Are my parents immigrants?

Remember that being an immigrant isn’t only due to one’s actions. It could have been through mere chance that some are and some aren’t.

Well no. On paper, both my parents are citizen of this country, the United States of America. They came to this country as undocumented immigrants and worked their way to earn citizenship. And they did. It took a lot of faith and work but they manage to overcome obstacles. Ever since, we have traveled back to their homeland, Ecuador, and has been a great relieve on them. They have voted for last two previous elections, participate in community events and pay their taxes.

But are my parents still immigrants?

I think they are. I think they are because I have close relatives who have had a similar journey but weren’t as fortunate as my parents to receive citizenship. I think they are because they aren’t any different than any close friend and relatives I know. I don’t write to explain facts or statistics about immigrants. I think there’s enough evidence that undocumented immigrant help our country a whole lot. My point is that my parents are no different that my uncle who has been doing his fair share, never caused any problems, has two beautiful kids born here yet isn’t a citizen. He also happens to have never seen his oldest child who he left back in Ecuador when he was 10 months. Or one of my parent’s friend who lost his daughter two weeks ago never actually seeing her because he came to this country when she was just an enfant. I don’t think it’s fair that we are treating undocumented immigrants as a disruption towards this country. Some are. Some are bad people. But I don’t think there’s any correlation between bad and undocumented immigrants. We have to see this through a different lens. Most hispanics that are citizen could easily be undocumented immigrants but through mere chance they weren’t.

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