An immigrant’s view on Trump

This archived article was written by: Kevin A. Soto

Being an immigrant is a constant challenge, but being an immigrant to the United States is the greatest challenge of them all.
First, We must learn and adopt a new language, which without the proper education is incredibly hard. In many cases, we had to learn on the go while we struggle to speak and usually speak with thick accents in broken English.
Second, we must adapt to a new culture that sometimes makes us feel more alienated than we already are upon arriving to the United States, where the little stores on the corners are replaced with Wal-Marts, where greeting the strangers that pass by is considered taboo, where speaking Spanish in public is a magnet for insults, and where American football is the sport that everyone loves instead of futbol— which is the word we use for soccer in Mexico.
And third, we have to deal with the immense xenophobia that we have to encounter in our new communities, hearing the silly stereotypes that, thanks to President Donald Trump, have now been reinforced more than before.
I never thought that someone who hates immigrants more than the devil himself could win the presidential seat of the so-called “nation of immigrants.” I was never so surprised that he had the audacity to call me, my friends, and my mother, rapists and criminals.
I was infuriated to hear nasty words from a nasty man like him. He also wants to build a wall to stop criminals and undocumented immigrants to come to the United States, which makes me laugh for several reasons: It is more of a monument to his ego than the security of the United States, a wall cannot stop planes, boats or tunnels, and most undocumented immigrants that come to the states do so by airplane and overstay their visas, which will make this wall more of an eyesore than being helpful to the Americans.
In short, the United States is trying hard to beat China, but they become a Chinese knock off instead. As a catholic, I am not going to be affected by the Muslim ban that he signed into law (which violates the first amendment of the American constitution by the way), but it is not Christian to deny entry to immigrants and refugees, yet many “Christians” in the United States support this measurement with a passion, calling these executive actions gifts from Christ, when it’s more of the opposite.
I am not sure if I want to laugh or cry from the actions of this man, but he is a threat to immigrants and citizens alike. His policies put us back to the year 1984 instead of the year 2017, and everyone who is not filthy rich like him will be affected by his small temperament.
I have lost sleep, skipped classes, and lost some hope for my future because the American dream has become more impossible to achieve, yet I am here because I have dreams that breaks all kinds of walls or other similar obstacles. There are many people like me that are protesting these inhumane executive orders, and received all the love from the good people of this beautiful state.
There are three phrases that motivates me when the odds are against me: “immigrants, we get the job done,” by Lafayette from the musical Hamilton. “Per Aspera Ad Astra” which in Latin means “through hardships to the stars,” and “Down with Big Brother” from George Orwell’s novel 1984.