First Crossing Analysis

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First Crossing: The Trials of Illegal Immigrants Every day, around nine hundred illegal immigrants travel across the US-Mexico border looking for better opportunities to earn money and provide support for their families so that they can escape the poor conditions in which they are living in. Coming to the United States allows these immigrants to earn the money they need to improve their current living conditions at home. Susan Eckstein, a qualitative historical sociologist, wrote in a series of essays titled “Immigrant Niches and Immigrant Networks in the U.S. Labor Market” that when immigrants cross over from Mexico to the US to acquire work and get a wage “they often drive economic growth”. Coming to the states for work not only benefits illegal …show more content…

Marco, the main character, wants to travel to the U.S. with his father to help him earn funds to support their family. Marco as a character gives the reader someone specific to focus on in the story to see what each different trial is like and the doubt of being able to make it across that follows each failure. For example, after they get caught a few times, it seems like they will never make it to the other side. These struggles are shown in the story when it says, “but after five attempts, they were no farther into the United States than they’d been the first night” (Ryan 91). After trying to cross with no success, Marco wishes he would’ve stayed home because the next method trying to get across is under the hood of a car (Ryan 92). Trying to find ways to get across the border to be able to even have the chance at earning money to give to family is hard, and some of the ways that these immigrants find to come over is unimaginable. The main reason all of the immigrants dare to take such a journey is for the welfare of their