Leonel I. Castillo Entry 1 Story 2

I think that the connection Leonel I. Castillo had with immigrants significantly impacted the decisions he made during his time spent as the director of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. I believe that his family background, with having a father who not only immigrated from Mexico to the United States, but struggled with discrimination, caused Castillo to feel sympathetic towards immigrants who were struggling to move to the United States and create new lives for themselves just as his father had. I believe that the sympathy for immigrants coming to the United States Leonel Castillo had served as motivation for him to work hard and strive to find a way for immigrants to come to the United States and live out the American dream that he discussed.

I believe that a key part of Leonel Castillo’s interview was when he discussed the lifestyles of many immigrants once they got to the United States. He discussed the exploitation of the workers. Leonel Castillo explained that many undocumented workers are forced to work in poor conditions for long hours and are paid unreasonably low wages. This problem is not only an issue of morals, but also has an impact on the economy of the United States as jobs are lost because people want to hire undocumented workers who will work for less. This system hurts more people than it helps as it negatively impacts those who lose their jobs and does not help the immigrants gain little from forced to work in unhealthy conditions for immorally low wages.

Leonel I. Castillo also brought up a great point as he discussed the hypocritical statements made by those who claim to be humanitarian. He explained how many people claim that they love all people and have no problems helping out a stranger, but then continue on the claim that immigrants are ruining their culture or express their disapproval of immigrants because they work for too low of wages and cost them their jobs. This brought up the idea that there needs to be a system made where immigrants can come to the United States, succeed financially, and peacefully coexist with Americans.

Leonel I. Castillo showed a great understanding for the process of immigration and showed great amounts of sympathy for immigrants who were struggling to make it in the United States. As he stated, the idea of the American dream has been around for over one hundred years and something must be done to turn that dream from a life of hunger, disease, and exploitation for thousands of people into a reality.