Personalize Immigration

Have you ever really thought hard about immigration? Do you ever turn the TV off and just think about it? Well, I think that might be a really good way for the country to come together on this. Will we be able to solve every problem? No, but because the problem is not completely solvable doesn't mean that steps shouldn't be taken for its resolution. Constant dialogue between citizens is an important way that we can all come to solutions that we can all live with. I encourage anyone who reads this to respond whether or not they agree or disagree. I also think that anyone who reads this and has a blog of their own should tell their story of immigration and how they feel about it. Let me also just say that although this written medium makes opinion seem final, my opinion on this is only beginning to form and I think it's important to acknowledge that. So, having said that, here goes...
First let me say, I'm not exactly sure how my family got here. (Also, if I'm incorrect in the details, someone from my family please steer me correctly). I'm more certain about my father's family than my mother's. His family arrived from Germany (Baden-Baden) sometime during the 19th century. I remember reading about them in a book with my father's family tree outlined. And that's about it. I can surmise they had an arduous journey on a boat, but from where they sailed or where they came to, I am at a loss. It's kind of sad how little I know about this and if you think about your own family's journey to this country, I hope that you know more about it than I do. I think that lack of knowledge of our own families' journeys may be part of the problem. We have become so far removed from immigration that it all seems seperate from us. (I, of course, seem to be addressing this to white European-Americans, not because I mean to exclude, but because that's what I am). We need to make it personal by reclaiming our own family's stories of immigration and sharing them. America is immigration: forced, legal, or otherwise.
I live in New York City and have worked with and met people of varying immigration status. I also live in a highly Hispanic and Latino neighborhood, Jackson Heights, Queens. I have no way of knowing someone's status, nor do I think it's any of my business as a fellow employee or as a neighbor. I put trust in the companies I have worked for that they are doing what they are supposed to. What I can tell you is that the people (most of the immigrants I have encountered at work are men) I have known are hard working individuals. Some send their money home to their familes in Africa, South America, Latin America, the Middle East. And others have begun starting their families here. The one thing that impresses me most, though, is the love they have for this country. This is the place of their dreams, not because it has to be because of birthright, but because of choice. That is huge. They want to share their cultures as much as they want to be influenced by the positive aspects of our own, primarily the idea of freedom.
I know much of the debate centers around illegal immigrants from Mexico, Latin and South America, but I think it's important to focus on what you personally know of immigration rather than feeding off a 30- second sound bite on CNN or Fox News. First and foremost I think that border security must come before any comprehensive legislation should be passed. Why? Because attempting to fix all the problems with one bill the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, and all at once (regardless of time tables for the implementation of different parts) sends money in too many directions. With the amount of time required to accomplish the goal of securing the border we can begin real dialogue about the important future steps. I don't mean to discount the hard work of the many senators involved here, but it's important that we get this right and that a bill is passed that is easy to implement and directly solves the problems we face. In some parts of the country we are at crisis level with this issue. Individuals are taking matters into their own hands. We cannot answer this with short-sighted or bogged down legislation. Slow, but steady wins the race. This cannot be fixed with one bill, or in one moment, but we, the people, can start to talk about it too, and I'm sure we'll come to a place where we can all live with the results. Tell your story. Maybe then we won't be so fearful of those around us because we'll see how truly America is and always has been immigration.