Professor Prabal De, CCNY 2014
Immigration Stories
How Much Is Enough
010 years
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.
A Bleak Venture
010 years
My primary reaction to the documentary Golden Venture was disgust and shame. This country was founded by immigrants, yet we treat some of our immigrants as though they’re scum. The story this film told absolutely horrified me. Immigrants so desperate to escape their home country that they spent $30,000 and suffered through a year-long boat ride in order to get here were treated like convicts. Half were deported immediately. The other half, after four years in prison, were given parole. Not amnesty, not citizenship – parole. 220 of the Golden Venture passengers live in the US. Most of them are trapped in limbo, technically “legal” but still subject to sudden deportation. These people live with the constant fear of deportation, and for what purpose?! Who are these laws protecting? Of the more than 110 passengers who were deported, about 60 have returned to the US illegally. Although they were beaten, jailed, and in some cases forcibly sterilized after they were sent back to China, they have no chance of asylum here in the US. This system is so flawed and outdated yet remains unchanged. I don’t know how we can fix things for undocumented immigrants, but we must do something. Regardless of what some members of congress claim, were all immigrants once.
Golden Venture
010 years
I feel that the Golden Venture brought a lot of insight about how much people want to immigrate to America and how difficult it is to become an American citizen. It really makes me grateful being born a US citizen for not having to go through the troubles that all the people in the Golden Venture had to go through. I especially felt bad for those who have attempted to come to US more than once and failed. They would have had to go through the tough times on multiple occasions, but it really shows how great it must be to be an American citizen. I have not been a citizen of any other country, so it’s a little difficult to fully understand why they all try so hard to come to America. This movie, however, shows how much people would like to be in the same place that I am in today. The movie also showed how hospitable some Americans can really be. I was really surprised to the fact that a family let random strangers into their house when the immigrants just arrived in America. There were also those protestors and the people that assisted all of the passengers of the Golden Ventures throughout all of their struggles. I feel like these people are great role models, and I one day hope that if I’m in the same situation that I would have the courage to do the same thing.
American worldwide image
010 years
We watched the documentary “Golden Venture” last class and we focus on immigration in class. So it is obvious that this review needs to be about immigration. However, I will take slightly different approach. I want to examine why people want to go in USA even illegally, what attracts those people.
First of all the documentary that we saw, showed that life of an illegal immigrant in the United States is not easy. Moreover, as a first generation immigrant I can add that even legal status does not make life easier in the America. I can start with taxes and finish with paid health insurance. So we need to understand that life of an illegal immigrant is difficult because of absence of documents and, therefore, person does not exist in the eyes of the government. However, life of legal immigrant or citizen is not easy too. We face the problem of common belief that life in the United States is good. Actually, the government itself propagandizes such idea around the world. Moreover, Americans are brainwashed with idea that everything is OK, even if it is not.
From this, I argue that problem of illegal immigration is the result of arrogance of the United States. America is the only superpower. It needs to maintain image that everything perfect in the USA. So the opposite side of it is illegal immigration. People all around the world see American propaganda and think that their they will be better in the United States, so they cross the board illegally. If you display yourself as a best place to live, “the land of freedom and opportunity,” you need to face the consequences-immigration.
Moreover, in the documentary we saw the ambiguity of legal status of people from “Golden Venture.” We saw how politicians fervently spoke about illegal immigration. Here I am not speaking about pro or against illegal immigration. I speak about morality. Every American (except native Indians) is a descendant of immigrants. So I do not see how it can be fair that immigrants deny other immigrants the same opportunities. Even if you ancestors immigrated a century ago you still an immigrant.
The problem with illegal immigration is the problem with the way the United States advertises itself. So if USA wants to stop illegal immigration it needs to start with telling the world truth about itself.
The Volden Genture
010 years
How much does it really cost to get to America for a better life? Surprisingly, a lot. The Golden Venture followed four Chinese men and their attempts to reach America as undocumented immigrants. Illegal passage to America cost each passenger the equivalent of 40,000 USD, approximately the cost of an Ivy League education. They were held in inhuman conditions, and guaranteed neither survival nor residence in America. Friends and family contributed their savings or the passengers went into heavy debt in order to pay the bill. Ironic and sad for men who need the money so much.
The documentary forces the watchers to reconsider their positions on undocumented immigrants. Should we really turn away people who have put so much effort into reaching America? The documentary takes a very sympathetic stance on immigration, legal or not. I would find it useful for the video to have explained more about the funding and measures the men took to pay for their passage to America. The video never elaborates on the men repaying their debt. I’d like to have seen more about that.
The Golden Venture
010 years
Many immigrants come to the United States for a “better life”. Many come at high cost- financially and emotionally. The story of four Golden Venture survivors proved that many people would do anything possible for this seemingly better life. The passengers on the Golden Venture endured unimaginable pains just to come to the US; however, was it really worth it?
The documentary follows Yan Li, Arming He, Gullin Chen, and Kaiqu Zheng and their experiences during and after the Golden Venture. They all spent approximately $40,000 in an attempt to illegally enter the United States. Their travelling conditions were appalling. Approximately 300 people were cramped into the ship with everyone living merely inches away from each other. Along the way, the ship endured a hurricane, girls were raped, and the passengers feared the possibility of their imminent death. However, when they finally arrived to the United States, they were captured by the government (some fled) and detained in a federal prison for four years. For four years, they were imprisoned in a state of void- no one knew what the next hour held for them or when they were to be freed.
The immigrants paid a massive sum of money just to live in captivity in the end. Many were deported, some had an opportunity to stay, and few died along the way. What if they had put that money towards coming legally? They wouldn’t have to fear death. Leaving home for them meant a clean slate- they would leave families, homes, and government oppressions behind. They knew that imprisonment or death were very likely. Yet they risked everything just for freedom. I understand the government trying to make an example of the undocumented immigrants- no government would want to succumb to the pressure of just letting them stay legally; but four years in prison as punishment is a bit much. The US clearly made its point with the imprisonment; perhaps they should have just sent them back to China as soon as possible. They had suffered enough along the way; this just made them endure their fears all over again.
Anyone trying to immigrate to another country is bound to face difficulty, whether it is legal or not. Coming to another country without proper documents subjects the immigrant to a life of fear in the country they chose as a refuge- what if they were caught? What would the punishments be? I’m extremely grateful that I can live here freely and without worry, especially after watching this documentary. We definitely take our freedom for granted and should be thankful for the many opportunities we experience.
The Tale of the Golden Venture
010 years
It’s shocking what some people will do to try to get to the United States, and the documentary Golden Venture is a testament to that. Sometimes, it’s not about getting a better life in terms of money; rather, it’s getting a better life in terms of “freedom.” The film features the story of a four immigrants who were illegally smuggled from China in 1993 by way of cargo ship filled with hundreds of other illegal immigrants. The individuals each paid grand sums of money on the lucky chance that they would arrive on the shores of America, with nothing but bare necessities to start anew. Yet, what made these people willingly endure the hardships of the arduous journey, knowing there were more hardships to come once they landed in America? It was freedom. Most of these individuals had political issues with their home country (China) and were willing to sacrifice much for a seemingly meaningless journey–to them, this journey meant escaping the cruel laws imposed upon them, whether it be the limit on children or some other form of persecution. They all certainly had enough money to actually pay the “snakeheads” to smuggle them, so they didn’t really have economic reasons for leaving China. And yet, like any other immigrant, they saw a lower opportunity cost of coming here than staying in their home country, and they saw that the long-term benefits would overcome any short-term struggles.
Of course, as is the case with most illegal activities, there’s a chance of getting caught, and the Golden Venture had some rotten luck. The passengers aboard the ship were taken into custody upon arrival just south of New York and were arrested. They stayed in jail for years, though some escaped and some wished to be deported. Some of them finally got paroled in 1997, and even then, the 53 individuals let out on parole remained “illegal” immigrants. This meant that the state didn’t recognize them as legitimate people living in the U.S., and they didn’t receive any of the benefits of the government. This brings up the vehement stance of the American government against illegal immigration–is all this really necessary? This is a legitimately controversial issue, because the method by which illegal immigrants come here is definitely unacceptable, and it’s unfair for those who get real documents and get by the embassy. However, illegal immigrants are still humans and shouldn’t be treated badly, since many of them seek refuge or aid. Now that the number of illegal immigrants in this country have become significant, we need to devise a plan to deal with them, because they are a part of this country as is anybody else.
A Flickering Light at the End of the Tunnel
010 years
A Crime: an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law.
Illegal Immigration: refers to the migration of people across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country.
Hence, for all intents and purposes of this discussion, a person crossing the borders of the United States while in violation of the laws of immigration of the United States is termed an ‘illegal immigrant’ and is effectively, by definition, a criminal in the eyes of the law.
A trek made across the mainland of China. A voyage across the oceans crammed within an inch of another’s body. The chances of survival itself are in question and yet two hundred and eighty six people made the journey – and many counted these few hundred as lucky. Is life really that horrific in China? So unbearable that familial ties (a significant one among innumerable others) must be broken in order to reach out to grasp at a chance of a better life? Apparently so.
The search of a better life has been a revolving theme in the foundational incentive and drive for immigration. And here there is a diversion in the documentary where the inattentive audience member’s interest often peaks for the rest of the film – these women, children and men who were crammed within an inch of each other on a rusted vessel that had no business on an ocean all recognized something that could never have come across through a spreadsheet, a data table, a graph or perhaps even entire dissertations on the subject of illegal immigration and I might go as far to say, even a case study into the life of an illegal immigrant. They realized that in order to complete living a life that had a meaning that reached up to their standards they deserved better than what they had. And they were willing to go to extreme lengths to get what they wanted, in the face of death itself, they leaped into death’s jaws and pushed their limits of survival. A few failed but none of them can say they didn’t take the leap into an abyss not knowing whether there was a light at the end of the tunnel. When the mainstream media caught hold of political representatives there was a recurring theme in newscasts – reminding the people of the United States how many took the liberties and freedom afforded to them for granted while halfway across the world people would do quite literally anything to work their entire lives to achieve a quarter of what they had by virtue of birth.
However that was the lesson to be learnt for the individual, not an entity like political organizations. There was quite a significant message that pierced the heart of the organization and operation of the bureaucratic system here in the United States. The dangers of autonomy when knowledge on how to deal with dilemmas specific to departments was scarce in that very department. It’s quite amusing to say the least. We have a utilitarian view in getting things done when it comes to transparent political actions taken by government agencies and it’s clear from the documentary that this is the case. While one side can more than easily argue that the detainment of the survivors was the right thing to do to send the right message to potential illegal immigrants another can argue that it is simply not the right way for a superpower such as ourselves to treat other human beings in that manner and that they deserve to be freed and receive protection. What the latter puts aside is that this only encourages more illegal activities to take place and is an added incentive where none else is required. It is not until these proponents are aware of how they can be affected – and in some cases affected themselves – that they come to see that. However rarely do they get to see it which perhaps in itself is a good thing for them but it doesn’t take away from the fact that someone will most definitely be affected by the presence of illegal activities and in consequence, the whole.
Therefore while spending taxpayer money to imprison/ deport the passengers of the “Golden Venture” and spending lengthy court sessions lobbying back and forth may constitute the democratic process of dealing with this issue it can be agreed on by all conflicting sides that this is certainly not the most effective methodology to find a solution to the problem. Therefore it is clear that while the documentary delves deeply into the personal lives of the passengers of the “Golden Venture” the documentary itself most importantly showcases the flaws and confusions lying in the bureaucratic functioning of federal agencies and independent government organizations.
The “Not So Golden” Venture
010 years
The Golden Venture documentary was a riveting story due to the fact that it explored the controversial topic of immigration in a novel way. Although, we are given only brief glimpses into the actual sides of the savage, yet bloodless battles of immigration reform and lobbying, the topic was explored through the detailed recounting of the stories of the passengers on the Golden Venture. One cannot be emotionless when listening to the horrible atrocities that occurred relating to the Golden Venture—and this is where the documentary succeeds. The viewer, instead of being bombarded with the idea that one side in the matter is correct, is left with ability to make a choice on how they believe we should proceed in these very delicate and sensitive matters.
One of the most appalling discoveries that occurred to me, while watching this documentary, is the fickle manner in which the U.S. handles undocumented immigrants. When the U.S. Government found out about the passengers on the Golden Venture, they were sentenced to prison until their fate would be decided for them. It was here that they lived their lives in purgatory—a state of limbo—where they lived each waking moment in oblivion as to what their fate would be- they had no control over their fate and no idea when their fate was going to be decided. In so many respects, I find this treatment to be inhumane. Human beings desire a feeling of belonging, and when thrust into this type of situation it destroys a person’s a person’s moral and livelihood. Regardless of the government’s decision on granting legal status to these undocumented immigrants, the immigrants involved should not have to be placed in this unfortunate situation. If I was involved in this situation, as either a victim or as a representative of the government, I would wish for the quickest resolution as to the matter of being able to achieve immigration status. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads as follows, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation…” Given the aforementioned law, I would hope that as a nation, we would want to extend the same rationale and equality to all people, and abide by a principle foundation of the U.S. Constitution.
It is surprising to me that the same type of controversy still exists surrounding the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. As the passengers on the Golden Venture were subject to discrimination and criminal penalties, immigrants and the matter of immigration are presently still subject to increasing hostility and controversy in today’s culture. It seems to me that the U.S. should remember the principals on which it was founded and treat each human being with the same amount of decency and fairness, regardless of their immigration status, especially since we are truly a nation of immigrants.
Golden Venture Thoughts/Reviews
010 years
by yejoonseo
in Immigration Stories
The documentary successfully described the Golden Venture story with details that further augmented the reality of immigration into the United States. As the story is interwoven with personal accounts from four Chinese immigrants that survived on the Golden Venture, (Gullin Chen, Yan Li, Arming He, Kaiqu Zheng) the desire to immigrate to New York is easily understandable. However, the documentary also reveals the backlash people had against immigrants and how unforgiving immigrant laws can be in the United States. More than half of the immigrants who came aboard the Golden Venture was deported back to China, where they possibly were persecuted for illegally escaping. In the case of Yan Li, he was deported back to China and then faced forced sterilization. The risk of illegal immigration is extreme but the fact that some take the risk regardless is astounding. The addition of all the real clips directly from the incident as well as news reports about it made the documentary much more legitimate. Overall, the documentary sheds light on this Golden Venture incident and the desperation immigrants have that makes them disregard even sterilization for freedom in the States.
