Cool band, Him. Go back to Nepal. But leave the girl.
Posted on 03/28/2011 2:59:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
This week Drop the I-Word is featuring daily “I Am…” stories in honor of Coming Out of the Shadows Week and in collaboration with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance. Today’s story comes from college student Him Ranjit, a young man from Texas who continues to dream, despite the many roadblocks he’s encountered in our country’s broken immigration system. Ranjit and his mother joined his father in this country after he’d been here a few years, so that their family could be together. Their visas were not extended and they were not put on a path to becoming citizens, instead, they were called “illegal.”
When we take humanity and basic rights out of the equation, the result is a broken immigration system that shows cracks in our society’s shared values. Do some families have the right to be together more than others? Many are quick to say, “Get in the back of the line.” But what if that line is 20 years long? Or what if it just does not exist? When families are cast as criminals, it’s even harder to get to solutions that can match our regard for humanity and dignity.
Ranjit puts it well, “Media and government have a great influence on the culture and the politics of the country. The media and the government should stop using the i-word to show that they do not share the values of anti-immigrant proponents, but stand with justice and equality for all.”
For the “I Am…” storytelling project, people from all walks of life relate experiences, demand respect and reject criminalizing language about immigrants. Stories are gathered in collaboration with our campaign partners. We are grateful to the National Immigrant Youth Alliance and DreamActivist.org for connecting us with Ranjit.
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I Am…Undocumented
My name is Him Ranjit and I am undocumented.
I am originally from Nepal. My dad came to the U.S. in 1996 to study and to work to support his family, including extended family. My mom and I migrated here when I was 10, in 2001, to reunite as a family. We came here on a travel visa to visit my dad, but we ended up staying with an expired visa. After my visa expired, my family was classified as being “illegal.” The first time I heard the term was when I became aware of my status. The derogatory term “illegal” has been used to describe me on numerous occasions, though I am American by heart and undocumented because of my status. Overall, my family and community have been pretty supportive of me being open about my status and taking up the immigrant rights cause, even though they were hesitant in the beginning. We’re fighting for our lives and we won’t stop until we win.
I grew up in Euless, Texas, a city between Dallas and Fort Worth. The community I grew up in was very diverse and accepting of different cultures. I grew up in this country envisioning a great future as an American. But on the path to my dreams, I have found roadblocks everywhere I go due to the broken immigration system. From trying to get into a university to getting a drivers license to working part-time to pay for school, I’ve had to go through obstacles because of my status over things that some consider commonplace.
I am a future engineer studying Biomedical Engineering and Government at University of Texas, Austin. I am an active student here in the UT community, involved in University Leadership Initiative, getting people out to vote and being involved in sports and other activities. I am, by any means, like many UT Austin sophomore students: I study till late at night, work out in Gregory Gym, go to the football games, stand in the long lines at Wendy’s and sometimes nap on the couches of the Texas Union in between classes. I am very much like everybody in this university, except for a nine-digit number to identify me.
The roadblocks aren’t just structural. It’s hard being an undocumented student in the midst of American peers, to come out and explain one’s situation. Language like “illegals” makes it even harder because of the misleading information and stigma attached to the term. Demonizing the immigrant community as criminals is simply an anti-immigrant tool. We have all heard this language used to push legislation to shut down the border, create fear in the immigrant population and promote the ridiculous idea of rewriting the 14 Amendment.
It also creates a toxic environment in which children receive the message that their own lives are not valued as equal to the lives of their peers. Media and government have a great influence on the culture and the politics of the country. The media and the government should stop using the i-word to show that they do not share the values of anti-immigrant proponents, but stand with justice and equality for all.
Yep. And companies generally are resistant to hiring those convicted of felonies.
There is no BIRTHRIGHT to becoming an immigrant to America. It's a poppycock notion to ALL are eligible.
Might as well stop screening for diseases and criminals on the lamb.
Unfortunately, we have become like Tom Bodett and Motel 6. We keep the light on for everyone.
“our country’s broken immigration system”
Yes it is.
We should have one more like Mexico’s, or pretty much ANY other country in the WORLD.
Good question. Also, I’d wager that for every undocumented engineering student, there are 99 MS-13 undocumented gang members. That’s who people are worried about, but its easier to put a fresh faced college student on the poster.
Hey kid, I'll bring a pregnant lady into YOUR home where she can drop a child, without your consent for her to even ENTER the home, and then let her file claims to one of your bedrooms by BIRTHRIGHT.
Since the courts refuse to prosecute those entering ILLEGALLY from claiming their children as US Citizens (and then using the anchor baby to secure citizenship for themselves), the Constitution must be amended to PROHIBIT judicial activism in this matter. "ridiculous idea of rewriting...(an) Amendment". That is SUPPOSED to be the process, not crooked liberal judges ramming through whatever policy they support this generation.
Eh, I’m not so pleased to see the future visa engineers taking US jobs either.
Bill Gates and his ilk sold America out to India. I got a degree that was devalued by a liberal marxist who insists that I need to work cheaper and that I am not paying enough taxes.
“How is he even going to college? “
The same way that illegal aliens get welfare and public housing. When they apply they are not asked if they are in this country legally. That is how 0bama’s illegal alien aunt got her illegal butt into public housing on our dime.
So from the start, they LIED about their intent so they could gain entry, then they deliberately overstayed their visa with no intent of complying with our immigration law in the first place. BUT they think we are meanspirited and have a "broken" immigration system because we don't embrace their deception and disregard for our immigration laws.
Hey Ranjit, your family can be together in India too
Go back to Nepal. Your not legal and Nepal needs good engineers.
the amazing gall of invaders, they need to be deported, then immigration numbers cut by 90%...period.
I have my own “I AM...” story. I am sick of the United States being overrun with criminal illegal invaders and do-nothing politicians that won’t deal with the problem.
Many are quick to say, “Get in the back of the line.” But what if that line is 20 years long?
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DUH
Then you stand in line for 20 years...
In Japan, even to register a bicycle (which you must do, if you ride one), you MUST show a foreigner ID card. You must also do that to buy a train pass, to get a library card, or just to get (what was until recently called) a video rental card.
Show up to vote with a non-Japanese face and you’d almost certainly get (politely) arrested.
poor wee sufferin illegal aliens PING
We have a broken immigration system because we don’t “Send back them” as Mexico does when they discover people who have illegally entered the country.
University of Texas, Austin requires some serious money to attend this school
I am, by any means, like many UT Austin sophomore students:
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so, many UT Austin sophomore students are also illegal aliens like you ???
Cool band, Him. Go back to Nepal. But leave the girl.
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