In Someone Else's Shoes
The first immigrants to America in my family came to Pennsylvania in the 1600s with William Penn. Never once have I had a worry about my citizenship or status, about coming home from school to find a family member deported. Sure, I had to babysit two of my younger siblings, but it was never up to the adolescent me to worry about where the next meal was coming from.
Read Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros to understand what some of our students struggle with and what they fear most. When his mother is swept up in an ICE raid, it’s up to Efren to get his siblings to school and pick them up, to feed them and put them to bed, while his father works two jobs to get enough money to get Ama back across the border. The A student misses homework assignments and shows up late to school, but he’s afraid to tell anyone why his grades are slipping.
And if you think “this is only fiction,” let me remind you of pictures of children in cages during the first Trump administration. Don’t forget children taken from their parents’ arms, and how many of those children are still lost in the system.
We can have differences of opinions about immigration, but the truth is, despite what state Superintendent Ryan Walters says, immigrants, both documented and undocumented, contribute to the financial wellbeing of our state and our country. Even Trickle-Down Reagan understood this.
Do we need to protect the borders? Of course! We will only be safe if we have the manpower to keep criminals out. We will only be fair and true to the Constitution if we have judges to oversee asylum claims in a timely manner.
We need to understand why people come to this country. For my Quaker ancestors, it was for religious freedom. For other ancestors it was for opportunity.
This is a great country now, despite its flaws, but by properly funding all the government agencies that keep us safe, and by welcoming in those who are looking for a better life for their families, we can make it even greater.
Cisneros’ book will help you understand why we need to make a humanitarian immigration system a top priority.
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First, they came for the immigrants.
The whole world is watching !
These are not normal times. They are not playing by the rules. It has been suggested that when DT starts to give his state of the union message all the Democrats and anyone else who respect our nation stand up and leave without saying a word. Let all those MAGA Congressman take on the responsibility for selling this nation out.
Time to bring this disaster to an end. Contact these MAGA representatives in congress and tell them to save our democracy from these lunatics. Now rather than later. You make the laws. We need to find a way to make sure they get the message. Get rid of this administration or we will get rid of you. Send a letter to this address.
The Honorable (Representatives name)
United States Senate
Washington DC 20510