1

Claudia Velasquez

English 1010-058

12-09-2015

Immigration and U.S. Economy

It was a hot summer on June 1995 and even though I was just 5 years old I can remember

a lot of the struggles my parents’ when through that summer. My parents and I were born in

Guatemala. My parents both teenagers, 17 and 16 years old, decided to come to the United States

when I was 6 months old. During the 1990s in Guatemala a civil war was going on between the

Guatemalan government and Mayan rebels. Mayans were being killed by the Guatemalan

government. My dad was Mayan and was being forced to join the Mayan Rebels. I had just been

born and my dad did not want to join the war. The Mayan people were constantly receiving death

threats, getting kidnapped, and getting their houses burned downed. That is when my parents’

made the decision for running away to the US in search for a better life for our family.

One day in summer of 1995, I remember standing at the door of our apartment around

5pm and from far away I could see my parents walking towards me. As I watched them, I saw

how sweat dripped from their heads and clothes, both trying to gasp for air, and almost falling to

the ground like their legs were about to give out. My parents had been looking for a job since 6

am. When my mom got to the door she hugged me and started to cry. It was a deep cry like she

was in pain. This pain wasn’t of being tried of walking all day, it was the pain of having to come

home and telling her 3 little girls that she has no luck finding a job. We barley had anything to

eat. I remember my parents giving their food to my sisters and me so we could be healthy. My

parents only had ketchup packets and water for dinner that afternoon. It wasn’t easy for

immigrants to find jobs or a place to live.

 2

We lived in a studio apartment because it was the only home my mom and dad could

afford. I remember my parents waking up every day early in the morning to look for jobs and

since we didn’t have a car my mom and dad would walk or take the bus. My parents did not

know much English so it was hard enough to be an immigrant and not know English. Since my

sisters and I were too small to stay home by ourselves my parents started taking turns looking for

jobs. I keep thinking to myself, when were my parents going to get a break. It took about a

month before my dad found a job. The family was over joyed, but little that I know this joy

would not last.

My dad started working at a company named Overhills Farm where he packaged food.

We were doing really well until one day my dad’s company found out he was an illegal

immigrant. My dad’s bosses called him into their office and said that because the company loved

how he work they were not going to report him to immigration, but instead my dad would have

to work twice as much and for half of his pay rate. Since my dad knew the family needed the

money and the fear of getting deported, he agreed. Since that day I couldn’t understand why

immigrants would get treated so unfair when we were willing to get the work done.

I felt really bad that night after my dad told my mom the situation we were in. I told

myself that I would try my best to help my parents out as much as I could. Even though I was 5, I

would not give up. I started to work with my grandma. My grandma would make tamales and hot

chocolate, put the food in a supermarket cart and go all around the streets of Los Angeles and

sell them. I would yell “TAMALES! CHOCOLATE CALIENTE!” all day and people would

come and buy food. That night I was tired, but it was worth it. I earned $15 that night and gave it

to my mom and dad. Both my parents stared at each other, hugged and thanked me. I loved the
 3

feeling of helping out so for the rest of that summer I would work with my grandma to help my

family and have never regretted it.

I tell my story in order to expose the struggles immigrants go through in order to find

jobs to feed and shelter their families. Immigrants get humiliated and cheated out of proper pay

rates. Not all immigrants are good, but neither are all Whites, Asians, African Americans, or

Europeans. The majority of immigrants come to work, find a better life for their families, and try

to reach the “American Dream.” What is sad is that because one immigrant messes up we all pay

for it, we all get judged by it. It took a few more years, but in 2000 my parents and I became

permanent residence and in 2012 I became a US citizen. My family has a better life now, but not

all immigrants are as lucky as my family is. Some immigrants are still struggling, some are still

being over worked and cheated.

When it comes to the topic of immigration many people have different views or opinions.

Some oppose immigration, some are for immigration, and some would just rather not talk or get

involved with the topic. The opposition has many people that are pretty vocal on where they

stand with immigration. One of these people is Donald Trump. I include Donald Trump in order

to expose the harsh judgment immigrants go through.

Who is Donald Trump? Donald Trump is a Caucasian billion dollar business man and

owner to the Trump Hotel Collection. Although Trump has been very successful, he did not

work for his money. Trump inherited his fortune from his real estate tycoon father, Fred Trump.

Trump is currently running for president of the United States in the 2016 elections and is a huge

opposer to the immigration reform. Donald Trump’s idea of immigrants is “When Mexico sends

its people, they are not sending their best.” Donald Trump is responding to the most extreme

version of the Republican Party, who think that that immigrants are stealing Americans jobs and
 4

are bringing crime. Trump argument is that everyone coming from South of the border are the

worst and are not needed in America.

I disagree with Donald Trump, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that America needs

to get rid of all immigrants. I personally think Trump has no clue what he is talking about.

Trump has not been in my shoes or any shoes of the 11 million immigrants in the U.S. Trump

has not had to sacrifice leaving his family and everything he has known in order to pursue a

better life. Trump has not had to struggle looking for a job and the constant fear of getting

deported. These are all things Donald Trump has not had to overcome to be the billionaire he is

now.

If everyone from South of the border is bad then why does Trump have immigrants

working in his hotel collection? It is these immigrant people that are making him rich by

cleaning his hotels. It is these immigrants that are working hard to feed their families and put a

roof over their heads that have helped Trump maintain the fortune his father left him. Immigrants

did not come to steal Americans jobs, immigrants are coming to work for a better future. This

country was built on the backs and sweat of immigrants and still is. Immigrants do the labor that

no one else wants to do, get paid the minimum wage, and get mistreatment from their bosses.

Without immigrants who would build our houses and streets, who would mow our lawns, who

would babysit our children, who would clean our dirty bathrooms and who would pick our fruits

and vegetables?

Donald Trump’s idea of a better America without immigrants is wrong and this is why I

chose to challenge him. We need each other to make and maintain America better. My final

thoughts to Donald Trump are step down from your rich and fancy life one day and get to know

these so called bad people. Live one day in our shoes, work for the clothes on you back, for your
 5

meal of the day, for the roof over your head and tell me if it’s justices. Life is not what it seems

through eyes of an immigrant. Life is unfair, cruel, and dark.

An immigration reform can be an effective addition to improve the U. S economy

because it would increase job opportunities as well as reduce welfare.

Dr. Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda is a scholar and professor in the UCLS Department of Chicana

and Chicano Studies. He has conducted research in the changes immigrants bring to the U.S.

economy. He is also a Latino born in Mexico which gives him an insight in the immigration

struggles. From his research he makes the following claim “Immigrant workers do not only

produce important goods and services; they also earn money that they spend in the local

economy, contributing to economic growth and job creation” (Hinojosa-Ojeda 186). Dr. Raúl

Hinojosa-Ojeda’s point is that not only do immigrants work, but from what they get paid they

waste in resources here in the U.S. This quote supports my claim that immigrants help the

economy grow. Immigrants work which helps with the workforce and job growth, pay taxes, and

purchase houses, food, clothes and all that money pretty much stays here in the country.

In addition to this scholar, Daniel T. Griswold is the director of the Cato Institute's Center

for Trade and Immigration Policy Studies. He also has conducted research that immigrants

improve this country’s economy. From his research he makes the following claim “Immigrants

come to America today to build a better life through work, not welfare, just as they have

throughout American history.” (Griswold 160). Daniel T. Griswold’s point is immigrants come

to work like they have always done and that they have no interest in government help like

welfare. This quote supports my claim that immigrants immigrants can help reduce welfare

because first we don’t rely on it. Also immigrants are not here to milk the system and continue

the countries deficit. We rather work which opens doors to new jobs.
 6

In addition to this scholar, Gordon H. Hanson is a professor of economics at UCSD. He

also has conducted research that examines the labor-market consequences of immigration. From

his research he makes the following claim “immigrants add to the productivity growth of the

United States, through more plentiful and differentiated labor, and through innovation and

entrepreneurial risk taking” (Gordon 32). Prof. Gordon H. Hanson’s point is that immigrants

bring different skills and are risk takers, which helps America grow. This quote supports my

claim that not only do immigrants help the economic growth of the United States it also brings a

variety of skills. Immigrants go where there is work and are willing to do the job, this is why

they are risk takers.

In conclusion, immigrants are essential to this country. An immigration reform will allow

more jobs to be filled and will help get our economy get back on track. An immigration reform

will protect all those immigrants that have worked in the shadows. A reform will also open

doors for the future of America and create union instead of disaster. America is our home and we

will continue to work hard for our families and this country.
 7

Works Cited

Ewing, Walter. "The Many Facets Of Effective Immigration Reform." Society 47.2 (2010): 110-

117. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

Griswold, Daniel T."Immigration And The Welfare State." CATO Journal 32.1 (2012): 159-

174. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.

Hanson, Gordon H. "Immigration And Economic Growth." CATO Journal 32.1 (2012): 25-

34. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

Hinojosa-Ojeda, Raúl. "The Economic Benefits Of Comprehensive Immigration Reform." CATO

Journal 32.1 (2012): 175-199. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.

Matthews, Christopher. “The Economics of Immigration: Who Wins, Who Loses and Why.”

TIME Inc. 30 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.