Why do so many undocumented immigrants come to the US?

By Luis Bravo

In one way or another, I want to respond – from my point of view – to a Letter to the Editor that was sent by our colleague Sal Giarratani last month, in which he asked us to inform the English-speaking public on the problem of undocumented immigration from Latin America to the US.

This is my point of view:

The United States seems blind, or at least it wants to play blind, to the migratory waves from the various countries of the world, but above all, from those countries where it has actively interfered.

With its ambitious philosophy of taking over the world and being king, master, and lord of the planet, using its extreme capitalist ideology, neoliberal system, and geopolitical strategies, the US pretends that nobody is at all interested in lifting a finger in the face of such a savage and grave mishap.

It names itself “the most compassionate country,” “the cradle of democracy,” “a country of laws,” and many other phrases that self-qualify it as the best country in the world. And although none of that is true, we all believe it anyway.

Latin America, with its conglomeration of countries from Central America, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, continues to be the main source of immigrants that cross the border without documents. And we Latinos cross the border, not to show society that we are making light of the US border, “the most powerful country in the world.” We cross the border out of mere necessity.

Ever since the first pilgrims arrived in these lands that weren’t theirs, and in which nobody asked them for legal documents to stay here, a series of crimes against humanity have occurred, for example, those that occurred with the indigenous tribes or Native Americans.

Despite the fact that the Native Americans gave them food and showed them how to sow and reap their fields, the pilgrims began by taking over everything. They killed their buffalo, and then, they almost exterminated all of the Native American. Since then, the empire’s sharp claws began to take over everything that crossed their paths, and so as not seem to be vulgar criminals, they changed the names of negative-sounding adjectives.

Thus, it is that “In the Name of Democracy” they invaded our countries, imposed presidents, changed presidents, bribed our governments, etc. And with the famous “Free Trade Agreements” they displaced our peoples, sacked our food resources, contaminated our rivers, seas, and our air, and they didn’t even take responsibility for these actions. In the name of “Health Care for All,” they invent sicknesses and then they involve us with medicines that are manufactured by the billionaire pharmaceutical industry in a game of Russian roulette of life or death because he who has the money to pay “survives” and he who doesn’t “dies”. In the name of “A Quality Education,” they give us an education that limits the brain, and that is not up to par with the modernity of our days. They brainwash us and eliminate things such as “Critical Thinking,” “Objective Analysis,” “Vision of the Future,” and the “Concept of the Family.” And that is how, in the name of so many things, they have committed many atrocities in our “Latin American Continent.”

For this reason, not being able to find the tools and resources to sustain our families, we desperately flee from our countries, “just to feed our children.” When we arrive in this country, we find a new world, which we had never seen before, nor even dreamed of. But we arrive here with very scarce educations, which limits us and only allows us to work in construction or the service industries. Our salaries are ridiculous, and on top of everything, they exploit us for not speaking English. But even the same, we send our remittances back home to our children and wives who await anxiously and with hunger that little bit of money we can send.

The reason we arrive undocumented is derived from the United States’ system of immigration because when we apply for a visa, they don’t grant it to us because we are poor. But when a Latino has money, businesses, and power, to him they do grant a visa.

Many specialists have denounced the displacements and forced migrations, assassinations, and abuses of the US and European mandates against the Latin Americans. After 500 years, the Latin American people continue suffering physical, emotional, social, and spiritual genocide by the Europeans and the colonialist policies of the US.

Subject matter experts affirm that Latin Americans still have emotional and physical wounds that have been transmitted across generations, derived from a massive group trauma, a product of the genocidal and colonialist policies of the US and the Europeans.

The cycles of abuse continue to reproduce themselves in the 21st Century, with abuse both of those who are still in Latin America, as well as of those who are now living in the US. The migration problem suffered by Latin America cannot be understood by the average American.

It cannot be understood by someone who proclaims himself a “Patriot” and allows killing to occur for the benefit of a few. It cannot be understood by one who calls himself/herself a “Community Leader” and only works from 9 to 5. It cannot be understood by a politician who proclaims, “I also am the son of immigrants,” because his skin is white, and he comes from Europe. It cannot be understood by someone who “Provides Work and then Exploits the Worker.” It cannot be understood by one who “Abuses the Vulnerable.”

The problem of “Undocumented Migration” is very complex and so great is the problem that these pages of El Heraldo Latino newspaper aren’t adequate to illustrate, describe, and analyze this migration problem fully.

I hope to have informed our colleage Sal Giarratini in broad brush strokes and in proper form. In any case, I promise to continue informing the public about this social problem. Meanwhile, I leave you with three famous quotes from President Thomas Jefferson:

“The old practice of tyrants is to use one part of the populace to take control of the other part.”

“When the governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”

“When someone assumes a political office, he should consider himself as public property.”

And to finish I would like to add: Only when the United States recognizes its responsibilities and proposes a solution to the disasters committed against Latin America, will it perhaps no longer face migration problems.