During the past decade, over 500,000 immigrant children have embarked on perilous journeys to the United States alone in search of their families, refuge, and the promise of the American dream. However, the reality for many of these children is exploitation and sacrifice.
Recent cases have uncovered the harsh conditions that immigrant children are forced to endure once they reach the United States. A Virginia company’s owners and managers were sentenced to prison for trafficking Central American children and coercing them into working overnight in a commercial laundry. Shocking allegations revealed that a 13-year-old girl was threatened with death if she refused to work.
In another investigation conducted by Frontline and The Public’s Radio, migrant teens in Massachusetts described long hours spent working in seafood processing plants, cutting heads off salmon, picking bones out of cod, and cleaning lobsters. These teens were subjected to child labor violations.
The United States government has held numerous hearings on Capitol Hill this year to address the issue of protecting immigrant children from exploitation. However, the national headlines predominantly focus on the large numbers of unaccompanied minors arriving at the southern border.
To gain more insight into the experiences of immigrant children, the Center for Public Integrity spoke with Salvadoran author and poet Javier Zamora, who came to the United States as an unaccompanied minor when he was 9 years old. Zamora’s memoir, Solito, recounts his terrifying journey through the eyes of a child.
Zamora believes that the current coverage of immigration issues fails to capture the true voices of those impacted. He questions who these stories are meant for, arguing that survivors don’t need convincing, as they are fully aware of the situation at the border. Rather, Zamora emphasizes the need for the voices of immigrants themselves to be heard.
Having assimilated into American society as an undocumented individual, Zamora emphasizes the profound impact his journey had on his life. He learned to lie and hide his background, adopting an American identity. It wasn’t until he delved into literature that he started to question his own experiences. Poetry became a means for him to process his journey and acknowledge the trauma he had endured.
If given the opportunity, Zamora would advise immigrant children who have survived their journeys to acknowledge their trauma and not attempt to run away from it. He emphasizes the importance of self-acknowledgment and recognizing one’s own strength.
This perspective sheds light on the sacrifices and struggles that countless immigrant children face in pursuit of a better life. Their stories should be heard and understood, without relying solely on images and news reports that may have become desensitized to the issue.
Moving forward, it is crucial that the voices of immigrants are given the platform they deserve. The United States must grapple with the reality that it does not always treat immigrant children and families with the respect and compassion they deserve. Only by acknowledging and listening to these stories can society truly understand the experiences of immigrants and work towards meaningful change.
