A Life of Invisibility - Immigration Crisis

Back in 2014, 11.7 million undocumented immigrants lived in the shadows (Patel). Today, this number exponentially increases as religious, political and moral conflicts arise throughout countries all over the globe. There are two types of illegal immigration: those who cross a country’s border without an entry or immigration Visa, or those who overstay their Visa/entry. Over time immigration laws and processes have become more complex, especially with events like 9/11. For instance, an individual who applies for a family-based immigration will find out that the government is still processing their application since 2001 – 16 years (a decade and a half behind.) These individuals live a life of fear, believing that at any time they could be asked about their status, be detained, and then deported out of their only home. Fear that chatter could be masked by the sound of police sirens; instead of parents worrying about their child’s happiness, health, or quality education, they have to worry about bigger issues like a family member being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This dreadful process and occurrence does not only affect one’s daily life, but it also marks your children’s life, development, and voice as an individual. Furthermore, not being to get a driver’s license, financial aid, or vote are some of the privileges that a citizen would have that undocumented immigrants don’t. These are the kinds of experiences that illegal immigrants find themselves on a constant basis. Placing ourselves in these people’s shoes is something that we can imagine but not fully comprehend. Being an illegal immigrant “cuts” you out of your voice as a human being and natural born rights; in extreme cases, such as the Syrian refugee crisis, these people go through life as nomads with no home, no sanitary measures (which makes you prone to disease), no proper medicine, no safety, and the common discrimination and prejudice that is accompanied by the status of a refugee. Ultimately, the expiration date in one’s Visa/entry paper or the moment an individual(s) flee across a border, they are entering a life of invisibility.