Pursuing A Career In Immigration Advocacy

The reality that immigration policies and registration requirements create for undocumented students is a grim one; despite their scholarly capability, thousands upon thousands of undocumented students who have completed high school do not continue on with their education because of the lack of legal paperwork (DREAM Act). This has been the story line for countless undocumented valedictorians, like Grecia Cantu, who’s dream of going to Baylor University to become a teacher was plucked by a simple mandate of Congress (Smith). Despite having a presidential scholarship to Baylor University, Grecia’s future is hampered by her illegal status in the country and the inactivity of the DREAM Act in congress, which is due largely to its brisk opponents. Critics of the legislation falsely advocate that it grants preferential treatment to undocumented students (Malkin 1). In reality, the DREAM Act only grants qualifying individuals with a temporary residency, a driver’s license, and a work permit (Giving the Fact). This allows the students who meet the criteria the same tuition rates as natural-born citizens and a legal way to work and drive in the country. Another resounding critic among the opponents of the bill includes the common misconception that the DREAM Act will provide amnesty and forgive the federal offense immigrants committed when they entered the country illegally (Smith). In truth, only immigrants who entered the country during their youth, before age 16, are eligible for the benefits of the legislation. Once they apply, they will have to fulfill the requirements of completing a 2-year college or serve a 2-year term in the armed forces to finally receive resident status, not citizenship, after 6 years of proved residency (Creating Opportunities). If Congress allowed this legislation to

Through interviewing my roommate Linda Wang, I have gotten the opportunity of hearing a first-hand account of what it is like being a young immigrant living in the United States. At the age of eight, Linda, along with her father, mother, and aunt, emigrated to America. Linda’s family currently resides in Bayside, Queens and she is a student-athlete on the St. John’s women’s golf team. Linda was kind enough to share her immigration story with me so that I may use it as a manifestation of what life as an immigrant, and the immigration process itself, entails.

Immigration is the bedrock on which the United States was founded, yet in most political conversations today it is regarded as a negative topic and for that reason discussing this topic is important. In the US the struggle to be an immigrant is harder than ever. Immigrants are expected to work hard for jobs that they are over qualified for because of a stereotype cast on the

Where do you see yourself in the future? For me this question comes with a simple answer. In the future, I will be an immigration lawyer. I plan on attending Colorado State University to major in Political science. Afterwards I will be expanding my knowledge about legal practices at Sturm College of Law in Denver. Becoming an Immigration lawyer has been a dream of mine since I was in the seventh grade and had my first encounter with an immigration lawyer. She was strong and caring, exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. Also, the way she was able to offer so much help to people who were in need really inspired me to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer.

Over the years, the rates of immigration in the United States has fluctuated. As time progresses, the change in migration to America is undeniable. Between now and 1990, there have been various events, political conflicts, and new legislatures which have each had their own major impact on the flow of immigrants into the country. The Immigration Act of 1990 kick started a notable shift in this flow. Today, in the present, with struggles against programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeking people out, America is forced to see the unsettling turn which immigration has taken. The 1990 Immigration Act fueled skilled immigrants in their migration to America, causing an increase in visa distribution. Whereas, now, America’s

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” That statement holds strong for immigrants in America. Equal access to opportunities allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America’s success because of the contributions immigrants provide to America. Unfortunately, the current immigration policy in America denies many immigrants the American dream. It is crucial to understand the historical context of immigration in America. Initially, most immigrants were from Europe and were not restricted by any immigration laws. Now, most immigrants come from Latin America but are restricted to severe immigration laws. The Latino/a community is one of the most

I am a daughter of Mexican immigrants and was raised in California’s rural and underserved Central Valley. As a child, I was exposed to the daily challenges immigrant communities face in California exemplified by the experiences of my own family. Residents of Arvin, CA, my hometown, are primarily Latino immigrants, low-income, employed in agricultural labor, and lack access to educational opportunities. In my community, access to fair housing, healthcare, employment, and living wages are limited and social service resources are scarce. When I moved to Berkeley, CA to pursue my bachelor’s degree, I was motivated to serve Latino communities in the Bay Area facing similar social and political obstacles as my hometown as I recognized the need for social and policy improvements.

Since the inception of this country, we as a nation of immigrants have struggled with the question of who should be a citizen and who should not. It is no surprise that illegal immigration greatly affects our nation and is now one of the leading debates our country faces, polarizing our society on many levels. This paper addresses the debate over the ‘Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act’, (DREAM Act 2011, 2011); a proposal purported to be the solution for innocent victims of illegal immigration. It discusses possible consequences of ‘The DREAM Act’ and how it may play a negative role in our society, legal system, and moral standards.

On November 20, 2014, Former President of United States of America, Barack Obama gave a speech on immigration at the White House. This topic concerned ample families in the United States of America, as a lot of them are not legally residing in the states and the other families who are citizens and documented are threatened by the increasing number of illegal immigrants because they might become their competition in employment, education and business opportunities. Barack Obama Addressed these concerns in a unique perception that enlightened the audience and gave examples and ideas that led them to view this problem under a different light that isn’t necessarily negative. The president’s connection with the audience was not only logical and

As the daughter of an immigrant, I have witnessed the various barriers faced by immigrants, and this experience has motivated me toward my career objective. According to the Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends Project, there were about 11.3 million immigrants living illegally in the United States in 2013 (Passel et al., 2014). These immigrants come from all parts of the world for several different reasons. Whether to provide better resources for their family back home or to live a better life, these immigrants usually work in environments that can be harmful and dangerous to their health.

Last week, I was given the opportunity to speak in front of 450 lawyers from all over the country. As horrifying as it sounds, I was not a tad bit nervous. After completing my speech I was able to speak to a couple lawyers, each talking to me a little about the particular law they study. I then shared my passion on becoming an Immigration Lawyer, one of the lawyers smilled and said, " that is such an honorable law." All I can say is, yes, yes it is.... I am going to be an amazing lawyer!

This research paper explores the political issue of Immigration in the present day (2016) United States. The paper is meant to give an understanding of the issue, the importance of immigration reform, as well as a thorough analysis of the role the three branches of The United States Government: Judicial, Legislative, and Executive; and their role in the matter. By using several different peer reviewed journals, and articles the paper will give a well analysed view on the situation of reform currently in America by touching on the case of DAPA and DACA plans proposed by President Obama. The essay will also cover the positions of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump to show a future America could be heading towards.

Illegal immigration is a “hot” topic in our country. There is controversy between the state and federal governments over who has authority, and our elected officials in Washington are addressing the issue, with limited success. The majority of us have some opinion on the subject, and our opinions tend to be based on how the issue will impact us. We question if illegal immigration is good for us. What are the costs to us? Is it in the best interest of our country? As nearly twelve million people have secretly slipped across the border to invade our space, our concerns have increased. While our concerns are important, we should not limit ourselves to a one-sided view. Only by understanding both sides of the issue, will we be inspired

Immigration is currently a hot topic within in the United States government. Currently the United States Congress is fighting to decide the fate of the Dreamers, and the Immigration bill DACA. Like many controversial issues within the government, the Democrats and Republicans are in a disagreement on what to do. Each article, examines a different take on the current immigration reform. Bier’s main argument is that individuals who are contributing to immigration reform are ignorant, that Immigrants are not hurting the American Labor market. The next article, I examined, was written by Eric Cantor; Cantor states that although the parties each have a high stake on the decision Congress makes on DACA, there must be a decision otherwise, the law will remain status quo. Next, we look at Gessen’s article, the main argument is that immigrants should not be looked at valuable or illegal, they should not have to be talented in order to be welcome within the United States. Lastly, Vargas, an undocumented Immigrant, discusses the difficulties of being illegal within the United States, yet still shines light on the positive influences he had throughout his childhood and time in America.

I define myself as a curious researcher and reflective practitioner who perceives legal education as a combination of passion and practicality. Whereas my idealistic side wants to thoroughly understand the development of global legal ethics, my pragmatic side asks what actions should be taken by lawyers to solve international legal problems. Hence, Penn Law’s core strengths in providing a remarkably interdisciplinary learning experience and the program of Legal Practice Skills will be the bridge to my academic and professional aspirations.