As we talked about immigration and the unjust laws that it puts on some minorities and other cultures that are outside the United States, I figured it would be a great topic to discuss since it relates to the Interpreter of Maladies written by Jhumpa Lahiri and The Leavers written by Lisa Ko.
Very recently, President Biden signed the US Citizenship Act of 2021 that will “responsibly manage and secure our border, keep our families and communities safe, and better manage migration across the Hemisphere.” Previously, families had been torn apart at the border and were being denied access to the United States. Former President Trump was threatening the rights of immigrants and refugees last year and signed an executive order that would “undermine human rights, including the expanded use of detention, limits on access to asylum, enhanced enforcement along the US-Mexico border, and the construction of a 2,000-mile border wall.”
The impact of Trump’s actions deliberately tore families apart; discriminated against those trying to immigrate to America, some specifically from Mexico; undocumented immigrants being tortured as they were sent to new detention centers; and more unjust results due to the systemic discrimination against immigrants.
Within Lahiri’s short stories, there are many migrants from South Asian areas that feel displaced or unwelcome in the United States. Boori Ma faces accusations from the residents in her building, Mr. P tries to find comfort within another home, as he is separated from his own family, and many other characters face this feeling of displacement. Within the modules, we also learned that Indians often wait the longest time to get green cards, which is over 8 years. America needs to improve the process of migrating and becoming a citizen in The United States, so that migrants, immigrants, refugees, and any other travelers can find a home here.
Additionally, in Ko’s novel, Deming has been adopted within a white family and has been separated from his mother as she was subject to deportation. However, Deming does not know that she was deported and sometimes believes that his mother left him high and dry. Because of this forceful separation of family, Deming becomes Daniel and is forced by the nature of his community and adoptive family to lose touch with his culture, traditions, and family, and essentially become white. Trump’s actions deliberately tore families apart, which is similar to Deming’s situation. It is unjust that this discrimination against any community that is not white is even allowed. It is disgusting and inhumane.
In order for this wrong to be righted, President Biden must follow through with the promises of the US Citizenship Act of 2021. Hopefully, families will be kept together, earning citizenship for undocumented immigrants will be more attainable, diversity will be embraced in the US, immigration and refugee integration and citizenship will be promoted, and workers will be protected from exploitation.
https://cmsny.org/trumps-executive-orders-immigration-refugees/
There is a lot of systematic racism when it comes in illegal immigrants. A lot of people assume the worst about them and have a prejudged idea. However, at the end of the day, they are just people and want to create a new life here in the US. Hopefully Biden will be able to create a better system and way to go about immigrants on the borders instead of separating them from their families.