Due to the sensitivity of the topic and fear of deportation, all names have been redacted. All references to “Antonio” indicate an anonymous Loy Norrix parent. 

“In Mexico you can’t do that at all. You’re surviving,” said Antonio. “I was curious, I was pursuing the American dream, but it’s very hard. It’s not easy.” 

You’re sitting there in your living room on a Sunday morning, and you hear the news playing in the background. As you listen, you catch the word “immigration,” a topic on every politician’s mind. 

In this upcoming election both candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have both decided to strengthen immigration laws. Trump has said that he wants to seal the border and increase enforcement. Harris’ campaign emphasizes her goal to bring the border security bill back and sign it into law and deport undocumented immigrants, which differs from Trump’s plan by not being as harsh. 

Despite having different methods of deporting immigrants, both Trump and Harris plan on having stricter immigration laws. Both politicians plan on increasing immigration restrictions and deporting undocumented immigrants who are in the United States, according to the article US Elections 2024: Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump — stance on immigration explained. For families of undocumented immigrants, this raises concerns about the future. 

Families across the United States are being torn apart because of deportation. Having a family member or a friend deported can bring many hardships. It brings the pain of having someone leave you, it costs money and it leaves families sad as they are  empty, missing a loved one in their lives. 

 Millions of immigrants cross the Mexican border into America undocumented each year. Crossing the border is a truly terrifying experience: stories of rape, death and murder are not uncommon when it comes to getting across the border. Police reported that around eight thousand people have been killed trying to cross the border, according to the USA Facts team.

To cross the Mexican American border, people have to walk through the boiling hot desert, which takes anywhere from four hours to four days. They take very few things with them, and they put themselves through risky conditions because achieving documentation is an extremely difficult process, according to the Department of Homeland Security in Securing the Border. 

“Crossing the border was the worst experience of my life, one of the top ten. Everybody says it’s easy to cross the border, but it’s not,” said Antonio. “They treat you like you’re an animal. You’re not a human being when you cross the border. We were trapped in the desert in the night for six hours. It was so cold, I had to bury myself in the sand to protect myself from the cold.” 

These conditions are terrible, but people will do whatever they can to come to the United States. Many immigrants desire a chance to leave poverty behind and make money for themselves. They have been sold on the American Dream showcased all over the world. People want their families to get chances they never had, or they want a chance to achieve their dreams. 

“We grew up very poor, and we didn’t have many opportunities like here in America,” said Antonio.

A popular anti-immigration argument is that undocumented immigrants steal Americans’ jobs. This statement is not accurate. Immigrants are coming to the US and working jobs, but the jobs they work have little to no impact on the economic state or the job market according to the article The Effects of Immigration on the United States’ Economy. 

Crop-growing regions where workers are needed typically have a larger population of immigrants. Immigrants typically move to growing regions where jobs are available. The jobs that immigrants work are usually very physical and take a toll on their bodies. They typically work the jobs that no one wants because they want to make a living doing whatever they can, according to the statistics by Pew Research Center.  

“They think we’re all the same. We’re not – not all the apples in the basket are bad, just a couple,” a Norrix alumni said. 

“I just want a chance to live a normal life,” they continued. “I don’t like getting weird looks going down the street or having someone look at me suspiciously, or be scared to drive down the road. I just want to be treated like a normal person.”