The Realities of An Undocumented Immigrant
Alexis Santoyo
Alexis Santoyo
Recently, there has been a focus on undocumented immigration from national and local leaders. Building a wall, increasing deportations, and stopping crime from undocumented immigrants have been at the forefront of the conversation. It is easy to stereotype the situation when we do not know the situation of those living in the shadows.
I know this narrative all too well because many of my family members are undocumented. My name is Alexis Santoyo and I was born in the US.The spread of false information behind undocumented immigration inspired me to talk to my family. I wanted to dig into the narrative about undocumented immigration in an intimate way. I developed a set of personal questions that the average American asks. I recorded each family member’s response with a microphone and transcribed their answer. I asked the same seven questions and promised them anonymity. The questions are the following:
- Why did you leave Mexico?
- Why did you enter the country unlawfully?
- What kind of work do you do?
- Do you pay taxes?
- Can you receive any public assistance?
- What are your aspirations as a human and parent?
- Any last thoughts you’d like to share with Americans about being undocumented?
On Leaving Mexico
From the multiple people that I interviewed, all the answers gravitated to the same direction but with some variation. On why they left Mexico, many family members point towards massive wealth inequality and crime. One of my uncles that will go by Ruben, claims that petroleum is “almost if not more than the cost of petroleum in the United States, and the average Mexican makes 80% less.” It is shocking to think that the average Mexican construction laborer makes $20 a week, he says. One of my aunts, who we will name Lucy, cites economic opportunity in the US as the reason why she left her homeland. “This country obviously has it right with their government and the countless opportunities for not only personal gain but for the ability to raise a family.”
On Entering the United States Unlawfully
All of the people I interviewed acknowledge they committed a crime. All of them understand what they did is considered wrong in the eyes of the government but they also cite personal reasons why they left. Ruben states he tried to apply for a visa in the early 1990s but was denied. “It’s very hard for anyone to get a visa unless you have massive amounts of money. I don’t have that, I came here to work and provide for my family because I was starving. If I was a venture capitalist in my country, why would I leave and arrive in a different country?” Ruben asks. It is true that the United States has no real robust program for low skilled labor such as construction or agriculture. “Americans claim that we steal their jobs left and right but the truth is, in my time that I have worked in construction, all the young Whites and African Americans simply don’t last. The work is too hard for them and they quit, a Chicano or Mexican later replaces them. You think some white boy will go out and pick your fruit you put in your smoothies for $8 an hour?” The reality is most Americans will not work for low wages, freeing a niche segment of the market for illegal immigrants.
On Taxes
All of my family members pay their taxes, dispelling a long-standing myth. Ruben has his own construction company that he started with his brothers. His company has seen tremendous growth and it can be seen since he now employs 25 people– a mix of Mexicans, White Americans and African Americans. “You see, the Trump administration does not report that we have TIN numbers (Tax Identification Numbers). I am paying into social security which is something I do not qualify for. Since I created and run a business, I have to pay workers comp and other high taxes in order to bid on contracts legally,” Ruben states. My uncle Mark blames mass ignorance for the perception of what he comes to do in this country. “There are probably criminals that do cross the border to traffic drugs and kill others, but based off what I have seen and experienced in my life, those are probably around 1% of the people who arrive to this country illegally.”
Public Assistance
Public assistance is always a triggering subject for many Americans who claim undocumented immigrants receive benefits. The truth is this could not be further from the truth. My family has never applied for family assistance programs.. “The only people who have received benefits in this household are my kids who were born here. When times were tough in 2008, I could not receive a single dollar from food stamps or welfare when I was unemployed. People who believe we just come here and suck up benefits don’t even know half of our situation. I am a mother and the best I could do when I am sick is pray to God the disease goes away,” says Lucy.
Aspirations
Many of the people I interviewed have deep aspirations as humans and parents. They want the best for themselves in their old age. All the interviewees are middle aged so retirement is a strong focus. None of them qualify for social security nor do they have an IRA or 401K. Since they are under a special circumstance, they have to get creative. “I buy houses with the money from my company that I earn and rent them, and that’s what I’ll use as retirement money, I guess,” cites Ruben. “My husband and I bought a plot of land in another neighborhood of Tampa and plan to build a house and rent it out, that way we can live a bit comfortably in our old age. I hope our children can help us, they have a bright future, ” sighs my aunt Michelle. These undocumented immigrants have strived hard for a better life and have invested in real estate which helps the local economy.
Last Thoughts for Native-Born Americans
Their last thoughts for Americans were interesting. One uncle wanted to clarify that they are not animals or thieves or the monsters, which is a popular narrative of the Trump administration which trickles down to the local level. “We are people who were just dealt a bad hand and are trying to make the best of it all. I just pray to God that my luck will turn around and the sun can finally shine on me.” Aunt Lucy wants Americans to know about the fear she has in her mind every day. “I have to drive and I have to work. I know at any minute, a police officer can report me to ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and it is over for me and my children. That is the risk you have to pay sometimes. Most Americans are very nice and happy people so when I see those red hats (referring to Trump’s Make America Great Again caps) cheering when we are called monsters, it makes me really insecure.”
There are many dynamic elements to someone’s legal status. I was lucky enough to be born in this amazing country where economic opportunity flows all around me but others simply did not win that lottery. No one should ever celebrate ignorance, especially with complicated matters like immigration. The only thing that comes from that is hate as we have seen throughout history. It’s time to come out of the shadows and talk about the reality of undocumented immigrants. Hopefully this is a start.