Life As An Immigrant In America - Essay Example

DD Month YYYY LIFE AS AN IMMIGRANT IN AMERICA Joana Derby in her work explains what it really means to be an immigrant. She mentions that some systems of immigration places more emphasis on deportation instead of legalization which in turn leads to poor relationships among families whereby spouses’ legal status become very different. Many women have found themselves becoming single mothers since deportation mostly affects men in United States. Women are then left with very heavy burdens that they may not be able to handle well. Deportation as depicted by Derby do extremely hurt families leaving them in desperations. It leads to negative consequences. Firstly, enforcements regarding deportation leads to separation of families. Single mothers have always found it difficult providing for their children once their husbands are deported or detained. These mothers find themselves doing odd jobs just to see their children live well and such situations may make mothers so busy that they are not able to be fully present in their children’s lives hence many kids in such families can end up as delinquents. A father figure is essential in a child’s life, their absence proves to be of adverse effects on the children’s lives in such. Fathers are mostly known as the authoritative figure in a family and with their presence, children are easily molded into better and responsible adults. There are several examples in this book, everyday illegal. In one of the stories, Moises is said to have moved to the United States with her mother in a bid to join his father who worked there with no legal status. Moises’ cousin and younger brother were born in U.S.A making them U.S citizens unlike him. In his situation, this young child lives in fear that policemen may someday come to their house and demand documents which they really don’t have, meaning that they are likely to face deportation while their brother can remain behind. If such a situation occurs, his brother would be put up for adoption in America. To protect themselves, his parents have advised them never to reveal their birth place to people. In this case, families do not actually leave in peace but in constant fear and hiding. Ines too is an example of a mother of two illegally residing in America. She gave birth to her two children in the country. Ines’ husband was once picked and questioned by the police making her fears get even worse because if their illegal status is realized, they will be separated from their kids. Children whose parents are undocumented are constantly in fear of separation hence impacting negatively regarding development of children. Different legal statutes among children lead to inequalities. The ones with legal documents do access social services such as health and education, opportunities as well travel. The children illegally in America fail to get financial aids and scholarships in the country. In Ines case, she mentions that they normally go to separate doctors as they have no insurance. Secondly, deportation has completely interfered with the marriage institution in the immigrant families. Whilst deportation separates families, other spouses take the advantage of their legal status to oppress their partners resulting to unequal balance of power in marriage. Women without legal documents for example, have often found themselves in abusive marriages and relationships. They suffer silently in fear of being deported and living their children. Women in such situations have even ended up beaten to death because they have no capability to report. 2. Tensions or conflicts may arise between parents and children in immigrant families in New York. The tensions and conflicts are caused by different sources and causes. According to Ludwig Liberian immigrants are the largest in one of the states in Staten Island. Ludwig mentions parenting problems faced by these people. These immigrants fled Liberia due to conflicts, violent and civil wars that saw many people killed. These immigrants have constantly found it difficult adjusting to life in America since they hardly get any support towards the same. One of the sources of conflicts and tensions in these families is because children drop out of schools and join gangs. Others resort to drugs because they arrived in the U.S with no education capacities to land them jobs. In an aim to correct their children, parents have found it difficult living in harmony with their children. Many children become delinquents. These happens because parents work so hard and have long schedules of work that make them no or little to appropriately spend with their children. In addition, these parents are always in a difficult situation because of child protective laws in America that have banned corporal punishments. Youths on the other hand take advantage of this thereby exploiting the fact that their parents are ignorant. Another source of conflict between parents and their children is caused by intergration.You find that parents and their children integrate in different manner into the culture in America. Socialization and the integration make it difficult for parents to effectively communicate and understand their children making them be in continuous fights and tensions. Parents and children too often face deportation threats. Liberian parents still hold onto their countries culture and traditions while their children have adopted the American culture. Liberian children come into America either as young kids or other are born in America hence embracing the cultures they find in America, actions that lead to strains between parents and their children. These people managed to create a little Liberia in United States, poverty has always been a major problem amongst them, they are extremely poor and that leads to strains between children and their parents since some kids may want to be provided for things their parents cannot afford. Indian immigrant families also face challenges in adjusting to life in New York City. Some Indians resorted to moving to suburbs in New York or in New Jersey where they can live privately. They also face conflicts and tensions. Indian immigrants face the problem of arranged marriages (Lessinger, 97). Many Indian immigrants have found themselves arranged for marriage spouses when they go back to their country making them have unending conflicts with their parents. Social values in America value in a variety of ways. These values conflict a lot with their traditions and cultures (Lessinger, 119). Once in America, they interact with other people from other cultures making them borrow practices and customs that parents are against. Legal systems in America stipulate laws regarding inheritance in America, something that do not go well with these people. Indian children become too much integrated into the western culture and begin demanding things that their traditions do not really tolerate (Lessinger, 117). Indian families and their parents get into conflicts too when their children begin having high expectations which they may not be able to achieve. Indians are known to be very reserved with specific dressing codes affiliated with them. Indian children born in the United States emulate their peers’ ways of life hence creating conflicts between them and their parents (Lessinger, 143). 3. The chapter by Kasnitz, Mollenkopf and waters gives a pessimistic picture of incorporation of the second generation in New York. The political, economic and social life is continuously being transformed by immigrants in New York. The significance of immigration has not only been seen in the lives of immigrants but also to the people born and bred in America, that is, the second generation. Despite these, the second generation in New York has had many short comings. Children in the second generation have experienced discriminations in every aspect of their lives. Dark-skinned children of immigrants usually experience alienation and frustrations from the police. Disparities regarding education attainment also exist in this generation. Russian Jews and Chinese were the ones likely to graduate from high school as well as complete a four year course from college. It is the same Chinese who are also in a position to attend the New York City public schools. Inequalities are also experienced regarding quality of school attended at college level. Children from Latino families do have parents who are totally against commuting through dangerous neighborhoods to access good schools with better education quality hence this generation still lags behind in terms of education. Successful incorporation of the second generation is also faced with the problem of jobs in the labor force despite going to school. Children of immigrants do not get good jobs and continue sinking deep into poverty. There exists inequalities in the labor force. Learned natives and immigrants do not get jobs despite their academic qualifications. This chapter seeks to give an explanations on the challenges facing the second generation in America and in as much as these three scholars tend to have a pessimistic view on this generation, there still exists a ray of hope since the second generation in New York are striving so hard to rise above the obstacles they face, get better jobs than their parents and live well. Most of them have also ventured into business sectors in order to make their lives better. Incorporation of immigrants and the second generation in New York have become a national menace that is yet to be solved in that city. In ensuring a better and comfortable life in the second generation, there is need for introduction of policies that can do away with inequalities in both learning institutions and labor force. Doing away with racial and ethnic discrimination would also be fruitful for this entire generation. 4. Jamaican Immigrants are greatly affected by the issues of race in the United States. Adjusting to life in United States has become difficult for Jamaicans. They face the problem of race because they are still regarded as minority in America. Public image of Jamaicans have increasingly been tarnished as they have been seen as Rastafarians involved in illegal, gangs and criminal activities. They are not given equal opportunities like other Americans. For example, in the labor market, they are never given priorities since most of Jamaicans are associated with illicit activities. There are stereotypes usually put in place and used to judge them. They have constantly been harassed and humiliated by the police in the event that crimes occur. Being labelled black in a city with race as a major source of inequality is very challenging and it comes with consequences that at times prove so much unbearable. It is almost like a crime to be black in New York City. Blacks have been denied access to quality education because the society feel like the whites should always come first in everything. Black people are alienated and sanctions imposed on them regarding places they are supposed to go. The society also expects that black people cannot always make something good out of their lives. They are the ones supposed to take odd jobs in American and leave white collar jobs to whites who think are better placed to do them. Many societies also believe they are not supposed to run for any political seat in the country. To them, blacks totally have no place in America in terms of political leadership. The society expects them to be the governed and not rulers. Any black man who dares venturing into such sectors is considered a loser even before an outcome of elections. Being black in New York City means cultural differences between whites and blacks which have acted as barriers towards an acceptance in the society’s strata. Blacks are associated with thieves and beggars who only deteriorate economy in America. In some incidences, whites have advocated for deportation of many Native Americans, an action that in their opinion feel will make America gain its lost glory. I have witnessed a student kicked out of a school club because he was black meaning his culture contradicted to that of the whites giving them a reason not to see anything good in blacks. Being black in the United States comes with challenges, with some being too harsh to bear. Prejudice is very dominant in America transitioning from one generation to another. Discrimination brought by racism has also seen an establishment of stereotypes in the society. Conclusively, racism and discrimination have become extreme in America, with special focus on New York City. Theories such as functionalism, symbolic interactionism and conflict theory have been developed by some sociologists in a bid to comprehend and illustrate on prejudice, ethnicity, discrimination and stereotypes. I hope that with time, racism will come to an end and as people continue to be enlightened too on the place of racism and ethnicity in the United States of America. Work Cited Lessinger, Johanna. Indian Immigrants in New York City. (1995): n. pag. Print. Read More