The subject of immigration is one that I never researched prior to 2025. All my life, I have personally believed in open borders and that we should not have the concept of countries at all. Of course, I know the legal system doesn’t follow my ideals.
However, as someone born in Merriam, Kansas, in the United States of America, I am a citizen by law even though I did nothing to deserve it. Therefore, I have no moral right to work or live than someone born in another country who comes here.
But one day, I started a very special friendship with an immigrant at Walmart who came to work there. I started trying to use Google Translate on my phone to translate messages. Most of the time, this wasn’t even necessary because she understands more English than I do Spanish.
To protect her privacy, I will refer to her as Fiesta because fiesta is the Spanish word for party. Working with Fiesta was always a party because when we worked together, we sang and danced. She even knew most of the English songs I know. Although I had only known her for a short time, I can tell you she was one of the best workers I had ever seen. Nobody else besides me at my store ever worked with such a smile on their face.
And then one day she told me that her work visa had expired and she could no longer work at Walmart with me. I was deeply sad about this because I will miss her. I hope that she can become a citizen here or that, at least if she returns to her country that she will be safe.
But based on my reading about this issue, it seems that it is not very easy to become a citizen or even to get a temporary visa status. These rights are limited in number and given only to a small number of people who government officials deem worthy.
But the news in 2025 about immigrants in American politics has often made me question why people would go to such trouble to enter this country. All I can really say is that if someone’s country they were born is so bad that they want to come here, then I think they should be allowed to.
But I also think that if immigrants really knew what this country is like, they probably would not want to. They are not treated very kindly by other American citizens. On top of that, many of them may be in great danger in their original country.
Maybe they did not do anything wrong, but their homes were destroyed in a war. Maybe people are trying to kill them because they are gay or transgender. Maybe they no longer follow the major religion in their country and, therefore, are considered a criminal worthy of death. Therefore, because such situations happen, it is not hard to see why someone may go to another country, legally or illegally, when they have to save their lives. I do not judge them because I have no right to. I don’t know their situation, and I imagine it must be hard.
Next time you see an immigrant to your country, I would like you to remember this Bible verse. You don’t have to be a Christian or Jew to appreciate this, just know that anyone who claims to follow these religions must also consider whether they are following this law of treating the foreigner the same as a native citizen.
Leviticus 19:33 When a resident foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him. 34 The resident foreigner who lives with you must be to you as a native citizen among you; so you must love the foreigner as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
The average American citizen knows nothing about the immigration system in the USA. Even I don’t know much, because I have never moved to another country. I guess that most of you probably haven’t either. You just judge people and declare them “illegal”.
Many other people were also born in the USA. Some of them, I wish I could deport to another country so that they would no longer be here to abuse people they consider less valuable than themselves, based on the chunk of dirt they were born on.
And to my friend Fiesta, I want you to know that you were always the kindest friend to me at Walmart. You did not treat me as less than you because I did not know your language, or because I am transgender. We danced and sang together, and every night was a party just because you were there. I will remember you, no matter what happens. If there is anyone who has a right to work in any country, it is you.
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/why-dont-they-just-get-line/
https://americasvoice.org/blog/immigration-101-why-immigrants-cant-just-get-legal/
https://www.flowofhistory.org/the-problem-of-citizenship-in-american-history-2/