What’s significant about the Golden Venture is that it shows a close and intimate look into the lives of several ‘illegal’ immigrants from China. The previous week when we had a mini debate about whether undocumented immigrants should be given identification cards, we also touched upon the topic of morality and whether these immigrants should even be able to stay in America. I argued vehemently against these identification cards; my main point was that giving undocumented immigrants ID cards would be unfair towards the immigrants who came here legally and would set a negative precedent for more immigrants to come illegally and undermine federal laws. However, after watching the Golden Venture and seeing the brutal tribulations that these undocumented immigrants had to endure, I realized how cruel and morally unjust simply deporting these immigrants would be.

For many of these immigrants, the hardships never end. They were willing to gamble everything they had; thousands of dollars, their familial ties back at home, their health and sanity aboard the Golden Venture, even their lives for a tiny chance that they could make it to America. And even then just landing in America isn’t going to guarantee them a better life. These immigrants were then jailed for several years, and after they were released, they had to start from scratch in a new country without any knowledge of the language or special skills. It was so heartbreaking to see how far these immigrants have come, through the voyage and legal battles and still struggle with working lower-than-minimum-wage jobs attempting to make ends meet. What one of the immigrants said really stood out to me: life is short, only the rich say that. It’s amazing because I can’t imagine having to endure all those years, with the constant troubling thoughts about not really having a home to belong to, not wanted in China nor America. These immigrants have devoted their entire lives for this little beacon of hope for a better life, not for themselves, but hopefully for their children. I’m amazed by the desperation and dedication of these immigrants and watching the Golden Venture really illustrated their strength and perseverance. Watching their stories and journeys as individual people makes the cold thought of deportation simply deplorable. And what’s even more appalling is that the federal government is still attempting to deport them even after they have settled in America for decades. I would say that even if these immigrants came to America illegally, if they have served the country through their jobs (and thus efficiently contributing to the economy) for a certain amount of years, they should be granted citizenship. It feels impossible to deny their determination, and the Golden Venture has certainly helped to put a human face onto the undocumented immigrant issue.