Research in today's environment does show that many modern immigrants face the same experiences and troubles as the fictional Salvador had experienced in Rivera's work. Yet, there is, in many ways, a greater sense of hope because of more progressive legislation and policies which try to make the process of becoming an American citizen easier for many immigrants today. However, not all modern legislation is so progressive, and many immigrants in Arizona are witnessing some of the most un-American policies to enforce strict immigration laws in the modern context.
Stars Always Shine
Salvador Campos: Reflections of an Illegal Immigrant
The United States is essentially a nation of immigrants. Very few people can trace their ancestry back to the Native American tribes that were here prior to European conquest. Yet, now that we have an idea of what an American is, we are denying the right to immigrate to new generations of people who wish to tap into the American Dream. This is the case witnessed by Salvador Campos, an illegal immigrant who is living on StarRidge Ranch in California in Rick P. Rivera's novel Stars Always Shine. Salvador's experience embodies what many immigrants have seen and felt over the years, he wants to become an American citizen. Essentially, he does not like that he is technically breaking immigration laws by working and living in the United States undocumented. However, he has little choice, as there are no clear avenues to bring to his goal of citizenship that are readily available to him because of his background as having spent most of his life in Mexico. There are little offers for help from the American community, who tend to see him as an outsider, which in many ways he is because of the language and cultural gaps that separate him and isolate him from the majority culture living in the United States. Today, there is more available help for undocumented immigrants, yet many are still plagued by racist undertones which impose extreme restrictions on helping immigrants assimilate into American life.
Salvador's experiences in many ways still echo in the experiences of immigrants today. Most immigrants who migrate to the United States from Central and South America echo Salvador's own reasons. Many immigrate from Central and South American in the hopes of finding a better chance at life through making more money to help provide for them and their families. Securing a better future has always been part of the American experience, and it is one which continues to drive the experiences of immigrants flooding into the United States today. There is a notable case of Arnaldo Calderon, an American Marine. In a 2006 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, he stated "My mom was an illegal immigrant. She wanted me to have a better future," (Johnson 1). Moreover, many of today's immigrants are still facing extreme difficulties in finding help from the American political system in terms of providing for them viable solutions towards citizenship. The 2006 article from the San Francisco Chronicle illustrates how many immigrants coming to the country illegally want to follow the laws of the United States, yet there is not middle ground or compromise for them to be able to reach their dreams without living here illegally. Arnaldo's mother quoted "When you come to another country, you have to respect that country and its laws," says one Guatemalan immigrant according to the 2006 article (Johnson 1). Yet, without options to move here legally, many are forced to try their luck at immigrating illegally in order to secure greater work opportunities here in the United States. In this, the experiences of today's immigrants do reflect back to what the fictional character of Salvador experienced in the novel.
Still, there are some positive differences. There are some options to help speed up the process towards achieving citizenship. Salvador was left with virtually no options, yet current programs today do make it possible for many immigrants to realize their dreams. There are now several classes of immigrants, including those here on visas and permanent residents that are allowed to live and work in the United States without being citizens. This was different from the environment Salvador witnessed in the novel. One notable piece of legislation was written granting citizenship to permanent residents who serve in the American military. Over 25,754 "of the nation's 1.4 million military personnel are noncitizens," and Mexico is one of the largest countries of origin for these service members (Johnson 1). President Bush signed in a piece of legislation in 2002 that would allow noncitizens to attain citizenship through military service, which has allowed over 20,000 immigrants to become citizens without having to wait the five years that other residents must do through their applications (Johnson 1).
Still, there is intense prejudice within the bulk of the American population which is influencing policies to hinder immigrants and their goal of reaching American citizenship. There is the obvious case of the controversial Arizona immigration laws, which makes it a criminal offense to be an illegal immigrant in the state (Unger 1).
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