Artifact 4: Illegal Immigrants and Green Cards

People who illegally come to the United States wait years, even decades, to receive a green card. The debate whether to allow 11 million immigrants to get the chance to become an American citizen is one of the bills passing through the senate right now. Right now there are 4.4 million immigrants waiting for their chance to finally not be afraid. The wait is so long now because the United States is only allowed to give out a certain amount each year. Currently the United States allows 226,000 illegal immigrants to get their green cards. The United States is making calls the clear the backlog of illegal immigrants in seven years there is still some doubt whether to do it or not. Clearing would mean the need for more jobs, which would make wages go down, and this would cause more people to cross to be with their U.S. citizen families. Many changes are now being put into action involving illegal immigrants and getting their green cards.

Alejandro's story is one that is hardly unusual, but never really told. When Alejandro moved to the United States with his father he was 14. When they first moved Alejandro's father filled out green card petition, he is 29 now now and still awaits his green card. Even after waiting 15 years he will have to wait another five years to finally get one, which makes him have to wait 20 years to finally be a citizen of the United States.

This article relates to The Distance Between Us because after being in the United States for over a year Reyna's father gets married to Mila and submits the green card applications for everyone. Five years later Mago graduates and they receive their green cards. As soon as they get them Reyna's father doesn't seem to be afraid anymore about going places and doing things. After getting their green cards Mago has the opportunity to go to college and actually make something of herself to where to can get a real job with good pay.

Article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/23/millions-of-immigrants-waiting-for-green-cards/2450461/