Immigration Stereotypes

The American dream, a promise of prosperity in exchange for an honest day's work. This revered land, attracting idealists with hope and opportunity; a haven from persecution and impoverishment. Violations of human integrity have been an insidious truth surrounding immigrants; often their own naivety used as ammunition to rob the ambitions they once held so closely. In 1970 there was an estimated 9.6 million immigrants in the United States. Forty-three years later in 2013 that number spiked to a whopping 41.3 million immigrants . However, these statistics do not tell the story of immigration. People do.

A young Iraqi named Azswan started her immigration story at the Iraqi Young Leaders Program. “I have been here since July, 23, 2014 and my

The Amnesty International report, "Jailed Without Justice: Immigration Detention in the USA," noted a variety of concerns over due process and the conditions of detention; one being people in immigration custody don't have the same guarantees as criminal detainees to challenge their detention before a court, make a phone call or obtain legal representation. Or detainees can be transferred from one facility to another, sometimes in another state, with no notice given to their families or attorneys. Two-thirds of people in federal immigration custody are housed in state or county detention facilities, usually alongside criminal detainees, even though violations of immigration law are considered administrative, not criminal, and asylum seekers have committed no violation. Immigrants are subject to excessive use of restraints such as handcuffs, waist chains and leg restraints . Myriads of people face adversity due to the necessity to provide for their families. The continuance to treat immigrants less as fellow human beings and more as parasites will divide America from the rest of the

When Jurgis came to America after his friend Jokubus told him that hard work and success pay off in the end. Jurgis realizes this is not the truth in Chapter 2 . Another example being when Jurgis and Ona are looking into purchasing a beautiful house. The realtor lies, telling them the houses sell fast and they need to buy as soon as possible. Jurgis purchases the house, and signs the contract. This very house represents the American Dream. Jurgis’s friend Szedvilas tells him the contract will ruin and own him . When Jurgis discovers the agent has swindled him and that there many hidden costs behind their house agreement he storms off to find a lawyer. As it turns out this lawyer happens to be a good friend of the agent, and tells him there is nothing to be done since he signed the contract. Upton Sinclair illustrates how one man’s ignorance is another mans