In class, we discussed how today’s immigrants differed significantly from old immigrants who came mainly from eastern Europe and Italy in the early 1900s. But what was an interesting topic regarding a small minority of today’s immigrants is that they will do anything to get a green card for the United States. Some are so desperate that they resort to conducting marriage fraud. This topic was particularly interesting because I have heard stories about this fake marriage arrangement between people in China, usually women, and American men. There was even a news scandal a few years back when a Chinese father and daughter ran a business in California arranging these marriages and charging exorbitant amounts of money on the Chinese and promising to pay a fee to the American. It’s fascinating to see how people are able to turn anything into a business and take advantage of people’s complex situations. I see how these businesses can benefit both parties in a marriage, with one person getting the green card he/she wants and the other person getting paid. But, understanding how the whole process works and from the discussion in class, these supposedly married couples have to go through rigorous investigation and interviews to prove that their marriage is legitimate. But is it really worth it on the part of the American to go through with all this just to get some money that could be attained through other means? It especially wouldn’t be worth it if they’re caught by the government. The consequences seem to weigh much heavier than the gains the American would have achieved if they are able to successfully prove their marriage. In some instances, the marriage between an American man and Chinese women is legitimate and so the American would try to sponsor the wife into getting a green card. However, others might question the women’s true intentions in marrying the American. Nevertheless, marriage fraud still happens today with people trying to enter the US from various countries around the world.
Something else we mentioned in class with regards to today’s immigrants in comparison to old immigrants is that today’s immigrants are more educated and wealthy than their counterparts a hundred years ago. This can be attributed to a phenomenon called the “brain drain” which was mentioned in Foner’s From Ellis Island to JFK: New York’s Two Great Waves of Immigration. There are people in other countries, usually in countries that are not as democratic or well off as our nation, who have college degrees or are skilled in some way, but don’t have jobs that match their intellect. Whether their countries lack these opportunities or whether it’s due to their political or economic structure, they aren’t able to thrive there so they come to the United States knowing they’d be able to find the jobs that fit their education and skills. I know that some people welcome these kinds of immigrants while some are hostile to them, and for understandable reasons. Some appreciate the work they do and the contributions they make to our nation. Others believe that they are taking away the potential jobs from native born Americans. Either way, I find it fascinating how no matter what country they come from they all face this similar situation and most of them come to America looking for these opportunities. It just further supports how America is a land of opportunities and freedom.
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