Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame ,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The New Colossus. Emma Lazarus 1883

Etched on a plaque that rests on the side of Lady Liberty are the words above.  Words that symbolize what Lady Liberty has stood for, a beacon of hope for all that have journeyed to this foreign land in search of the American Dream. They dream of a new life, new opportunity where if they worked hard they can become successful. They hope for a better life free from tyranny and poverty. And for centuries we have welcomed the new arrivals with open arms.

Now many would prefer we replace the words on the plaque with filled to capacity as immigration has become the hot topic as Arizona and Oklahoma prepare to pass laws aimed at returning illegal immigrants back to their native lands. Immigrants many of whom faced a harsh journey to our American soil now faced with the prospect of returning to a native land they had hoped to have escaped.

Many from third world countries sell all there worldly possessions, borrow money from their family and friends, and others agree to be indebted to the individuals that transport them illegally into our land but are faced with a harsh reality that seeking the American dream has a dark side that comes into focus as they step foot on our native American soil.

Most illegal immigrants that come from Asia and Africa stow away hidden in cargo boats, those that come from the Caribbean stow away on cargo boats or hope to float their way here by raft, those that come from Central and South American stow away on transport trucks, cargo boats, tunnels that link Mexico to the United States or race across the board by land.

Most that set foot on our American soil do so unscathed as they begin their quest for the American dream, others do so with memories they hope to suppress and forget, while for others their nightmare has just begun.

Asians and Africans that journey to the United States, are transported here by cargo ships under harsh conditions, they are either crammed into a small cargo hold or containers that rest on top of the ship. These places do not come equipped with a bathroom and are not ventilated. Many die from heat exhaustion; others from diseases contracted from the unsanitary conditions or some just starve to death. The dead are either left there till they decide to deal with them or are thrown overboard never to be heard from again and a dream ended.

When they arrive to the United States some are exchanged for cash, others are held captive until they work their debt off, usually paying pennies on the dollar, either in sweat shops or if they are an attractive woman forced into prostitution. Many of these women will spend there youth on their backs, beaten, raped and psychologically abused hoping their last encounter will be their last. Unfortunately their last encounter occurs when their beauty is gone and they are no longer deemed valuable. Most will just be released into a world they do not know with no one to help them while others will turn up dead, a nameless corpse buried in a nameless cemetery plot.

Most that venture here illegally from overseas do so through means controlled by organized criminal organizations who do not value human life. Often at their whim they will raise their fees that create the situations above. Many will regret their decision to make the trek. Others will do what they have to do to survive, making sure that they are the last of their family to endure such an experience.

Those that enter our country from Mexico tend to have a less traumatic experience as luck and skills of those that transport them plays a major role. You still have those that die in truck beds, and others are left for dead in the desert never to be heard from their families again. Women that travel alone are targets of rape, physical and verbal abuse. Men take advantage of the fact that everyone must be silent in order to avoid detection from Mexican military and boarder patrol. Since family members have pooled their life savings to get them to United States the women find a way to coup with the violation of their person in order to avoid begin returned to Mexico. How these women confront the experience varies from blocking it from memory to self destruction. One reason the majority of women tend to be accompanied by a male friend or member of the family serving as a body guard.

The road to the American Dream for many illegals is not as easy as many would believe it to be. Many endure harsh conditions to make the trek to the United States. Some will see death and images that stay with them for eternity. Some will see their own loved ones die before them, while others will endure rape and violence to achieve the dream. Lastly many will endure a life of servitude attempting to payoff a debt that seems impossible to payoff.

Then there are those usually single men with no financial responsibilities who treat coming to United States as a self indulgent vacation where they are free to commit crimes without fear of prosecution. These individuals represent a small fraction of illegals here in the United States. The majority do want to be here and do their best to abide by the law to avoid being discovered. Many of them have endured harsh conditions to migrate to land of Lady Liberty and do not want to do anything that will jeopardize their situation.

Yet despite the harsh conditions and experiences of those before them that are retold by word of mouth many prefer to tempt fate and aim for the American Dream hopeful that the land of Lady Liberty holds a better future for them. Is America that great that many would endure suffering to migrate here illegally? Would we as legal Americans ever consider going through hellish conditions to become Americans. Despite the reverence and love illegals hold for America we prefer to kick them out and end their American Dream. Then again why not kick them out it’s not like any of our ancestors ever migrated to United States.