Immigrant workers
Since the birth of America, the United States has been a place of hopes and dreams for the downtrodden trapped by poverty, famine, and political instability in their homelands. These masses have historically turned to the United States as a way to make a better life for themselves and their families. but some people have not always found the lives they dreamed of making in the United States. These immigrants who come from different parts of the world come to America in search of a greener pasture . They come to America with high hopes and expectations but the question here is how are they viewed by Americans
Two months after arriving in the United States, he also discovered the racial tensions and discriminations that were directed at every foreign Information Technology worker. His discovery was also augmented by the comments made by one of his white American born co-worker named Al. He said, “We are being invaded here, they are taking away our jobs”- referring to the arrivals of more and more foreign IT workers. Not only that, his company was also discriminating us and we were not properly compensated as the signed contract indicated.
Before a foreign national could work for a United States company and could come to work in the United States, a contract is required by the Department of Labor that would state how much this particular person would be paid, and that the salary must not be lower or greater than the current existing wage on his field of specialty. Then, the company must submit that same contract to the department of Justice before a visa could be issued.
In his case and for many other foreign workers, our contract which was approved by both departments was breached. They were not even paid half of what the signed contract stated. They worked long hours without compensation. And by the end of the year their W2s’ proved it. And every time they asked or complained, the company would then ask us how much their salary was in the Philippines, and then they would ask him to compare it to what they are making here. And if that answer would not satisfy them, they then would threaten to cancel their visa. Therefore, all he can do is put up and look at the bright side. He said “I’m here today and someday I will get my green card and I then will be able to live the American dream”.
Lately, a hot new bill is being debated in the senate, a bill about immigration and about illegal immigrants living in the United States. The bill proposes to make 12 million illegal immigrants criminals and deporting many of them. Imagine watching the news in the television and what you see is the appalling site of police officers pulling crying children away from their families. Sure you can say, “That’s the price you pay of the life you chose.” And he can say so, “he and his family came here legally, why can’t these people do the same?” But to him it is not as simple as black or white. What if the policy is partly to blame? What if the ineptitude and incompetence of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services drove this people to just cross the border rather than immigrating here legally. In his case he waited four years for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to render a decision on his family’s petition. Four years is long time, he missed a lot within those four years. A lengthy and expensive process he is not willing to undergo again. he
