Interview Analysis

Most illegal immigrants that come to the United States do so with the intentions of providing a better life for themselves and their family members. I probably have a biased opinion, given the fact that I have family who has crossed the border for a better opportunity, including my own parents. Ricardo’s story gives us a glimpse of what migrants from Mexico suffer from as they try to make it in the United States. He came here with the perception that he could be living like a king compared to Mexico. The things we all take for granted here in the United States are items that the people of Mexico can only dream about. How many of us have complained because we don’t know what type of food we want to eat on any given night? All this is going on while Ricardo was amazed at how much meat he could eat because they only got to eat that maybe once a month in Mexico. He was appreciative when he got his first job, car, and house. Imagine you and your family living on a couch for a few months. It would be hard, but according to Christian Zlolniski, the author of the book “The Lives of Mexican Immigrants in Silicon Valley”, this was and is a common sight for most illegal immigrants. Ricardo has come a long way from the one room shack in Mexico, as well as sharing an apartment with other family members. Ricardo worked the long graveyard shifts making a little over two dollars an hour, while others wouldn’t even bother to apply for such a position. Having a low wage position might have been due to the fact that he had no experience, he could not speak English, or maybe because he was an illegal. However, he was willing to make sacrifices and made a commitment to his wife that he would provide a better world for his family. And that is exactly what he set out to do when he crossed the border illegally.

“In and Out of Morocco”, by David McMurray, also illustrates the frustrations of the people of Morocco. They migrate to other European countries to make a better life for their family by sending them money that they have earned in Germany or other countries. This is also true for Ricardo and most immigrants from Mexico, as money sent from the United States makes up the second highest income producer for Mexico behind oil. David McMurray also notes that the people of Morocco discover the difficulties of migrating because of harsh penalties set by the surrounding countries or Europe, hence, the same for those Mexicans running into Minute men or border patrol agents.

            The United States will always have those who oppose illegal immigration whether it causes any harm to them or not. But how can we shut down the border for all those people that are willing to do the “dirty work” to provide a better life for themselves and for the companies that they work for? Christian Zlolniski also points out that most migrants who come here to look for agricultural jobs find themselves working as janitors or other cleaning jobs. Most people are not satisfied working as janitors, but illegal immigrants just want the opportunity at a better life. America is the land of the free, the land of opportunity, and the land that has been forever changed by people migrating here from all over the world. Coming from personal experience, I am very thankful to live in this great country that has provided my family and me with more than we could have ever imagined in Mexico. Most migrants feel the same way as they are blessed by better income, education, and surroundings than their original country. An article by Solamen Zhang, a refugee from China, from the book “Crossing the Blvd” by Warren Lehrer and Judith Sloan states, “America is a much better place for my kids” (315). He and most immigrants do appreciate what the United States provide for their families. I know Ricardo feels the same way, and while interviewing him on his journey from Mexico, I also know that he wouldn’t change the opportunity he provided on behalf of his family for anything in the world.

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