Young Generation Illegal Chinese Immigrants in the US - Essay Example

Illegal immigrants In the recent past, the number of young illegal immigrants who have moved to the United s of America in search of better livelihood and chance in life. Most of them find a place and opportunity in life in the United States of America in the big city of New York. The life in New York is predominantly busy tight with high flow of both human and vehicle traffic. Intuitively, it is critical to note and mention that the life of the illegal immigrants is not as smooth and good as one would have expected when they left their home town especially China. As much as the life in the United States of America may be comparatively easier and more appealing, the actual conditions of life may not be as rosy as one would expect it to be. For the purpose of this essay and exposition, this paper will focus on the hypothetical example and instance of a young illegal immigrants from China called Wei Yuocang who was a twenty two year old from Lian Jian in China. To begin with, the young generation of Chinese immigrants are attracted to the United States of America under the guise and promise of a better life and a way of escaping the harsh realities in their home country China. For his case, he moved to the United States of America when he was a young man in his teenage years. It was so because the chances and prospects of getting a proper livelihood in China were bleak. Being an orphan whose parents died when he was young faced the tremendous challenge and difficulty of having a proper life in China then he opted to seek the services of a snakehead or an agent to settle him in the United States of America. The snakehead or an agent is a person who specializes in sneaking the illegal immigrants from China to the United States of America through the South America route of countries such as Mexico and Ecuador. It is my reasoned opinion and respectful line of thought and reasoning that the agent does not follow the due process of ensuring the young Chinese immigrants find proper and valid documentation on the United States of America. This is the reason as to why the young immigrants are settled on menial jobs in restaurants with less prospects and chances of getting other better paying jobs with more benefits and working terms or conditions. The moment they arrive to their work stations they have difficulty in finding other social services such as credit cards, health insurance amongst other social benefits that a person would expect to get on a normal day and time. Taking the case and instance of the young man called Wei Yuocan, the agent introduced him to work in the restaurant where the money and salary was relatively good. He was being paid $1900 per month without any other entitlements because the employer did not require any form of legal documentation or identification card. Thus it was the exclusive prerogative of the employer do determine the rate of wage or salary that the young illegal Chinese immigrant would be given. This is to say that the employer sort of viewed the salary he gave to him as a favor thereby exposing him and all other illegal immigrants to a relatively lesser pay and wage rate. In comparative terms, the amount of money that he was being paid in Florida was lesser than what the government stipulates to be the minimum pay or wage. Similarly, the only form of employment that they were able to secure was to work in restaurants since there is no form of skills or talents required from such a person. Being a cook, only requires that the young illegal Chinese immigrant would learn from experience and actual practice in the restaurant. Thus, once a person learns on how to cook he or she would be expected to deliver such services diligently and without any fail or strain. In case an illegal immigrant wishes to change form of employment such as get another job then he or she would be forced to change cities and land in the same job of serving in a Chinese restaurant! It is important to note and mention that the illegal immigrants prefer to enter the United States of America through Ecuador due to the lesser restrictions compared to China. This is the reason as to why they take the stressful and difficult trip of close to twenty eight years on the plane so as to connect to Ecuador-in South America, get proper documentation and then enter the USA. It is a perception and belief that once they enter the United States of America which is a land of hope, all their problems would be lessened. It comes as no surprise for instance when they are subjected to extensive and long working hours in their restaurants. For instance, when they work in restaurants, they are expected for long hours usually close to over ten hours on their feet. In the morning they are also expected to have arrived at the hotel or restaurant early enough to prepare food stuff such as beef, cut vegetables amongst other things. Given the fact that they do not have any proper and legal documentation, deprives them of any benefits in case they are hurt or fall ill in the line of duty. A practical case and instance is when one colleague of Wei Yuoncan got varicose veins because of the fact that he stood for long hours during his shift and working hours. He could not be covered by any health insurance policy because he did not have the legal status recognizable under the United States dispensation. On a normal scale, there is some pressure from the families and friends of the young illegal immigrants to move to the United States of America due to the fact that the economy and chances of succeeding in life in China is less. Thus, it is almost a norm for the young people mostly in their seventh or eighteenth years to go to the United States of America being underage and thus not required to work. This is the reason as to why they would take up any job with any pay so as to support their families back to their homes. In the course of time, they are exposed to occupational hazards such as shoulder pains due to holding heavy things for long time, or standing for close to twelve hours on a busy day in work. As a result, most of the illegal and young Chinese immigrants in the United States of America do not like the restaurant jobs but they have no other option because such jobs are the only ones which are available. Another difficulty and challenge that faces the illegal immigrants is the aspect of language barrier. Given the fact that most of them move to the United States of America when they are at a tender age predominantly implies that they are not literate in the English language which is the basic language of communication in the United States of America (Chavez 11). It goes without mentioning that language is a not just a cultural tenet or principle but it is a form and mode of communication which cannot be over-emphasized. In retrospect, such a disparity limits the interaction and pool of things that the young illegal immigrants could while in the United States of America. It is to say that most of their things and general lifestyle would revolve around the Chinese speaking people who are not so many in the United States of America. Thus, the mathematical chances and prospects of the illegal and young immigrants in getting other jobs ad ventures is greatly reduced by the limitation of language. A practical case and instance comes in the restaurant in Upstate where the young illegal immigrant Wei Yuocan works in. The attendant confesses that it is a bit of a challenge and a difficulty for her to take orders from customers. She points and singles out a specific example when she gave the customer a wrong drink when the customer had ordered a different one. As much as the customer was kind and polite enough to take the drink, the attendant was embarrassed and her self-esteem took a dwindle and a dip. Secondly, Wei Yuocan admits that he would wish to have real friends and a family in his life but finds trouble and difficulty in communicating in the English language which makes him isolate himself. It is imperative to confirm that the fact that he did not appreciate the prospect of being part of the American society or having real friends and a normal life due to the challenge of language barrier. Tied to the above point, he is quick to illustrate his disdain and dislike for the United States of America cities and towns such as New York because at times he takes the wrong trains in subways. This is to say that the ability of having a socially thriving life of moving around, conversing shopping or traveling the different places in the United States of America would be negated due to the fear of boarding wrong trains, taking wrong subways. Tentatively, there is the irreducible minimum and principle that that life in New York is expensive and the meager earnings that the illegal young immigrants earn is too less to accord them a comfortable life. For instance, he records that life with the salary of $2700 in New York it is practically impossible and difficult for them to afford any independent and descent housing. Thus, if a person finds a good or an understanding boss or employer, such a person would be hosted in their house and home. If the illegal immigrant moves to a different place then he or she would be forced to live in ordinary hotels. For instance, there are public Chinese lodges where there would sleep for a small fee of $10 per night. It is important to note and mention that they would take such offers and sleep in derogatory and crowded places because the owners of such places do not ask for any legal documentation in order to house a person. Thus, it would be difficult and impossible for them to sleep and be hosted in classy hotels because they would be required to have proper documents which they may not have at that particular point in time. The life of the illegal immigrants seems to follow a particular cycle and pattern whereby the illegal immigrants are hosted and accommodated by the previous illegal immigrants and the present ones would also host and accommodate those who would come in future. It is safe to assert that the snakehead or the agent who brought the likes of Wei Youcan into the United States of America left him at the hands and care of the relatives and friends. The speaker-Wei Youcan himself records that it is the tradition and norm of their culture for people to seek relatives and friends to ask for help. It goes without saying that those relatives and friends may not have been legal immigrants and thus the same cyle would repeat itself in future as it has done in the past. In summary, the above essay has articulated and mentioned the type of life that the illegal immigrants in United States of America are exposed to. Most of them get to work in restaurants of Chinese origin and owners because they are not well versed with the English language which is the main mode of communication or language. Therefore, they social interactions and mode of life is limited to the Chinese setting and environment. As a result, they are forced to take jobs which are physically taxing as much as a person may not wish to do such a job. This phenomenon is also compounded by the fact that the illegal immigrants are so young and underage at their time of entry into the United States of America. Work cited Chavez, Leo. Shadowed lives: Undocumented immigrants in American society. Cengage Learning, 2012. Read More