Refelctions on Immigration

Reflections on Immigration

                                                                           Emma Short 

University of Nebraska at Kearney 

SOWK-420: Diversity and Social Justice

October 31, 2025 

 

  1. Did the 30 Days video influence your views regarding undocumented immigrants or immigration policy in any way?  

I found the 30 Days video very interesting. I was intrigued at the beginning of the video when Frank, his wife, and his group of friends took matters into their own hands to patrol the border. “I can’t stand by and watch thousands of people come into this country illegally.” (30 Days 3:42). I thought that he was courageous; his beliefs were strong enough to take time out of his weekends and personal life to patrol the border and protect his country. “Frank and his friends started patrolling after the events of 9/11.” (30 Days 4:05). It did influence my views on how I feel about the immigration problem in the United States; not all immigrants are bad people; they come here to find freedom. America is known for the freedom it gives to its citizens. I found it heartwarming that Frank, who came to care for the family that he was paired with, saw that they are human beings just like him. “I never thought that I would feel as warmly about this family as I do.” (30 Days 41:12).

  1. Many people, including Frank in the 30 Days video, argue that "We are a nation of laws...and they're breaking the law" (and therefore should be sent back to Mexico).  Do you agree? --If so, why? --If not, how might you respond to this argument?  

I can agree with Frank and disagree with him. Immigrants should be here legally, and they should have to pay the same taxes that we do, but at the same time, it is complicated for immigrants to get citizenship. They must break the law to be here; that is a fact, but why can’t the United States make getting American citizenship a more straightforward process and a less limited one? Most American citizens cannot pass the citizenship test, and we were born here and went through American History classes throughout our childhood. There was a picture in the PowerPoint lecture this week showing three people waiting at U.S. Immigration: one was young, one was old, and one was a skeleton, indicating they had been waiting there for a very long time. Another argument that I would have to make is the labor force. I know a lot of people who are upset because immigrants “are taking jobs away from the American people. “But the illegal immigrants are coming to your towns and taking your way of life, yet you simply look down, quietly make comments to your friends, and let it happen.” (Internet Post Buck). While this might be true, as you saw in the 30 Days video, that is what they do: they take those jobs because they pay, and they don’t mind manual labor. I could argue that the American people have become very comfortable not working manual labor jobs. “Undocumented workers take jobs unattractive to most American citizens.” (Canvas PowerPoint). We need to take a step back and look at who we are blaming, and reassess, along with rethinking the stereotypes that have been placed on immigrants.

  1. Are there other situations in which you believe it is morally or ethically acceptable to break the law? (Be sure to think critically) 

I think in certain circumstances it is morally and ethically acceptable to break the law —for example, during the government shutdown, food stamps are not accessible. Government workers are not getting paid, you are doing your “civic duty” in having a job, and it is out of your control what the government does. If I were in this situation and my family needed food, I would steal it. I would not feel great about it, but at the same time, what else am I supposed to do? I think the law can be broken when necessary. Immigrants come to America to escape things in their countries that are considered illegal, for example, sex trafficking. People escape and come to America in hopes of getting away. This is breaking the law in America, but they are saving their lives. Each person has their own morals and ethics, but the law versus your life is the battle people must live with every day.

Refrences 

  PowerPoint - The Experience of Latinos\








 

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