The recent move by the governor of Arizona has many people angry with a new law that could encourage racial profiling. It’s no surprise that Latinos are upset. The majority of us here were born American or are legally living in the US. I am sometimes surprised when I realize how unaware some people are of the different factors in these different situations. When I still lived in Colorado, someone once asked a friend when their family crossed the river. I was appalled that someone would ask that.
My father came over in the 1950’s when President Eisenhower started the braceros program. It was an open invitation to come to the United States temporarily. Once he finished a few years of the program and returned to Mexico, he was able to file for a visa to return to work outside of the program. After a few attempts, he was granted the paper work to be able to legally live in the US. for long enough to gain residency. My mother and oldest sister came over after he had already set up everything legally.
I am very proud to be born here in the United States, and I am also very proud of the Mexican heritage from my family’s history. While I was blessed with a wonderful life, there are many who were brought here by their parents or spouse. There are many complexities that are often lumped together in generalized statements toward illegal immigrants. The problem comes when people begin to treat them with less respect because of assumptions they have about their history.
The law should be respected so that stealing is not condoned and the system is not manipulated. It is the job of non-profits and religious organizations to help fund those in need, rather than tax payers. We must seek an effective immigration reform that protects our safety but never dehumanizes those that are involved. We pray that our leaders may be guided in their decisions.
I thought that American Papist also wrote a relevant article from a different perspective.
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