I Want To Be An Immigrant

Mr. Board Chair... Colleagues and Friends. I am an immigrant. Three years ago, I recounted my story as an immigrant to this great nation, of how I became a successful family physician, and of the great sacrifices by my family and especially my father in helping me to get here. Today, again I stand before you. I 'd like to tell you my story as a digital immigrant. Yes. I am a digital immigrant and like most of you, I was not born with a silver iPad in front of my face. I was able to apply the same immigrant ethics to work and with optimism and resiliency, I am able to successfully adapt to this brave new digital world.

For a while I always had my parents or friends give me rides to places. But after I turned 15 I started to think and I decided that I wanted to get my permit. The first try I didn’t get it. At that time it made me not want to get my permit because I didn’t want to fail over and over again and again.

Why do I believe you should hire a felon? It’s been said that when somebody has something to prove, they will move mountains for you. How much does an individual coming out of a situation such as prison have to prove? Plenty. Not only to you as an employer, not only to society in general, but also to his family and everyone else who doesn’t believe that someone who has been imprisoned can make anything of themselves in life. President Kennedy stated in an article titled, Address to the American Newspaper Publishers, "An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it. We intend to accept full responsibility for our errors; and we expect you to point them out when we miss them”

“The United States has among the world's most restrictive felon disenfranchisement laws” (Green). The areas in the United States that do not allow ex-felons the right to

(2017) Although some employers implement affirmative action practices, the unconscious bias and prejudice remains. This, along with the lack of oversight in the hiring process, leads to discrimination against African Americans. However, while this kind of discrimination is illegal, Alexander discusses a different kind of discrimination, one which is legal and affects millions of black men. When a criminal is released from prison, “he has scarcely more rights, and arguably less respect, than a freed slave or a black person living ‘free’ in Mississippi at the height of Jim Crow.” (Alexander 2012) The federal law that protects people from discrimination does not apply to ex-convicted felons. When filling out a form or application, we often come across the question asking about our criminal record. Though it is illegal to discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion, age, disability or national origin, it is not illegal to discriminate against criminals. Because of this, ex-convicts can be denied employment, housing, education, and public benefits. Given that many of these ex-convicts come from low-income

Criminal disenfranchisement, while currently upheld by Supreme Court review, has a growing base of supporters for the overturning of such exclusionary practices. In fact, according to a recent study, the majority of the mass public, between 52 and 80 percent depending on the crime committed, vastly supports the re-enfranchisement of previously convicted felons not currently imprisoned (Manza, Brooks, & Uggen, 2003).

In today’s world, we treat criminals and offenders that are out of prison in a similar manner to how people were treated in the Jim Crow era. One example of the new Jim Crow Era is Sonya Jennings. Sonya is a felon as well as an African American mother. She was given an eight years probation after being arrested for possession of narcotics. Since Sonya is now tagged as a felon, she does not have the right to vote, she cannot receive public welfare, and she faces job discrimination (Alexander). The Jim Crow system has been planned in America today, legalizing discrimination for people with past criminal activity’s and records (Alexander).

The entire world knew my mom had been arrested. People I thought were friends had shared my mom’s mugshot and the news article of her arrest to her Facebook page. I couldn’t look at that picture of her, so helpless and hurt. At that moment, I could no longer recognize the women I looked up to most. I couldn’t believe the words on the pages, it made me sick. They don’t know her. Now a days I don’t bother looking at these articles because I know who my mom truly is.

In 2010 an estimated 5.85 million people in the United States could not vote due to a felony conviction ("Number of People”). My essay is on if felons should get government assistance. they would feel better about having little to no place that will allow them to work for them because the simple label of being a felon has been put on to them or how it could make it harder for people who really need it to get it and if it doesn't make it harder to get it might drastically increase the amount they get. This essay will examine whether or not convicted felons should get government assistance ex food stamps, unemployment.

The author goes on to discuss the facets of the restoration of civil rights for a felon who was released yet in doing so the right to possess a weapon is not allowed by the federal governments law. As the writing goes on, the author explains that the subject “Mr. Richard Raymond Glaser” is described as unknowingly violated a felony possessing a fire arm in spite of being renewed as a citizen of Washington State (Stavis, 2010, p.656). Additionally, the author reveals that the travesty in this case is the state’s effort to renew the civil rights of Mr. Glaser in- spite of the laws that are on the books. Their inference, that Mr. Glaser would be renewed is a good thought but not the true reality of integration into society. Many felons face not only public isolation but also financial exclusion to credit or even the ability to rent an apartment that hinders their ability to re-enter successfully. So when a company excludes a felon from potential employment, it becomes clear that the playing field is not balanced or even fair to felons of lesser crimes. In conclusion, the idea that all felons are coupled together where heinous crime and simple drug possession felons face the same challenges is ridiculous. Our society must find better ways to support these felons where a structured release embodies all of the support that these people need to be successful. Felons of all types of crimes should not be released and set out on their own with $100 and allowed to fend for themselves and begin the act of failure all over again. We as a society must change our past practices and support the idea of change for the betterment of our country through viable opportunities for our incarcerated

I believe that there are felons out there who will never better themselves nor would they care to. These felons don’t care for a place to live or a place to call home. However, there are many people who end up with a criminal record for a very small incident, maybe an incident that was not their fault. There are many felons who can post bail and maybe do one day in jail. If you can post bail in one day I’m sure your crime was not life threatening. Therefore, why can’t this felon find a place to live? The reason is because any apartment complex you apply for will do a background check and will deny you. They don’t care if you are doing better or if you’re a changed person they will throw you out just as

A history of incarceration reduces an ex-felon’s chance of being hired by fifteen to thirty percent as well as the annual number of weeks worked by six to eleven weeks. That is a large amount of people! This is a big problem that is not to be dismissed. Having been incarcerated leads to struggles in finding a job. Some employers do not even consider hiring people with any kind of criminal record, they are much more likely to hire someone without one instead (Prison Legal News). These statistics and studies show that unemployment rates are in fact higher for

There was a loud bang on the door. I sat up right away along with the other 13 people in my room. A soldier dress in head to toe with his uniform along with a winter jacket. He threw five pieces of bread on the floor and told us to go to work before leaving. The bread only got split upon nine of us; I was one of those nine. I had noticed a young boy did not get a piece so I gave him mine. The boy looked at me with a blank stare and took the bread from my frangile bonny fingers. I stood up, buttoned my shirt and adjusted my shorts. Under that slats of wood I slept on, I hid a scarve that I stole from a dead woman. I pulled it out and tucked it in my shirt so no one would notice. As I stepped out the door frame I felt a chilling breeze up my

If I came to the U.S as a child and found out I was never an American citizen when I turned 18, I would do everything in my power to try to get my citizenship. Following the devastating news, I would feel betrayed and unwanted. I would also feel as if I have nobody to turn to since all my friends wouldn't be able to relate because they are naturally born citizens. However, I would still attempt to go to college and get a profession. I have always felt that the best way to gain the respect of others is to be well educated and have a professional career. The DREAM Act would be a reform that would help me in this situation because it would allow me to continue my education without fear of deportation. Especially since I would have been less than the age of 16 when I got to the United States and have graduated high school, which are requirements of the DREAM Act. Although, current immigration debates would possibly make my search for a profession tough because the DREAM Act doesn't guarantee citizenship (Module 3, p.11). Thus, many jobs prefer a potential candidate for a job to have a United States citizenship.

Everyone deserves a second chance. You should never judge a book by its cover. These are some of the things that should be considered when an employer considers hiring an ex-offender reentering society after release from the prison system. Once a criminal, always a criminal is not always the case. Some ex-offenders have proven to be loyal and trustworthy employees. As well as tax-paying individual who open their own businesses. There are positives and negatives to hiring someone with a criminal background. There are many concerns by employers to hire an ex-offender, such as negligent hiring. An ex offender is a person who has been convicted of criminal offense. Over 600,000 people are being released from prisons