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Alejandra De La Torre
John Kubler
English 114B
25 February 2014
Illegal Immigrants: Criminals or Victims?
According to the PBS Newshour video, Will 2014 yield immigration reform? Judy
Woodruff mentioned that 1.9 million people have been deported since President Obama took
office (Will 2014 yield immigration reform?). However, President Obama had promised the
Hispanic community that he was pro-immigration and would pass an immigration reform. So far
there has been no action and many are suffering as a result. The United States of America was
created with the help of immigrants that came from all areas of the world in search of a better life
for themselves. People see America as a secure place where they have the freedom to achieve their
American dreams. America is still attracting immigrants today, as they search for an escape from
their [oppressive and violent] nations (Lost in Detention). Why should we deny someone from
wanting a better and safer life for themselves? Illegal immigrants are not only victims of poverty
and hard economic times in their home countries, but also of bad immigration policy, exploitation,
and prejudice in this country, where their hard work helps sustain the economy. I believe America
should give non-criminal immigrants the opportunity to come to the United States to find work
and to raise their families.
In Persepolis 2 Marjane Satrapi, the author and main character in this memoir, is an
immigrant as she arrives in Vienna from Iran. Throughout her journey she is seen as an immigrant
and is insulted by several people, some strangers. One of her boyfriends mom actually kicked her
out of the house because she accused her of wanting her boyfriends documentation in that
country. In the chapter Hide and Seek Markus, her boyfriend at the time, invited Marjane to his
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house to hang out. All of a sudden Markuss mom comes in the room and shouts at Marjane
saying that she was taking advantage of Markus and his situation to obtain an Austrian passport
(Satrapi 66). Marjane suffered as an immigrant because she wasnt accepted nor had she found
her place anywhere. She decided to leave everything and began to live in the streets of Vienna.
She was homeless and without a single penny for many months until she got extremely ill. Not to
mention, she missed her parents very much. She had to go through all this suffering because it was
not safe in her homeland. There was a war going on, which Marjane wanted to take part in, and
she was so rebellious that she couldve gotten herself killed, so her parents thought it would be
safer if she was away. This is exactly why the immigrants come to the United States because there
is violence or a war going on which makes it dangerous for them to live there. They need help here
in America because it is a refuge for them from their violent homeland.
In the PBS Frontline documentary "Lost in Detention" illegal immigrants were shown
crossing the border illegally from Mexico into the United States because they wanted to escape
from the cruelty of the drug cartels. They wanted an opportunity to raise their families in a
harmless environment away from the war with the drug cartels. In the documentary they
interviewed a Hispanic woman with daughters that came to the United States legally with a visa.
She mentioned that even though her visa was expired, she didnt want to go home because it was
too violent for her family (Lost in Detention).
In addition, the documentary mentioned that immigration and customs enforcement (ICE)
took mothers and fathers away from their children, which are U.S. citizens and placed them in
detention centers for whatever reason. An example from the video was a woman being arrested by
the police for a minor traffic violation. ICE would be informed about an undocumented person in
jail and would use any excuse to send them off to the detention centers without any warning to the
family. This woman left behind her husband and children. With so much violence going on in the
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detention centers, immigrants preferred to be deported then stay in those detention centers. There
were many cases in which sexual harassment was reported by the prisoners against the guards and
ICE never did anything about this (Lost in Detention).
Therefore, no mother or father should have to leave their children in the care of someone
else nor should these children be left in this country without their parents. There are mothers and
fathers being taken away for ridiculous reasons from their children, which are US citizens. These
children need their parents to succeed in life. They should have the same freedom to stay and raise
their children. All they want is for their children to grow up and have an education and to be
successful.
Furthermore, in the Powerful Short Film About Illegal Students In USA video, there are
many students who worked hard their entire life to get accepted into a prestigious university, but
are told they cant go because they have no papers. They show that they grow up to study
incredible things in fields of study many would find difficult. It shows that they dont mind the
challenge, but are more inspired than Americans to achieve it. These students in the videos arent
allowed to drive or work because they dont have papers to obtain a drivers license or work
permit. Undocumented students are being deported or even being sent to jail for not having papers.
These students who did their best to obtain a bright future are being treated like criminals. It was
not their fault they were brought in as little innocent babies.
On the other hand, many people in the United States see undocumented people as a huge
negative issue. They are sometimes referred to illegal aliens as well, giving a sense that they are
not equally human as those in the United States. Americans feel as though the undocumented are
taking over America. Immigrants are all seen the same way, as criminals even though the majority
arent. It is estimated that about 3,000-8,000 illegal immigrants a day would cross the border
(Costs of Illegal Immigrants). They are all judged the same way without even hearing why they
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are doing this. By crossing the border illegally, immigrants are accused of invading our space, or
in other words our country (They Took Our Jobs). I do believe the United States should have strict
security when it comes to immigrants that are terrorists, but not those who come here seeking
refuge. It is a difficult decision to let immigrants in the space around us because you just cant
trust everyone. However, by allowing these immigrants we are also allowing diversity within our
communities. For example, Hispanic restaurants wouldnt be around without allowing Hispanic
people in our society. Likewise, Cesar Chavez day wouldnt exist without the change Hispanic
and Filipino immigrants fought for in the fields.
Although americans blame immigrants for taking Americans jobs, however that is not the
case. In a CBS news report it is stated that most big companies for example, CYSVA hire
immigrants instead of Americans to work for them because the labor is low-cost immigrants. Even
though companies are supposed to give these jobs to Americans, a loophole is found within a 10
day period and an "H-1B work visa" is approved to those undocumented (They Took Our Jobs).
Even though some may think that isnt a good idea, immigrants are actually helping America in a
way. They help big companies run at a cheaper cost, so they can sell their goods at a lower price.
Immigrants are also helping Americans because they are willing to clean after them. Immigrants
are capable of working at jobs that Americans would prefer not to do, for example being a maid or
a gardener. Without those who are undocumented, Americans wouldnt get much labor work done.
For example, undocumented people can be found working in the fields, picking the food we eat.
The least we can do is to accept them.
Although the majority of immigrants do not come here legally, there is no reason why
Americans should believe they are all criminals. The fact that they jump the border illegally does
reflect the values of a criminal. However, if there was a fair immigration policy to allow them to
come to America legally then it wouldnt be a crime anymore. The fact that immigration bills
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dont pass in the legislation means that Americans have a bad perception of immigrants. From the
immigrants point of view, Americans are also committing crimes. Incarcerating innocent people
for minor traffic violations then sending them off to detention centers with corrupt guards can also
be considered a crime. Therefore, I believe undocumented people should be given a chance. Im
not saying they should be granted citizenship, but at least a visa and work permits. Only those who
have not committed a huge crime should be allowed to be given an opportunity of the American
Dream. The criminals should be deported. As for the college students, I do believe they have a
right to obtain citizenship. If they went to school in America for most of their life then they were
taught American history as if it really was their homeland. I am glad the California dream act
gives students a visa and work permits and a chance to earn their license. These students are part
of Americas future because those are the kids that are the most encouraged to succeed in life.
They are the ones that will be the future leaders of this country, but in order to reach that level
they will need to be U.S. citizens. I prefer to give immigrants the opportunity to have freedom and
an education in the United States than denying them the right.







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Works Cited
Cost of Illegal Immigration. YouTube. AmericansNotWanted.com, 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 Feb.
2014.
Powerful Short Film About Illegal Students In USA (Undocmented Immigrants).YouTube.
Stevie Khadan, 24 June 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004. Print.
They Took Our Jobs - Immigration Stories You Are Not Supposed to Hear H-1B H-2B
Visas. YouTube. Robbs Homemade Life, 16 Feb. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Will 2014 Yield Immigration Reform? YouTube. PBS Newshour, 23 Dec. 2013. Web. 24 Feb.
2014.