When I was deliberating topics for my case study ethnography report I was inspired to examine some one very close to me who is "undocumented", someone whose experience I have seen first hand, some one who has affected my life and understanding of immigrants with his situation; my partner, Ramiro. This class has exposed us to many writings on the subjects of migration, immigration and emigration. I began to compare the concepts and information in the readings to Ramiro’s personal situation. I was curious if his answer would be "In search of a better life" when asked, "Why did you come here?"

By offering personal insights and experiences regarding his/our situation I would like to discuss issues directly related to the expected learning outcomes that the course Migration and Culture had put forth in the beginning of the semester, including: patterns, transnational events, understanding why people migrate and impacts on the host and home communities of the migrants.

I had crated a semi-formal interview with Ramiro and asked questions that might help me and others understand the issues and processes involved with being a migrant (the how and why people migrate). I wanted his point of view on why people decide to migrate. I wanted to know what he feels his fears, frustrations, rights and responsibilities are in his role as an undocumented, illegal person. I also wanted to add my specific concerns relating to having a partner of this status.

The how and why of Ramiro’s journey is probably not that different than other Mexicans who have made the journey north to the United States. He lived in Nayarit, a state in Mexico along the Pacific Ocean about 1,000 miles south of the border. He lived with his mother, father and eleven brothers and sisters. His family was adequately supported by his father’s salary as a policeman. His father’s death put his family in a desperate situation. Although some of his brothers and sisters had already moved out and began families of their own, his mother was left to support eight children with no benefits from any Mexican welfare agency or life insurance policies. The remaining family members decided the only way enough money could be made to support them was for some one to go to work in America. With no "papers" or legal documents one of Ramiro’s brothers made his way to Los Angeles, California. He found a job working in a garment factory that historically hired undocumented workers at low wages. At that point his family became one of the recipients of the $5 billion dollars of remittances that Mexicans received in 1991 according to the chart presented in the article; Remittances, US Latino Communities, and Development in Latin American Countries in Migration World News Vol. 28(5) in 2000, written by B. Lindsay Lowell, Rodolfo de la Garza and Mike Hogg.

His brother began to regularly send home $100 a month. At his low wages this was a considerable percentage of his income. At this point he mirrored the Tongans in Voyages From Tongan Villages to American Suburbs, written by Cathy A. Small. He mirrored them because he was more likely to assist his family in Mexico then he was to pursue his version of the American dream. The appeal of the large amount of money made in America led another brother to illegally venture into the United States and join his older brother in the garment factory. The second brother added to the income sent back to Mexico. The impact on their family in the home country was similar to the Tongans in Cathy Small’s book. The remittances were used to increase the status of the family within the community in Nayarit. They were able to build a block home, piece by piece, as the money remitted could afford the materials and labor. This practice is common among families that receive remittances from the U.S. As a result in the community in Mexico the majority of families that do not receive money from the U.S. live in substandard housing.

With a suitable house built, Ramiro’s mother decided to help his family by also traveling to the U.S. to seek employment and send money back. His mother was able to gain legal access to the U.S. through sponsorship of another relative who had preceded them to the U.S. The article; The Gendered Assault on Immigrants written by Syd Lindsley and found in Policing the National Body explains that this mode of entry is typical of women immigrants as opposed to the methods used by men. Before I had taken this class, as a mothe, I had always felt that Ramiro’s mother had abandoned the remaining children. I now know better. My greater understanding has shown me the true sacrifice she made to support her children. Ramiro was left in the care of an older sister. Unlike the Dominican children we saw left behind in the care of grandparents and other relatives who were dependent on the remittances in Peggy Levitt’s The Transnational Villagers, Ramiro and the other smaller children behaved with respect for the older children who remained with them.

Because his mother had valid "papers" she was able to travel back and forth between the two countries with few problems. Ramiro had expressed the desire to join his brothers in California so on one of his mother’s visits she helped arrange his journey to America. She bought bus tickets from Nayarit to Tijuana where she would leave him with a coyote that his brother paid $600. She passed legally into the U.S. and left him to cross illegally in the hands of a coyote. He stayed in a house provided by the coyote for two days as others gathered to make the trip. The coyote took the group to the border checkpoint and led them around the building, 50 feet from the guards. The trip took ten minutes. After crossing the border the coyote drove him to Los Angeles.

Because his mother was sending so much of her wages back to Mexico she was suffering financially in the U.S. Through this struggle she was reluctant to apply for public assistance so she would not jeopardize her status in the U.S. or her future prospects of becoming a citizen. In Grace Chang’s Disposable Domestics we saw the fear of jeopardizing their status common among immigrant women and they deny themselves the chance for any public assistance. Ramiro’s mother was concerned for herself and her children that were here illegally she did not apply for assistance.

When Ramiro got here he did not join his brothers in the garment factory. He was still under eighteen years old and had little work experience. His brothers convinced him to concentrate on learning to speak English. They knew that even with little or no work experience that he would have more opportunities if he could speak English. After a few months he left Los Angeles with one brother and came to Phoenix.

That covers the how and why of Ramiro’s immigration to the U.S. I’d like to examine the fears, frustrations, right and responsibilities he has of being in this country. After arriving in Phoenix with his brother he went to look for work. Undocumented workers have limited industries they can gain entry into, landscaping, agriculture, food service, construction or automotive. Ramiro’s brother had a friend that worked in an automobile recycling center (a junk yard) and Ramiro was able to get a job with him. The industry utilizes the undocumented workers as parts pullers and less frequently as mechanics: the jobs that are invisible to the public. The majority of the benefited, legal positions are held by white men with the ability to speak enough Spanish to direct the workers in the yards. Without the cheap labor available to this volatile industry many of these businesses would not be able to keep their doors open. On slow days many of these workers are sent home without compensation. Without access to unemployment compensation these workers must constantly be exploring other avenues to pursue for income.

In addition to losing his income due to slow days Ramiro is in constant fear of being caught by the authorities and deported. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time is sufficient enough to get him sent home. He has been deported twice. Arrested for no crime except "being here" he was bused to Nogales. Since his whole life is here he knew he had no option than to cross back over the border. Both times he paid coyotes. The first time he paid $800 and the second time he paid $1,000. The experience crossing in Nogales was very different than crossing at Tijuana. In Nogales he had to walk seven hours through the desert with limited resources. Each time it got harder in addition to more expensive.

Back in Phoenix a big frustration is not being able to get a driver’s license. We were able to get him an identification card issued by the Mexican consulate here in Phoenix. He had his sister in Nayarit send him a copy of his birth certificate and records from his high school. Some sources say the identification issued through the consulate is sufficient to get a driver’s license but many immigrants are reluctant to do so for the fear of "turning themselves in" to the State of Arizona. Another frustration is not being able to use the identification card to purchase alcohol or cigarettes, open a bank account, cash checks or board a plane.

He also feels frustrated that he does not get the same benefits at work that the legal workers or the other illegals that use forged Social Security Cards and stolen identities have access to. He doesn’t get health insurance, workman’s compensation, paid vacation days, paid sick days, or paid holidays. He only gets paid for the work he performs. His lower wage is almost equivalent to the take home pay of someone who makes $8-$9 an hour before taxes. The industry usually operates five and a half days a week and they do not have to pay overtime to the undocumented workers. The savings to the employer are greater than the difference. He knows that at any time he can be sent home from work or fired. He also knows he has the right to walk away from any job if he feels he is being treated unfairly and look for another job. He realizes that not all immigrants have this right. Some migrate to this country under the promise to "pay back" the coyotes and are almost held as slaves until the debt is paid.

The strongest responsibility that Ramiro feels is towards the remaining family in Mexico. Certain celebrations in Mexico are very elaborate, very costly and dictated by the culture. The Mexican Quinceañera is similar in status to the Tongan’s TUA’OLUNGA celebration. The Mexicans celebrate a girls fifteenth birthday as her "coming of age" and the Tongans celebrate a girls twenty-first birthday. Baptisms are also very large events in Mexico. When a family member in Mexico is celebrating one of these events the members in the U.S. are expected to send money to finance it. They are also expected to send money if anyone needs surgery or medical care.

As a partner of someone expected to send remittances upon request to Mexico I am expected to understand the loss of income in the household. In any two-income household the reduction of one can lead to financial disaster. Another concern of mine is legal ramifications of being with an illegal immigrant. The legal system in Arizona is so contorted that it can make any action appear illegal. For instance, driving a car with an illegal immigrant as a passenger can be viewed as "transporting an illegal alien", the law that umbrellas coyotes in the business of capitalizing on transporting illegal persons across the border into America. If I would be pulled over with Ramiro in my car I could be charged with transporting, even if we were going to the store or the doctors office. The fact that he is listed as my domestic partner with my health, dental and life insurance doesn’t change his legal status. Another big concern of mine is an issue involving insurance. My insurance company accepts him as my dependent and collects the premiums. If we needed to file a claim on his behalf the insurance company may retain the right to deny it if they claim the accident or illness occurred during the commission of a crime. Being in this county illegally is a crime.

Many issues relate to Ramiro’s status. I have just been exposed to a few. My exposure has made the concepts discussed in class more understandable. I understand the risks they take to be here and when I did ask Ramiro if the risks were worth it he said that the opportunity for a better life made it worth all of the risks and sacrifices.