofthesiblings,
beguntobehavebadly,alternatelyactingwithdrawnorseekingforattention,gotinvolved
withgangsandstartedusingdrugs.Annadroppedoutofschool,Orozcosays,andranintolegaltroubleon
differentoccasions,gettingcaughtdrivingacarwithoutalicense,stealingherteacherscellphone,and
tryingtobreakintosomeone'shouse.
(AnthonyAdvinculafromAfterParentsDeportationUSChildren
FaceMentalStruggles)
.Inmyownexperience,
mybestfriendsharedwithmeabouthispastandhesaidto
meThedisappearanceofmydadinmylifeduetohisdeportation,hasimpactedmeinsanely.Iwasntgiven
theopportunitytohavemysontofathertalkswithmydad,neithertoplaysoccerwithhim.Idon'teven
rememberthelasttimemyfamilyandIwenttotheparktogetherTillthisday,justtorememberhim
sharingabitabouthispastandpresent,shattersmyhearttopieces.Mythoughtsfordeportationisthatit
createstraumaamongmillionsofpeople,whichisaviolationofhumanrights!
Whenthepresidentialcandidate,DonaldTrump,wasinterviewed,hesharedthattheMexican
governmentissendingcriminalsrapistsanddrugdealersacrosstheborder.Intheinterview,hedescribesa
greatbeautifulwallwithabeautifuldooralongtheborderwhichinterfereswithMexicoandtheUS.When
questionedaboutthewall,Trumpstatesthatthewallistokeepillegalsout!"Thefactis,sincethen,many
killings,murders,crime,anddrugsarepouringacrosstheborder,ourmoneygoingoutandthedrugscoming
in.Inthearticle

IllegalImmigrantsAccountedforNearly37PercentofFederalSentencesinFY2014
,they

ratethatbrokendownbysomeoftheprimaryoffenses,illegalimmigrantsrepresented16.8percentofdrug
traffickingcases,20.0percentofkidnapping/hostagetaking,74.1percentofdrugpossession,12.3percentof
moneylaundering,and12.0percentofmurderconvictions
(IllegalImmigrantsAccountedforNearly37
PercentofFederalSentencesinFY2014,CarolineMay,n.pag.)
.
Criminals,rapists,druglords?Seriously,
thisisn'twhateveryundocumentedpersoncomesheretotheUS.Thisnewanalysisshows,immigrants
accountforafarhighershareofthetotalworkforceinspecificjobs,infarming(26%),cleaningand
maintenance(17%),andconstruction(14%).InmythoughtsIbelievethatrapists,criminals,etc.comeinall
colorsnotonlyundocumentedimmigrants.Unhealthystereotypesareharmingactualfamilieswiththeir
negatism.IntheUSsomecitizensarequicktoblameillegalimmigrantsbutcantclearlyseewhattheyare
doingwrong.
Inthedocumentof
DeploymenttoProfessionalJobsforUndocumentedPeople
saysOffer
undocumentedpeoplethelowskilljobs.Donotofferprofessionaloccupationsforthem.Thearticle
MajorityofUndocumentedImmigrantsworkinLowSkillJobsbyPamelaConstablesaysthatthisisdue
totheirpooreducationandlegalstatus.Insteadoflabelingtheamountofhardworkingpeoplethereis,we
shouldasImentionedearlier,acknowledgeeveryoneforthecontributiontheydo.Theauthorof

TheMany
FacetsofEffectiveImmigrationReform

explainsOutofthe700,000illegalimmigrantscrossingintothe
UnitedStateseachyear,itisfoundthatmostimmigrantshaveahistoryinaneducationsystemandmost
haveskilledworkexperience.
UndocumentedpeoplewhovecometoworkhereintheUS,getaholdof
jobswithamountsofundesirableconditionsandthegovernmentshouldhavethecontrolofzeroracehaving
jobslikethese.Ibelievetheyshouldatleasthavebetterworkingenvironment.
Regardtothisquote,theUS
shouldmakeitpossibleforourpeopletohavedesirablejobswithsafetyaroundandinit.
Weshouldn'tletanyjuvenilegothroughthepainofdepression,neithershouldweallowforafamilygo

throughahardpathintheirlifewithexpulsions,andnotallowforourmotherstosingleforsuchawrecking
reason.Duetotheremovals,familiesseparate,childrensufferdisorders,andit'shardtorecoverfromthis
pain.Ibelieveforthejusticeforequaltreatmentforundocumentedimmigrantsandforeveryone.Thisis
importantformebecauseIdontwantmyparentstoeverbemovedawayfromme,notfrommeormy
brothers.