As I sit here waiting to announce my news report on immigration I think to myself, ¨The only difference between myself and immigrants is a single piece of paper saying I can stay here and they cannot.¨ While I was waiting to cover my report, I sat miserably on the squeaky couch thinking that another report on immigration was about to happen. This problem has been around for years now. The room was getting very cold, 15 minutes passed and all I could think about was- “Jorge you are on in 30 seconds.” That was my producer, at last, I got to cover my report on immigration. My job is being a news anchor for KMEX, a Spanish language television network located in Los Angeles, California. As a news anchor I have the responsibility of delivering important and interesting stories that would engage my audience across the country.

I personally focus on immigration since I myself am one to this day. I am sorrowful that some immigrants migrate to the U.S. seeking for a better job, but are turned down since they do not have citizenship with the United States and are considered “not from here.” It is sad to say that the border denies Mexican immigrants and their request to enter the U.S. without a U.S. passport card, a permanent residence card, and a foreign passport with the form I-551 stamped on it. I as an immigrant came into this country with generosity, fortunate compared to the thousands of Mexicans seeking the rare chance of U.S. citizenship. As I came to the border, the U.S. border patrol asked me for my passport. I gave them my passport with shaky hands fearing I was going to be sent back to Mexico City, Mexico and live the same old life, working in the fields and growing crops. I told them I was heading to UCLA since that was the university that had accepted me and the border patrol let me pass with kindness in their voices. While crossing the border the adrenaline was rushing through my body and all I had on my mind was, “Wow I really just crossed the border and now I shall live a great and humble life.” Over the years the border has changed and all I ask for in return is for these Mexican immigrants to receive the same generosity I received entering this country. Some immigrants restrain and retaliate against authority no matter how much power they have over immigrants. Immigration is a double-edged sword; on one side it provides the local economy with cost benefits as the immigrants are not paid very much, while the immigrants are more productive trying to live a better life. On the other side, the immigrants do not pay taxes and their employers also do not pay taxes as they should. Immigration has its pros and cons, it can be good for the economy, but bad for the tax collectors. As immigrants arrive to America they believe this country is a place where little to big dreams are fulfilled, without thinking about the consequences they are about to face. It is sad for us immigrants since we immigrants contribute more to the economy than we take away as well as we define the United States as a diverse country. This problem reminds me of my father who was an immigrant as well and worked in the U.S. to earn money for our family. I get very irritated since immigrants including my father used to commonly work ten to twelve hours a day! I get very annoyed knowing that women and children who were as young as 5 years old worked in factories to survive, not only that, but they were working in conditions which were frequently unsafe and in some cases led to deadly accidents. While being an immigrant in the U.S. I used to and still do get discriminated against from Americans and often face hate comments and prejudice. Immigrants including myself take this personally since many people consider us criminals, but really we are just like any ordinary human dreaming a better life for our family or ourselves. In the future I hope the U.S. will become full of different ethnicities and races including becoming a “clean country.”