I get it. You want America to be safe again. No thoughts of terrorism and diversity. It is the American people who shall live and stay. Not as American as we are only because they are "undocumented". Working jobs, paying the government to go to school here, or even just trying to leave a crisis from their own home country. They are all here for one reason and that would be freedom. This freedom has portrayed immigrant excellence.
America is known to be the "Land of the free." But after certain events these past years, international people are questioned whether or not they should be allowed here in general. They are questioned based on race, identity, illegally, and the list can go on. But in this particular time, specifically yesterday, January 28th 2017 - green card holders and other international people from seven Muslim countries are greatly affected.
Trump signed an executive order that restricts immigration from seven Muslim countries and suspends all refugee admission for 120 days. Even worst, the executive order also bans all Syrian refugees indefinitely. It's crazy how America is so split on this decision: praising it and criticizing it on the whole entire spectrum. There have been almost 1 million green cards issued since 2014 and of that number, 30 thousand people will be directed back to their home country because of not completing the "x" amount of years to officially become a citizen of the United States. Based on personal experience, it takes about 10 years for a person that holds a green card to officially become a citizen. This executive order is definitely religion rascist and out of control.
The America I know is supposed to be the most inclusive, free, and open-minded nation in the whole world. We thrive on every single person here, undocumented or a citizen to keep America going. What hurts me the most is the amount of time, effort and money these undocumented people have dedicated to come to the U.S. Personally, I would know about this because of my mother's constant motivation to get her whole entire family from the Philippines.
My mother, 25 years old at the time, was a green card holder herself in 1994. My father, who immigrated to Hawaii when he was young married my mother in the Philippines and made me there. Pregnant and married and working as a single mother because of the green card process - my mother finally came to Hawaii within a span of a year. It was easy to get to America as an immigrant and go through the process. But now, in these present years, it takes a much longer time to even get a visa.
Since 1996, at least a year in Hawaii - my mother petitioned for her parents to be immigrated there. She went through the whole entire process of getting the visa, going to the Filipino Consulate to get documents done, and then waited. It finally went through and my mother's parents came to Hawaii in 2003 at the latest. My mother waited 7 years for documents that allowed her to be reunited with her parents again. But what was worse was that my mother waited 15 years for her siblings to come to Hawaii. In 2011, that was when almost all of my mother's family was officially holding a green card and visa.
Very close to my family, I am afraid that this executive order might be applied to all green card holders that are not specified just yet. I am afraid that one day, the home my mother's brothers and sisters own and worked hard for, will be empty. They will be sent back to there third world country that hasn't even give them enough to live and be free. All of there opportunities and advantages in life will be taken away. Everything they have contributed to this nation will be worth nothing. And my mother's work, will be thrown right out the door.
This executive order has not only affected me and my family, but it has also affected the whole entire world in a span of minutes. America is made out of immigrant execellence. If it wasn't for us, America would be nothing. I still have hope for this country and hope to see this order repealed or never exist again.
Love,
Mari J Leano
#immigrantexcellence
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