The Until recent, the topic of immigration never crossed my mind on a broad ethical scale. After watching Caitlin Dickerson’s “Baby Constantin”, listening to “A House Divided by Immigration Status”, National Public Radio, and reading Laura Bush’s op-ed “Separating Children…Breaks my heart, I’m able to grasp the trauma of being separated from family. Hearing and reading each narrated account from a personal point of view gave me the feeling of empathy. The government must come up with a greater solution, than the one currently implemented. No family deserves to be separated from each other, due to immigration status.

The stories, podcasts, and videos I’ve watched for this class have educated me immensely, on immigration and the effects they present. From my family, I don’t have much knowledge of immigration. The only facts given to me from my maternal side was that my great grandmother was a native indigenous woman who migrated from Alabama to Pennsylvania. In doing so, she pursued a better life for herself as well as her five children.

Former first lady Laura Bush’s op-ed,“Separating Children…Breaks my heart, contains some very crucial points. The story reveals that our culture (U.S culture), has a history of being generous to other nations. However, we also have a history of discrimination, that is currently being repeated.  Bush offers the example of the Japanese concentration camps forced by Americans, to those who weren’t citizens, as a similar occurrence with the “zero-tolerance” immigration law. We should be advocating for families to be together, as opposed to apart. She states something in the early part of the op-ed that should be agreeable to most. “…this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral and it breaks my heart.”

Caitlin Dickerson’s “Baby Constantin”, struck a nerve in me. It saddened me deeply to learn that a new born baby was separated from his mother and father at just 4 months old. Baby Constantin was held in foster care for 5 months before finally being united with his family. This particular story has a larger effect, due to the fact that the main character is a baby. It creates a vulnerability in the viewer, when watching. Especially in those who have children of their own or take care of children. “Baby Constantin”, is relatable to almost everyone, on a moral level, regardless of race, culture, or religion.

Of the many children how are separated from their families, How many of them are actually united with their families again?

Will congress pass a law that is more lenient toward immigration, in the near future?

Grade 4/5