1

Final Research Project: Immigration Employment

Zahida Gomez

Salt Lake Community College

ETHS 2430

December 8, 2021
 2

Abstract:

Everyday immigrant families are in fear of losing each other. Many cross the border

illegally going without food and water for weeks, just to get to the United States for a better

future for themselves and their family. However, life isn’t so much better. It’s a lot more

terrifying being scared of getting deported or having a loved one getting taken away from you.

I’m choosing to write about employment for illegal immigrants and citizenship because

still today this is an issue going on. Immigrants fight for their life to work in the U.S. not just for

themselves but for their family. They travel here in the scariest ways possible. Some die along

the way and loved ones don’t hear from them again. It’s important to know their story and things

we all can do to help them get the “dream” they are working for and to get to the U.S. in a much

better way.

How do immigrants impact the world we live in and should they have citizenship?

The United States is built off of immigrants and has more than any other country in the

world. Immigrants make up about “14 percent of the U.S. population, or more than 44 million

out of a total of about 327 million.” (Felter, Renwick, and Cheatham,2020) The U.S population

will drop drastically if they all went back to their home country. We are living in a world where

everywhere we go we are going to see different kinds of people and many immigrants. It is so

hard to go back to a place where you know nothing about anymore if you’ve been here your

whole life. Many of them stay hoping they will get a path to citizenship, however many people

disagree and think that they don’t deserve any sort of visa. “I don’t think they should have a path

to citizenship. If you knowling violates our law...millions of people are waiting in line, trying to
 3

do it the right way.” (Labrador, 2013) but what is the right way? Every other way is way too

expensive and doesn’t work all the time.

In an article “ Should Undocumented immigrants get a ‘path to citizenship” Congressman

Steve King a republican of Iowa argues between democrats on wether or not illegal immigratns

should stay in the U.S. many republicans argued that the more people come here ilegally the

more it’ll happen. “If we want to solve America’s problem with illegal immigration, we should

punish those who break the law. We should systematically deport all those who are living in the

U.S. illegally. Doing so would restore the rule of law and finally solve the problem.” (King,

Steve) but this won’t solve the problem that easily. If there is a place that pays more, immigrants

will do what they have to do to stay and work.

Many immigrants have homes bought and go on out everyday with their lives, and they

can’t get what everyone else has? Many immigrants know nothing outside of the United States,

they spend their whole life working and have basically grown up here. They are adaptable and

flexible with their schedule when other people aren’t.

Salary in Mexico compared to the U.S.

Immigration is something that is very important, many of them come to America to avoid

job shortages and lack of income. Tatewaki, a manufacturer in Mexico, has an article that talks

about many of the different money incomes and salaries that are made in Mexico and the United

states and compares them. In the U.S painters could make an average of $17 an hour, which is

more than minimum wage. However, in Mexico painters make an average of $4 dollar an hour.

This means that if you work around the average 6 hour shift, in Mexico you will only be making

around $18 dollars a day, which is the amount you can make in an hour in the U.S.
 4

I am pretty sure everyone would much rather be in a place that benefits you more and

where you can get more money. Immigration has been a big problem in history and is still a

problem today. Many immigrants come to have a better future, but they can’t have that when all

they do is worry. This can affect many families, they’ve gone through so much to get to where

they are at only to worry more. Not only does this put risks on immigrant adults, kids as well.

Many kids have to go to school without speaking any English, and they have a hard time learning

the material. This can put them at risk of having low self esteem and suffering with anxiety.

With these kids grow older they are also going to live in fear of being seperated because they are

as well undocumented.

The Trump administration has had a very huge impact on immigration, there have been

many orders affecting immigration policy. The immigration Debate also announced that

president Trump put his focus on border security control. He wanted federal agents to construct a

physical wall so immigrants can no longer pass by. Everyday this gets worse for them.

Understanding the struggle:

A lot of people don’t realize how hard something is until they go through it. This is

something no one should be able to go through but it’s been going on for decades and something

needs to be done and changed. Many immigrants still go through this and get criticized. Many

fight for their lives and to stay. Most immigrants also don’t want to be here since they have

family in their other country that they would rather be with. However, They fight through and

hold on so they can make money to provide for themselves and their family.

There are other ways we can help these families. Immigrants aren’t bad people and they

definitely don’t steal jobs. They are grateful with where they are at, and don’t complain when
 5

having to work. There are many ways we are able to help these immigrants fighting to stay,

many belong to a group that can help them get a path to citizenship. Many illegal workers are

essential to a workplace, have lived in the U.S. for many years, have high education in the U.S.

or even those with U.S. citizen family members. Those who are non-citizens can become

naturalized which means they have to be illegal, pay a fee and be fingerprinted, take an oath to

the U.S and complete an interview, and pass a citizenship test. However, this can take a very long

time and many people aren’t eligible.

How to help:

Some things that we are able to do to help these undocumented immigrants is donate to

legal services such as the National Immigration Justice center, they fight for those who are illegal

and fight forms of justice that immigrants face. Families For Freedom helps protect families

from deportation. You can also donate to ground organizations like Border Angels they leave

water bottles along the desert and trafficking routes. Donating to these places helps those who

are struggling to find a place to stay, the more you help out the more resources there are for

everyone. Make your voice be heard, and volunteer. Protest as much as you can and spread the

word. Nothing happens if you stay quiet, and also protect sanctuary cities so immigrants have a

place to feel safe.

 6

Bibliography

Budiman, Abby. “Key Findings about U.S. Immigrants.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research

Center,22Sept.2020,www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-i

mmigrants/.

Megan Elliott More Articles September 07, 2018. “How Much Does the Average American Get

PaidPerHour?”ShowbizCheatSheet,7Sept.2018,www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/how-

much-does-the-average-american-get-paid-per-hour.html/.

McCarthy, J. (2017, September 6). 7 ways you can help undocumented immigrants in the US

right

now.GlobalCitizen.RetrievedDecember9,2021,fromhttps://www.globalcitizen.org/en/cont

ent/7-ways-to-help-undocumented-immigrants/.

American Immigration council Why don't immigrants apply for citizenship?

AmericanImmigrationCouncil.(2021,October9).RetrievedDecember9,2021,fromhttps://w

ww.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-don%E2%80%99t-they-just-get-line.

TSU, N. (n.d.). What is a sanctuary city anyway?Learningforustice.RetrievedDecember 9,2021,

fromhttps://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/texts/what-is-a-sanctuary-cit
y-anyway.
7