HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
As Washington tries to come up with a new
way to deal with immigration, one can't help but wonder why thousands of
immigrants migrate to the United States?
"We're not here because we want to be,
we're here for a great need," said immigrant, Pedro Hernandez. "A better life
for our family, our children."
There are more than 11,000,000
undocumented immigrants in the U.S., and an estimated 45,000 of those illegal
immigrants live in Mississippi, and hundreds of them live their life across the
border in the Pine Belt.
"I came to this country
for a dream, a goal, an illusion, a prosperous and better life," said
Pedro.
Although these men crossed
the border for an opportunity, there are some things they can't do since they
are illegally here.
"We don't come to take
away anything from anyone. We want an opportunity, and we want to be seen that
way," said immigrant, Ernesto Martinez. "Many times some of the difficulties
like not having a license or papers, that limits you from having something
better. We're hoping that this will change, and the people will give themselves
a chance to get to know Latinos better."
Along with being limited to what
they can do, according to Ernesto, immigrants face stereotypes every day.
"They say that we come to
steal jobs, they say that we come to take away the sustenance of many people,"
said Ernesto.
"They think that one
comes to this country to steal, but I came to this country for a prosperous, a
better life," said Pedro.
Although illegal, working is
the main reason these undocumented immigrants say they came to the United
States.
"We come to work, we
don't come to hurt anyone, we don't come to get into problems," said
Pedro.
While many U.S. citizens want
immigrants deported, immigrant Cirilo just wants a chance.
"What I really want the
people know is to give theirselves an opportunity to know an immigrant," said
Cirilo. "To understand where they come from, and to understand why they're here,
and to understand what their goals are because I think we all have similar
goals in life."
Copyright 2013 WDAM. All rights reserved.
