Immigrants come to America for many reasons and most of these reasons include the search of a better life. The Cambodian and Chinese immigrants in the videos were escaping the restrictions and turmoil of their native lands. Now, this is a very valid reason and most people would, arguably, agree that they should have left. But, when it comes down to where they go, it becomes a national issue. People understand that these immigrants had no choice but to leave; however, when these immigrants arrive at their country illegally, they become cautious.

There are clear boundaries set for those who arrive to America illegally. If they overstep those boundaries, there are also clear consequences. In “Sentenced Home” we encounter troubled people that grew up in an unfortunate environment. We cannot blame people like Kim Ho Ma for wanting to join a gang for a sense of belonging. However, their decisions to do wrong were under their control and it is just to deport them because they were clearly presented with the consequences. However, it would seem unfair to the victims because their homeland was a very unfamiliar environment and they just did not know what to do or how to handle the situation. It would seem just and fair to anyone that is not involved in their problem, but if anyone were to step into the immigrants’ shoes, it would not be fair to any of them.

Illegal immigration is a very troubling issue due to much controversy with the law, ethics, and morality. It is very hard to easily decide whether the immigrants should stay or be deported. They will face even worse retribution in their homeland! However, illegal immigration is still illegal. These people simply do not belong there and, for the safety of the nation (especially after the 9/11 attacks), the Americans did not want to take the chance of allowing potential threats into the country.

The people in the Golden Venture sought a better life as they suffered many grueling days at sea to get to America. Their hopes and dreams were shattered as the INS caught them at the shore when they arrived. Some people got on the ship to escape the one-child policy in China and it seems perfectly reasonable to escape that kind of restraint. However, as I said before, the law demands that they leave, but how do we expect them to leave when they have so much to lose as well?

Review of Golden Venture

Golden Venture is a riveting movie that reveals the immense hardships that illegal Chinese immigrants have to undergo in order to just have a chance at living in the United States. This life-changing journey has pitted these people with more difficult obstacles and ordeals than most people in the United States will ever face in their entire lives. The dangerous treks through the landscapes of Asia, the long and arduous journey and the inhumane and horrendous living conditions on the ship, and the final struggle to swim onto US shore are all what the 286 people had to suffer through. While some immigrants were granted asylum many were deported but a few, after years of fighting for their cases, were granted a release. This film spotlights the tragedy of these people who are simply just trying to seek a better life in America.

The production team, with their carefully selected primary accounts, personal interviews, and scenes from past video recordings, has created a very emotional film that highlights these people’s toils and appeals the viewer causing a sympathetic response. Such scenes include people starving in overcrowded and filthy spaces on smuggling ships, people desperately trying to reach US soil by diving into rough and freezing waters, and EMTs carrying away bodies of those that drowned in their attempt to reach shore. These scenes, along with many others, truly show the amount of desperation people have for leaving their countries and trying to better their own lives and the lives of their families.

Despite the 276 people that made it onto “the land of the free”, they were all immediately detained in prison for an extended period of time. To make bad matters worse, these people came into the US during a time of increase demand of keeping track of those immigrating into the country. Although many were deported back to China, a few were successful in their battle to achieve a right to remain in the US. With clips of both the defendants and the government agencies trying to deport these people, we can gauge just how strong the anti-immigration sentiment was.  Although many were in deep protest, a significant number of others stood up to defend these people of their right’s to search for a better lifestyle.

This documentary does an excellent job in showing the kinds of struggles any illegal immigrant may face while trying to enter the US. It showcases both the challenges of the journey and the new challenges they face once in the United States. In addition, this film also allows the viewer to more closely measure how strongly the US felt about unaccounted for immigrants. Using strong emotional appeals, this film is both very informative and truly captivating. It gives both solid numerical and augments the film overall with personal interviews and accounts.

Review of Sentenced Home

“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free” is a line from patriotic song “God Bless the USA” written by Lee Greenwood. These words are probably something that most Americans would not have a problem saying. There are, however, some that cannot. In fact, a significant number of people in the United States cannot truly call themselves American and do not truly know if they are free because they lack official documentation on their immigration status. Despite the United States being on of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, it has very strict immigration and border laws that restrict the flow of immigrants in the country and expel those that are in illegal residence.

In Sentenced Home, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 has brought upon three non-citizen Cambodians much despair and struggle into their already difficult lives. Revolving around three men, Kim Ho Ma, Loeun Lun, and Many Uch, the movie details the effects of the immigration laws, specifically causing the first two to be deported back to Cambodia while the last must always live in fear of suddenly being deported by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services.

The controversy involved with these three men and all other undocumented Cambodians is that under the new laws enacted, those who were convicted of a felony, even if the sentence has been fully carried out, are subject to possible deportation by the INS. This injustice is a serious matter that the documentary crew tries to bring into people’s attention. Interviewing these men and following them back to Cambodia has allowed the creators of this documentary to create an emotional film that tries to highlight the economic and emotional stresses that deportation causes to people, especially those that have already assimilated into the American culture and lifestyle. Throwing somebody into back into their respective country of origin, moving that person from a highly developed nation to one that is still developing, or forcing a person to move into a “foreign” nation where they are unfamiliar with the local customs is life-altering and is a severe decrease in their standard of living.

Although this movie is obvious in trying to emphasize the injustices of the immigration laws enacted in 1996, there is not to say that there are not any valid reasons for these laws. During this time, the U.S. was very sensitive about the documentation of those entering the United States. Facing terrorist incidents committed by those who were in the U.S. illegally, many people were hesitant and even resistant in allowing foreigners to immigrate to the US. The US’s strict immigration laws and border policies, while designed to protect the nation from external threats trying to breach in, have also in effect failed to protect those residing in the country, whether documented or not. Many of these people have lived in America for probably at least ten to twenty years and are most likely to be proud to have done so. So then why can’t they know they are free?

Review of The Golden Venture

This documentary tells the story of 286 Chinese immigrants that boarded a freight ship from China, called the Golden Venture, in 1993, hoping to be smuggled into the United States. It deals with not only the hardship and struggles of these immigrants, but also with the issue of how to respond to illegal immigration and the faults of United States legislation.

The documentary shows the atrocious conditions that the immigrants faced on the ship: the smallest personal space imaginable and very little food and clothing. From this point on, the documentary is biased towards the passengers of the Golden Venture, even though they are illegal immigrants. However, it is not hard to see why anyone watching this documentary (and seeing what they faced) would feel the same way.

It is clear that the producers of the film tried to tell the story as completely as possible, as it includes footage of passengers jumping off the ship into icy cold water after the Golden Venture crashed into New York’s coast and the medical teams rushing to save them. Though ten of the immigrants drowned and some died even with medical help, INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) officials were quick to take the survivors to INS-contracted county jails.

After the passengers are imprisoned, the illegal immigration issues begin. Half of them are unable to escape deportation, while others were transferred from one jail to another for four years. The ones who were deported back to China faced harsher jail time there. It is stunning that 220 of the 286 Golden Venture passengers live in the United States (mainly illegally or undocumented).

In all, the documentary accurately depicts the struggles of the Golden Venture passengers and the legislative issues of illegal immigration at a time of xenophobia in the United States.

Review of Sentenced Home

Sentenced Home is a documentary that follows three Cambodian Americans and their struggle with deportation from the United States. Their families came to the U.S. as part of a larger group of Cambodian refugees in the early 1980s. These refugees were given permanent resident status, which means they were not protected under the same laws as citizens of the United States.

The main issue focused on is a law enacted in 1996 which meant deportation for non-citizen immigrants that have been convicted and served over a year of jail time. The law did not take into account individual convictions or circumstances. The film shows viewers the circumstances of Loeun Lun, Kim Ho Ma, and Many Uch in order for the viewers to decide if the law is justified as it stands or not.

In the case of Loeun Lun, he was incarcerated for firing a gun in the air as a teenager, even though he was protecting himself from being attacked by gang members. He was deported even after he served his time in prison and made a family. He was separated from his wife and children to be sent to live in the Cambodian countryside with no opportunities. In the case of Kim Ho Ma, he was sent to a country which was as good as foreign to him, whose culture and language he did not identify with. Many Uch had not been deported yet, but his deportation notice could come any day, so he makes the best of the time he has.

Though the documentary shows the other (legislative) side as well, it is difficult to advocate for a law that separates people from their homes and families for something that was taken care of many years ago. It seems like they are being tried for the same charges, which is illegal by the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.

“Sentenced Home” is a documentary produced, written and directed by David Grabias and Nicole Newnham. It is about three Cambodian refugees, Kim Ho Ma, Loeun Lun and Many Uch, two who are deported to Cambodia and the third who, at the end of the film, is awaiting deportation, respectively. The film follows their stories about why they are being deported and the hardships they face.

The film is presented very much like an unbiased documentary. The opinion on the situation of deporting refugees is expressed from various angles, including the people who are awaiting deportation and the officials who are enforcing the deportation laws. The U.S. officials explain the reasoning behind the U.S. deportation law and why it must be enforced, especially after 9/11.

The film utilizes music, scenes of the refugees’ everyday life and voice overs to convey the seriousness of the situation. Added to the somber mood of the documentary are the interviews with family members, friends, and officials who contribute their opinions and anecdotes to the situation the three refugees are faced with. The film switches between scenes of Seattle, where all the refugees lived, and Cambodia, but only after Kim Ho Ma arrives there, who is the first of the three to be deported.

I thought the film was moving because the three Cambodian refugees and their loved ones had to face such a hardship. They were forced to deport the United States because of a past mistake, which I agree is extremely unfair, especially since all three of them have served their time. It is inspiring because Loeun Lun and Many Uch are trying their best to improve their life with the best resources they have, and Many Uch is trying to provide an alternative for gang life for Cambodian American children.

The Golden Venture and Sentenced Home are two documentaries that tackle the issue of illegal immigration in the United States from the point of view of the immigrants.  They document the struggles of getting here to begin with, of building a life here once arrived, and then having that life ripped away with the threat of deportation.

The Golden Venture was a smuggle ship that brought 286 Chinese immigrants from Fujian Province, China, to New York.  However, the ship was met with difficulties, and the passengers ended up having to jump off board into the freezing water and swim to shore.  Ten people drowned, and the rest were rounded up by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, after having paid $30,000 for this trip.  Half of them were sent back to China, and the other half spent up to four years imprisoned.  One of the deportees paid another $50,000 to be brought back to America.  One of them tried to come to the U.S three separate times (The Golden Venture being the second) and was deported all three times.  Upon being sent back to China, many of the exiles were beaten and forcibly sterilized.  The ones that haven’t been deported live in constant fear of it, knowing full well they could be forced to give up everything they’ve built here and leave the country.

Sentenced Home focused on three Cambodian immigrants living in Seattle.  They were admitted into the United States of America as Cambodian refugees, and not smuggled illegal immigrants.  However, they have all committed crimes and been convicted of them.  The INS holds strict laws regarding non-citizens and infringements on the law.  So, the convictions led to the INS either deporting them, or threatening to.  The film depicted this as the men being punished for crimes they had already paid for.  Of the two that were sent back to Cambodia, one of them—Lun- built some semblance of a life for himself, while the other—Kim Ho Ma—fell back into old habits of petty crimes.   Many Uch wasn’t deported, but is in danger of it every day.

Both of these movies paint a grim picture of what non-citizens go through living in the United States.  They are not afforded the basic rights that most Americans enjoy.  It was enlightening because it shed a lot of light on the nature of immigration laws, how strict they are, and what factors could be the difference between someone staying here of being deported.

The Gold Venture brings up the issue of illegal immigration in a way that simple discussions could not. It’s too easy to forget or disregard the desires and struggles of people who want to come to America and this film pushes this aspect into our view. The terrible experience of the voyage alone demonstrates the determination and resolve of its passengers; once they reached the shore, many jumped and swam for their freedom.

. For the people already living in the United States, it shows just how much people would go through to reach what we already have, and not take it for granted. For those living comfortable lifestyles, it is likely thanks to at least one previous generation of hard work to establish themselves here.

At the same time, the film highlighted the flaws of the illegal immigration handling system since these individuals were coldly left in states of detention and illegal status over years without any specific face accountable to the decision. One side of the illegal immigration debate is fueled by the lack of compassion for foreign people trying to better themselves; it is easy for someone to shut the gates to outsiders once on the inside. There is a degree of selfishness in trying to look out for oneself at the expense of others. Opponents of illegal immigration should widen their perspective by seeing the struggles of these aliens before taking their stance.

On the other hand, I suppose the Golden Venture is among the most extreme cases of illegal immigration stories.

In Sentenced Home, we see more of the harsh laws that leave non-citizens in a state of incomplete safety. These laws deliver judgment without regard to circumstance, and are often harshly unrealistic in expecting assimilated American people to return to a land and culture with which they have no connection. Again, they seem to be the result of paranoia and anti-immigrant activism. Deportation as a solution to non-citizen felons is a hasty and occasionally ill-fitting solution at best. Ideally the government should take a more involved approach in attempting to prevent crime and reward those that return to society peacefully.

This film focused more on how each of the three Cambodian men dealt with their situation, and I didn’t like this as much. One thing that stood out for me was Many Uch’s uncertainty of his future. Being the only one of the three still in the U.S. at the conclusion of the film, he kept his lifestyle until the time of the filming, yet he can never firmly establish himself here while his future is uncertain because of the ever-present risk of deportation.

On a completely unrelated note, the Cambodian countryside is beautiful.

Overall the two films complement each other well- both show a side to the personal experiences behind immigration to the United States and their native countries. Of the two I prefer Golden Venture more, possibly because it had a more substantial plot and showed tougher circumstances.

Golden Venture

The history of immigration to the U.S. has been controversial and bias, as U.S. policy has varied throughout the years. This was not an exception during the late 20^th century with increasing terrorism and economic recession becoming major influences toward immigration policies. The film Golden Venture seeks to portray how desperate illegal aliens want to come to America in order to gain freedom and a better living standard. Consequently, this documentary will mainly revolve around the recounts of four survivors, their stay in the U.S, and their current lives.

Golden Venture for the most part sympathizes with the survivors after their life-threatening two year journey to America. However, what really captivates the viewer are the tragedies and heartbreaks that the survivors will continue to face during their tenure in America. None of the immigrants were expecting to be put in jail after being smuggled to the U.S. by snakeheads. What viewers can decide after watching is whether the U.S. government was justified in detaining the survivors in jail just to set an example toward future illegal aliens.

While the outside world was watching, the arts and crafts that the survivors would make in captivity cannot not go unnoticed. These sculptures were a message and symbolized hope and everyone’s desire for freedom. Now, what was really unfortunate were the two choices given to the survivors: either to choose asylum or to be deported. I was stricken by the fact that despair had led some to decide to go back to China only to see themselves in jail again, become sterilized, fall into debt, and attempt to come back to the U.S. years later. (such was the case for Yan Li and Kaiqu Zheng)

Fortunately, during President Clinton’s second term the remaining survivors were freed after four years of being detained. Being separated from their families, needing to learn different customs, and having the start anew, the newly freed captives exemplify persevering characters for all Americans to acknowledge. Therefore, another message that the directors were aiming to convey is for the people to appreciate and to not take for granted their current status as legal American citizens.

Sentenced Home

All citizens and their past ancestors immigrated to this country at one point in time or another in this country’s history unless they are Native Americans. Nevertheless, there are visible signs of bias and prejudice that the U.S. government displays toward aliens when enacting laws during times of crisis.

In the film Sentenced Home, the injustices that the 1996 Immigration Acts has brought upon to American’s non-citizens are clearly portrayed through the lives of three Cambodians. The directors produced an emotional video conveying the message that these three men have to be deported just because they have committed a past crime. Viewers will have a hard time not feeling any sympathy toward the deportees as these assimilated men currently have stable lives and families only to be forced by this immigration law to move back to their home country.

The movie revolves around three Cambodians: Kim Ho Ma, Loeun Lun, and Many Uch who have all committed a crime but have served their sentences. Now, the conflict that is emphasized throughout the movie is that there is no discretion in choosing who gets deported. I felt the producers successfully described the cruel measures of the law in not allowing the court to review any of these deportee’s histories before they sent back to a third world country. What’s really controversial is that even minor criminal offenses are subject to automatic deportation. As a result, there is an obvious lack of representation for legal non-residents, as Kim Ho Ma and Loeun Lun have to now integrate back into their native country and start anew. Likewise, it is difficult for the viewer to fathom the fear that Many Uch has to constantly live through, as he is a phone call away from being on the deportation list. Therefore, the theme that is expressed through Many Uch and potential deportees is that all must appreciate and make the most of their lives with the available freedom that America provides.

Now, the movie can be considered slightly one-sided in its negative portrayal of Congress and its legislative acts. One scene I believe that could have been further addressed is the severity of the crimes committed by Kim Ho Ma and his fellow deportees. Even though Kim Ho Ma did state he was involved in violent gangs as a teenager, the makers should have instead left it to the viewers themselves to contemplate and determine whether or not he deserves to be sent back to Cambodia. In the end, Sentence Home deeply displays that while the American government has been strictly controlling the immigration laws, it has also in the process undermined fundamental American principles which are suppose to protect all U.S. residents.

The films we were shown in class were both touching stories of human struggle and success. They are stories that happen, quietly, everyday, yet which we often don’t think of. To many, the face of illegal immigration is often a stereotypical and one-dimensional story. Films like these importantly illustrate a few of the hundreds of individual possibilities that are the impetus for immigration and the cause for illegal immigration.

Illegal immigration is, at least in my experience, often glossed over and generalized. The right wing, and to a certain extent, most of the media has vilified the ‘illegal alien’, blaming the mass of unidentified workers who drive the agricultural and ‘menial’ job sectors for America’s economic struggles, painting a picture of a dirty and unlawful worker stealing American jobs. However, what should be the heart of the matter, and what these movies touch upon, is that these people are real people. They have hopes and dreams just like American citizens do. They love and live just like American citizens do, and they’re trying to feed their families and get through life just like American citizens are. Each of the men on the golden venture or of Cambodian origin had children, family and friends that were all heavily affected by their struggles with immigration. In sentenced home, emphasis was placed on the fact that this indeed was a sentence for these men. Even if some of the men were able to achieve a small measure of success, such as being able to build a small house, they still struggled with the reality of complete and nearly permanent separation from their families. For men like Kim Ho Ma, the sentence was complete: he had no job experience or prospects, no knowledge of the country he was sent to, and felt hopeless at being sent to a ‘home’ that was not at all his home. The film did an excellent job bringing forward the sadness, the anger, and the fear that these people have to deal with. It makes the emotions palpable and human, and lets us see what the hardships these people have to deal with really are like. The film was very real; nothing was sugarcoated, and it was an eye-opener for those who never think of the struggles people who are trying to make it in this country go through.

To me, these movies highlight the inability of the bureaucracy to deal with individuals. ICE and the INS have come to be known as ruthless and terrifying, because these undocumented immigrants know that they will be treated as a number and not as an individual. The constant fear that the Cambodian men lived under does not paint a flattering picture of the government agencies that are supposed to regulate immigration. They’re incomprehensive and one could go as far as to say, inhuman. The necessity and sheer numbers are understandable, but there is no doubt that there is a need for reform. Movies like these are important to bring attention to the flaws in the system that treats human beings so unfairly.

On June 4^th, 1993, a Chinese cargo ship ran aground on Rockaway Beach in New York.  This mishap revealed that almost 300 Chinese immigrants were packed aboard the cargo ship attempting to get into the U.S. illegally.  In order to avoid persecution, these immigrants jumped off the ship and tried to swim ashore and escape officials.  Unfortunately, while a majority of these immigrants were saved, 10 drowned before they touched American soil.  In Peter Cohn’s documentary Golden Venture, we follow a group of these survivors and learn about what they had to go through and where they are now.

In my opinion, this movie does a good job of telling the story of the Golden Venture from different perspectives.  After being rescued, all of the passengers (with the exception of the very few who were able to escape) were taken into federal custody.  They were kept in York County Prison for many years awaiting political asylum.  During this time, all of the immigrants were offered the choice of getting deported or staying in prison and await an uncertain future.  Of those who chose deportation, some chose to be deported to South America while most were sent back to China.  While the U.S. government promised these deportees that they would not be harmed in any way once they arrived in China, the Chinese government had something else entirely in store for them.

Another thing this movie did quite well was present its facts and events in a credible way.  We would first be told of the (presumably true) facts, for example, the fact that the U.S. government promised the deportees that they would come to no harm.  The movie then either proves or disproves these facts by having the Golden Venture passengers recount what happened to them.  Of the ~50 men who chose deportation, we are able to hear 2 of these men, Yan Li and Kaiqu Zheng, tell their story.  According to both men, despite the American governments assurance, after landing in China, they were detained in federal prison and punished before being allowed to go.  It is interesting to see the strikingly different environments all of the Golden Venture’s passengers have ended up in.  While some remained in prison for many years and are now working hard for their loved ones, others have chosen another path.  The two men who chose deportation ended up in very dissimilar situations.  While Yan Li managed to come back to America and now lives illegally in New York, Kaiqu  Zheng could be seen happily getting everything ready for his daughter’s wedding in China.  Yan Li, on the other hand, confesses that he has lost his family.

Though the movie was informative overall, it was clearly bias and did a very good job of making the immigrants seem like the victims who deserved to be saved.  Although they were victimized to an extent, the movie forgets to point out that these immigrants boarded the Golden Venture at their own risk and chose to enter a country illegally ready to face the consequences.  It’s likely that they never imagined they would have to deal with such a tragedy, but that does not mean they were not at fault.  Personally, I think the fact that these immigrants spent so much time in jail just shows that they should be entitled to remain in America.  Nevertheless, I felt that the movie exaggerated their time spent in prison by mentioning the paper sculptures they made, making it seem like that was all they were able to do during their time at York (I have trouble believing these people sat around making origami for over 3 years).  Nonetheless, I thought the movie was very informative and interesting and I was relieved when it came to a (mostly) satisfying end (especially considering the other movie we had to watch, Sentenced Home).

Sentenced Home

Sentenced Home is a documentary about the plight of three Cambodian Americans who were granted refuge in the United States during the 1980’s. Growing up in Seattle, the three of them made rash decisions that led them into trouble. The US government perceived these actions as a danger to the country and began using these petty actions as an excuse to deport Cambodian Americans. Loeun Lun, a victim of this act, was sent back for firing a gun in self-defense. Not only was he jailed for his actions, but also as soon as he was released his marching orders had arrived. As if suffering in prison was not enough, he now has to bear separation from his wife and kids. I don’t understand how the United States can be cruel and impassionate sometimes. The US doesn’t realize the impact deportation will have on the lives of the people. Kim Ho Ma is a perfect example of this idea. After being deported, Kim has had a hard time adjusting to life in Cambodia. After having spent majority of his life in the United States, it was difficult for him and his family to relocate to a country in which he does not understand the society’s ideals. That is the reason why he vents out his frustration against the United States for first accepting him and then throwing him away like trash.

Perhaps, Many Uch’s scenario is the worst of them all. Many Uch has a wife and kid but he does not when he will be deported or whether he will be deported at all. So he must live his whole life precariously hoping for the best and praying that he does not get separated from his family. The United States might justify this as a mean of protecting the nation but in reality they are destroying people’s livelihoods.

Golden Venture

Golden Venture was a ship carrying illegal Chinese Immigrants from the province of Fujian to the coast of Queens. Ah Kay, a dangerous Chinese criminal, and his partner Sister Ping, were in charge of this operation. Both these snakeheads charged exorbitant fees for the illegal passage to America while also keeping people on the ship in unhygienic conditions. Their plan was foiled as there was a struggle on the ship between the leaders and in the meantime the ship ran aground. With freedom in sight, some immigrants jumped off the boat and into the cold icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately 10 of them died because of the freezing waters while the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INF) took the remaining people on the ship into custody.

About half the people were deported back to China in two years while others chose to fight their cases in prison. I personally believe the US made a huge mistake in sending the illegal immigrants back to China knowing fully well that the Chinese government would crack the whip on these defenseless people. Yan Li, one of the deported, was subject to much abuse on his return to China. He was beaten, fined and forced into sterilization. By keeping the remaining immigrants in prison, the INS separated them from their respective families for about 4 years until President Bill Clinton released all the remaining Chinese immigrants.

Even after being released, the US government is still deporting these Chinese immigrants due to security reasons. I am not able to fathom this fact because these people now have families, a livelihood and a taste of freedom for which they yearned. Instead of deporting illegal immigrants, the government should do a better job protecting the borders in the future. I am not saying that all the people seeking asylum should be allowed in the US but that those who are already here deserve a piece of the American dream.