After committing a crime in the United States, how much must one be punished before the crime is forgiven? Apparently for illegal immigrants, paying for coming to this country never ends.

The Chinese passengers on the ‘Golden Venture’ voyage learned this lesson the hard way. They risked their lives on land and then at sea, all for the chance of a better life in America. But after leaving everything behind and coming to a new country with only a bag of their possessions, these Chinese men and women discovered that this country did not offer better opportunities right off the bat.

Although they were saved from catastrophe, the passengers were welcomed with practically welcomed with prison. While in jail, they experienced the threat of conviction and deportation, rather than the hope of asylum. After nearly four years of incarceration, during which many men and women were deported, President Clinton issued a bill that allowed the Chinese immigrants to go free.

But this bill did not take away their title of ‘illegal’ immigrant. The passengers still received threats of deportation for several years after being set free. They had to go all the way to Congress just to fight for their right to stay in this country. Thus, the question arises: how much did the Chinese Americans need to be punished before they are forgiven for their mistakes? They risked their lives, and then spent approximately four years in jail – that is more time than some convicted felons have to pay for their crimes. These immigrants should have not been deemed ‘illegal’ after being set free from jail, because they have already paid for their crimes.

Something else to be noted from the lessons learned by the passengers of the ‘Golden Venture’ is the value of coming to America. For these immigrants, their lives in the United States have a standard of living that is considered by many Americans to be too poor. One ‘Golden Venture’ survivor worked an extraordinary amount of hours for six days a week as a delivery man, while another man worked as a chef at a Chinese Restaurant with the dream that he would one day at the same level as a normal US citizen. Clearly, these immigrants find something valuable about this country.

At the same time, I want to stress how much support the immigrants received, while they were in jail and when they were set free. Although they also faced much opposition, many American men and women gathered together with their guitars and their voices, and their posters in order to show the Chinese that their dreams are welcomed. Some citizens went all the way to Congress to help these immigrants remove their fear of deportation.

These citizens showed the values that are instilled in some Americans. Their work and support give a valid reason for why the Chinese felt that a life in the United States was worth it, even if they have to work so much harder and go through so much more than any other immigrant would.