Dear President Trump: You’re Wrong About Immigrants
Weekends are for fun. Yet in my house, my family doesn’t experience much of that — at least not with both of my parents. My father works seven days a week to give us what we need. When we have family time, my dad is out working under the sun.
He works in construction, and is the hardest worker I know. Every day he comes home with black tar all over his hands, dirty boots and with old sweat marks on his shirt. I can smell him as soon as he walks in. He brings home the money and my mom finds a way to stretch that for the bills, rent and other necessities we might have.
My father is an example of hard-working undocumented immigrants who come to this country for a better life. He says his work is worth the sacrifice if his kids can have an education and a career.
Yet, you have been judging immigrants by what you see and hear not knowing that there’s more to us that you don’t know about. You’ve called Mexicans “rapists” and given our people a bad reputation. Most of the things you say about immigrants aren’t true, but your words have influence on others. Did you know more than half of my family have immigrated to the United States for a better life because back in our country, there is violence and no job opportunities?
You have put fear in people’s hearts when they don’t really deserve to feel that way.
My father is really scared to get deported because it will break our family apart. He knows we depend on him. He is no criminal but he still fears because we never know what might happen. I don’t think hard working immigrants deserve to feel this way if all they’ve done is work and do things right.
You need to help us out a bit, help the people who come here to live a decent life and succeed. Help us undocumented students make it to college and have a better life like our parents want us to. We are part of this country and we do not deserve to be discriminated when all we have done is make this country better than it already is. I hope this letter could change your mind about immigrants who are living in the U.S.
Sincerely,
Brenda
For this series, student reporters with Intersections South LA partnered with Public Service Community High School at the Diego Rivera Learning Complex in South Los Angeles to hear students’ voices and help produce their letters to President Trump. Read and listen to more of the students’ letters here.
