Immigration is a vicious circle. An ongoing, never ending cycle. It seems as though we don’t know how to stop it… or change it… or break it. When we think we come close to “solving the problem.” it seems to get worse. Immigration is among one of the most controversial topics in the United States. It’s a topic that is avoided in most conversations, due to its destructive nature. The topic has torn our nation since its birth, but we are clueless to this until we actually experience it or hear the stories from immigrants themselves. 

 

IT NEVER ENDS.

 

Valeria Luiselli exposes the haunting reality of immigration through Central America. She herself, at the time, was an immigrant, only bearing a temporary work permit until her green card came in. While she was working, she got the opportunity to interview and listen to the stories of children who made the dangerous journey of searching for a better life. Better than the one they fled from. 

IT NEVER ENDS.

 

Luiselli explains that the stories told by the children are all interconnected somehow. The children are usually fleeing from gangs and violence. They travel with a coyote, who’s paid to help the child cross the border safely. A potentially fatal ride on the train they call “La Bestia” is the most common form of transportation to get to the border. Horror stories of children falling off, limbs being severed off, rape, gang attacks, and much more make up “La Bestia’s” reputation. Still, the longing for the “American Dream” overpowers the dangers they know they will face trying to reach the impossible. The survivors of “La Bestia” turn themselves into Border Patrol officers once they reach the border, and are taken to the “Ice Box” for weeks, even months at a time before they are questioned, and given a chance to tell their story.

 

 

IT NEVER ENDS.

 

The questions these kids are asked are more intrusive than those asked when applying for a green card. The kids are given 21 days to find a lawyer and build a good enough case so they may qualify for some type of asylum, SIJ status, or other form of immigration relief. The “wrong” answers lead to almost immediate deportation. Mexican children aren’t even given the chance to tell their story and get an opportunity to live a better life, they are immediately deported; “Voluntary Return” is what they call it. 

 

IT NEVER ENDS.

 

I believe Luiselli’s purpose of writing this book was to inform everyone that the system is a mess. From the outside, it may appear like everything is under control, and that the problem is being solved; but from the inside perspective it’s clear that the system is broken, and failing many innocent children. She wants to put real-life stories out into the world to show the ignorant that these problems do exist in the world, and that sometimes the only way to solve these problems is to get away from them. Some of these problems even existing in the “home of the free and the brave.” We put on our rose-colored glasses and are entirely blind to the issues going on around us. The supposed “American Dream” is all a facade, an illusion that anyone who isn’t from this nation believes to be real and obtainable. Luiselli demonstrated through this book that that is far from the reality. 

IT NEVER ENDS.

 

I believe we, as high school students, have the power to do something in order to help make this world a better place to live in. It may be small, but something small can make a big difference. I think it would be a good idea to gather people from around the community or just the students from the school who are all from different ethnic backgrounds. We have many immigrants who haven’t been here for long and may not feel all that comfortable yet. We should build up relationships with these students, show them around town, invite them to events, even just hanging out with them so they start to feel more comfortable and not so out of place. Being in a whole new area and not knowing the language, the people, or the space around you is scary and I think that we as high school students can do a lot to make sure none of our students feel that way.