10 Must Read Novels About the Immigrant Experience

Here are 10 fictional narratives detailing aspects of the immigrant experience from the hilarious to the heart-wrenching and everything in between.

Bookshelves. Hannah Gersen. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Travel has been a popular topic among authors for almost as long as writing has existed. From the heroic tales of Odysseus’ journey first published in Homer’s 7th century BC epic, to the many articles highlighting hidden wonders on this very website, the idea of reading about far away places and getting lost in descriptions of exotic foreignness has always drawn a huge following. The subsection of this genre that focuses on migrant experiences, however, adds a completely unique flavor to these stories of new discovery. Here are 10 books that highlight, among others, themes of cultural assimilation, hardships encountered in completely foreign settings and the balance between wanting a better life and loyalty to one's country.

1. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (2020)

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. Waterstones. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

After her critically acclaimed debut novel Homegoing, Ghanian-American novelist Yaa Gyasi has finally gifted her readers another emotional rollercoaster in “Transcendent Kingdom”. Her protagonist, Gifty, a whip smart first generation neuroscience candidate at Stanford, finds herself struggling to accommodate her Ghanian mother’s pervasive religious beliefs alongside her scientific research. Maybe more importantly, Gifty is also struggling to find herself, her place in society, her true calling in life and love. “Transcendent Kingdom” is raw, honest and unsparing in its examination of one woman’s journey to self-acceptance.

Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades. Goodreads. CC BY 2.0.

This debut novel from Queens local Daphne Palasi Andreades is a beautifully lyrical homage to young women of color making their way through the complexities of teenage life in the New York borough. The book follows “girls like Nadira, Gabby, Naz, Trish, Angelique” among others as they face the realities of reconciling their American dreams with histories and cultures rooted in the faraway homelands of their parents. Andreades masterfully balances the day to day of life in Queens while tackling the issues of race, class, identity and cultural marginalization dealt with by brown girls everywhere.

 

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. Amazon. CC BY-NC 2.0.

 

Charles Yu is back with another satirically analogous novel, this time tastefully playing back and forth between Asian-American stereotypes and Hollywood clichés to narrate, literally, the far reaching aspirations of “Generic Asian Man” Willis Wu. Willis feels so much an unremarkable member of Chinatown’s exotic foreign aesthetic, that he can’t even see himself as the main character in his own life. His dreams, on the other hand, have him playing “Kung Fu Guy”, a role achieved only by those lucky enough to claw their way out of Chinatown’s grasp, but one that will force Willis to confront his family’s heritage in the context of a hostile America.

Good Intentions by Kasim Ali. Waterstones. CC BY 2.0.

Romance novel fans look no further -- Kasim Ali’s debut novel “Good Intentions” follows the love story between Yasmina and Nur from reckless college parties to the uncertainties of post-graduation adulthood. Both first generation immigrants from Sudan and Pakistan respectively, Yasmina and Nur are navigating the balance between traditional Muslim values and their feelings for each other. While Yasmina, passionate and headstrong, seems to have everything figured out, Nur can’t bring himself to tell his parents about his relationship, even four years in. Comforting and heartbreaking all at the same time, the romance novel is the ultimate homage to young love in vibrant color.

The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota. Blackwell’s. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

This award-winning novel is Indian-British author Sunjeev Sahota’s second publication, telling the sweeping narrative of four young Indians facing the punishing realities of building a new life in foreign surroundings. Avtar, Randeep, Tochi and Narinder want nothing more than to leave their pasts in the rural Indian villages which they fought so hard to escape, but they have no idea how much hardship still awaits them. Stretching from the most remote corners of Eastern India to the crumbling housing complexes in Sheffield, Sahota shares a story of dreams and ambition, of the ever-pervasive sufferings of generational poverty and inequality and of the sheer strength of the immigrant spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulty.

 

Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So. Goodreads. CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

A love letter to Khmer teenagers, monks, donut shop owners, badminton players and everyone else in the Cambodian enclave of Stockton, California, Anthony Veasna So’s collection of short stories paint a darkly humorous picture of his community. Each vignette holds up a microscope to a crucial turning point in a young Khmer life, some of which lead their protagonists to long-awaited clarity and relief while others are simply plagued by more questions and emotional instability. So is unrelenting in his study of the good, the bad and the ugly of what it means to be “Cambo” -- what it means to carry the searingly fresh wounds of recent history while chasing success in 21st century America.

 

Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta. Goodreads. CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

Toronto-based author Zalika Reid-Benta’s debut short story collection follows the conflicted Kara Davis who constantly feels as though she is falling between the cracks of her Jamaican ancestry and her Canadian nationality. A coming of age story set against the rich backdrop of Toronto’s Little Jamaica neighborhood, “Frying Plantain” perfectly captures the power of a single moment to completely alter a relationship, an intention and even an entire life. Familial relationships are tested and generations clash over what it means to be a “true Jamaican” while embracing new opportunities, all while being wrapped up in ever-present tensions of being black in a predominantly white country.

 

Mama Tandoori by Ernest van der Kwast. Amazon. CC BY-NC 2.0.

 

Marked by its huge cast of unforgettable characters, “Mama Tandoori” is the heart-warming story of author Ernest van der Kwast’s childhood under the watchful eyes of his austere Dutch father and big-hearted Indian mother. With hilarity around every corner, van der Kwast introduces his heptathlete aunt and Bollywood star uncle amongst a colorful lineup of relatives, each adding spices of their own to the recipe of his youth. It is his mother, however, the talented bargainer and ever tenacious Veena van der Kwast, who lies at the center of this novel and breathes life into this moving portrait of familial love.

 

Island by Siri Ranva Hjelm Jacobsen. Pushkin Press. CC BY 2.0.

 

Siri Ranva Hjelm Jacobsen’s critically acclaimed debut novel approaches the immigrant story from an exhilaratingly new perspective. Island follows a young woman completely removed from her ancestral heritage in the Faroe Islands despite having called it home her whole life. When she is called back by family, she journeys to the rocky shores of the northern archipelago to discover stories about her ancestors that will change the way she sees herself forever. An incredible tale of perseverance and cultural discovery, “Island” explores the complex definition of “home” to those who have more than one.

 

The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan. Biblio. CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

This final one is an oldie but a goodie -- Chinese American author Amy Tan is most well-known for her novel “The Joy Luck Club”, and this novel follows proudly in its footsteps, touching on similar aspects of the Chinese-American immigrant experience, while introducing a refreshing dose of Chinese mysticism and ghostly folklore for good measure. The Hundred Secret Senses follows half-sisters Olivia and Kwan, the former desperately trying to find her place at the intersection of her mixed heritage, and the latter perfectly content in her ability to communicate with the departed souls of those she knew in past lives. Tan weaves a heart-wrenching narrative of love and loss that carries readers from the sunny shores of San Francisco to the bloody terrors of Manchu China, honoring the bonds of familial loyalty and the ties of tradition the whole way through.

Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.

What Happens to Afghan Refugees Once They Flee? 

People have been leaving Afghanistan for 40 years, hoping to escape conflict, violence, and poverty. The Taliban’s recent takeover has exacerbated the displacement and flight of Afghan people, but where do they go once they’ve left? 

Why are people fleeing Afghanistan? 

This year, 20 years after The Taliban was ousted from power in Afghanistan, the insurgent group regained control of the country. On August 15, Taliban forces took Kabul, the nation’s capital, with little resistance. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, and the government collapsed, securing The Taliban’s position of power. 

Following The Taliban’s seizure of Kabul and effective takeover of the country, tens of thousands of people fled Afghanistan, fearing their safety under Taliban rule. 

Amnesty International reports that at present, there are over 2.6 million registered refugees from Afghanistan worldwide and more who haven’t been registered or who are asylum seekers (meaning they haven’t yet been legally recognized as refugees). People began leaving Afghanistan forty years ago, seeking refuge from conflict, violence and poverty. However, the recent Taliban takeover has escalated the amount of violence faced by people in Afghanistan and raised human rights concerns, especially over the treatment of women and girls. 

The United Nations Refugee Agency predicts that up to half a million people could flee Afghanistan by the end of the year. As many as 125,000 people fled between August 16 and 26 during a multinational evacuation effort led by the U.S. military. However, more Afghans are still displaced and trying to escape Taliban rule. 

What happens to Afghan refugees once they leave the country? 

If Afghans can make it out of the country, what happens next varies. Those leaving via land borders often live in temporary refugee camps, like the ones set up by Iran and Tajikistan. 

Pakistan and Iran have been the countries to take in the largest numbers of Afghan refugees in the past. However, this time, officials from both countries have said that they cannot take another large influx of refugees. Instead, they will be expected to stay in camps on the borders until they  return to Afghanistan. 

On August 16, the UNHRC issued a non-return advisory, meaning that no country can deport people to Afghanistan right now. 

Some governments, such as Austria, Poland, Turkey and Switzerland, have made clear that they will not welcome any Afghan refugees and are upping border security to guard against anyone entering their countries illegally. However, other governments, such as France, Germany, Canada, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., have pledged to host Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers.

United States

Axios reports that an expected 37,000 Afghan refugees will soon be entering the U.S., likely the first group of several. They will be sent to 46 states, excluding Hawaii, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming, with California and Texas receiving the most people. 

More than half of the Afghan refugees who have already arrived in the U.S. helped the U.S. officals and their families, some of whom hold Special Immigrant Visas. This next wave of 37,000 also includes many people regarded as U.S. allies, who either have an SIV or have applied for one. 

Those refugees who are not eligible for an SIV can apply for other types of relief, such as asylum or a temporary visa. In additoin, they can still enter the U.S., even without a valid visa, if they have applied for humanitarian parole, which allows those facing an emergency or urgent humanitarian crisis to enter the country for a temporary period. 

All Afghan refugees are eligible to apply for humanitarian parole and asylum, and they can also apply for a U.S. visa. However, those who have applied for either but have not yet completed the lengthy screening and interview process to receive clearance are being sent to third-party countries before they can enter the United States. Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia and Uganda have agreed to temporarily host smaller numbers of refugees ultimately destined for the U.S. 

When Afghan refugees arrive in the U.S., legal residents or U.S. citizens are tested for COVID-19 and then released to go to their destinations. Those who are not will be sent to military bases for processing, which includes a health screening and services such as help to apply for work authorization. After processing, these refugees are connected with a refugee resettlement agency. 

Resettlement agencies, like RAICES in Texas, are funded by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Resettlement agencies, using a $1200-per-person stiped, set up housing, including utilities and furniture, for the refugees, and enroll children in school and sign families up for social services programs such as Medicaid. The agencies also provide job skills training and help refugees with their job searches; they also help refugees adjust to their new homes through cultural orientation programs. In addition, some refugees qualify for monthly cash assistance, which the resettlement agencies also provide. 

United Kingdom 

The Home Office, the U.K.’s lead immigration department, has announced that any Afghans that worked for the U.K. government or British military can stay in the U.K. permanently. There are currently over 8000 Afghan refugees in the U.K., and many of those who were initially only granted temporary residency can now upgrade their immigration status and find permanent housing and jobs. 

Right now, manyf Afghan refugees in the U.K. are living in hotels, but the government hopes to have them resettled more permanently soon. The government has developed two resettlement plans for Afghan refugees—the one currently in progress is known as Operation Warm Welcome, which provides support similar to that of U.S. resettlement agencies such as enrolling kids in school, registering refugees for healthcare and helping them to find housing. The second plan, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, is a longer-term plan, aiming to take in an additional 20,000 refugees over the next few years. 

The refugees who are not currently eligible for permanent residency  can apply for a five-year visa; after the visa is up they can apply for permanent residence.

France

Between August 16 and 27, France evacuated over 2500 Afghans from Kabul, mainly activists. Many of these refugees left families behind in Afghanistan and now worry that they will be unable to reunite. France is notoriously slow at approving family reunification applications, with Afghans having to wait an average of three years before bringing their relatives. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has expressed concerns about a large influx of immigrants, saying that though France will continue to protect those who are most threatened under Taliban rule, “irregular migratory flows” need to be stemmed. 

According to the European Resettlement Network, refugees who can enter France are granted a temporary, six-month leave to work and receive certain social services benefits. After that, all refugees are required to lodge an asylum claim, which, when approved, grants them official refugee status. After gaining refugee status, refugees may apply for French citizenship. 

Challenges 

Whether refugees are in camps or have found refuge in other countries, they often face challenges like unsanitary conditions, a lack of food and housing, and harassment from people around them. Though people leaving Afghanistan are safe from the more immediate dangers of conflict and violence, just leaving the country does not ensure their long-term well being. 

Organizations like Refugees International and Amnesty International have put forth recommendations on how countries can best respond to the Afghan refugee crisis and better help refugees. 

To Get Involved: 

To learn how to support Women for Women International’s emergency relief fund, click here. 

To get involved with the International Rescue Organization, click here. 

To learn more about Afghan Aid, an organization that has been working in Afghanistan for nearly 40 years, click here. 

Ways to help Afghan refugees are different depending on where you live, so consider looking into local and national organizations as well. 

Rachel Lynch

Rachel is a student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY currently taking a semester off. She plans to study Writing and Child Development. Rachel loves to travel and is inspired by the places she’s been and everywhere she wants to go. She hopes to educate people on social justice issues and the history and culture of travel destinations through her writing.

Beyond the Wall, Berlin’s Multicultural Roots Shine Through

When Germany’s capital is mentioned, people often think of Berlin’s turbulent history, thriving arts scene and hipster culture. However, multiculturalism ought to also come to mind. With 21% of its population hailing from non-German backgrounds representing 190 countries, Berlin is becoming a true melting pot. Often nicknamed “Multikulti,” Berlin portrays itself as a tolerant city aiming to attract talent from abroad while celebrating its diversity within.  

Guest-workers from Hungary in East Germany. Lehmann. 30 Sept. 1988. CC3.0

A History of Migration 

After World War II, the Allied Powers divided Berlin into four regions. The American, British and French regions made up West Berlin and the region occupied by the Soviet Union made up East Berlin. Immigration to Berlin was largely influenced by the dynamics of the divided city’s various zones. After the war, there was a strong need for labor to help rebuild Germany. West Germany recruited “guest-workers” to fill this need from nearby areas such as Turkey and southeastern Europe. The East German government recruited guest-workers from other socialist countries, such as North Vietnam and North Korea. More recently, many immigrants escaping conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa have sought refuge in Berlin.

An Arabic market in Neukolln Gürer CC2.0

Multicultural Districts in Berlin

Although Berlin has a sizable international population, being an immigrant in the city is not without its problems. Areas of Berlin with high immigrant populations tend to be weaker economically and are known for social problems including high unemployment, increased crime rates, drug trafficking and gentrification. Ethnic minorities are usually present only in certain neighborhoods and are underrepresented in German popular culture and politics. Immigrants are also subjected to acts of hatred and violence due to strongholds of White nationalism in areas of East Berlin. Additionally, previous immigration policies in Berlin have focused on tolerating, rather than accepting, immigrants in the city. The term “Auslander” or foreigner negatively refers to immigrants in Germany, speaking to the difficulties they face with integrating into German society.

However, things are slowly changing. Immigrant communities in Berlin are proudly showcasing their cultures for others to see. Travelers who visit Berlin’s multicultural hubs can help change the narrative of immigration in Germany. 

Sehitlik Mosque in Berlin’s Neukolln district. Zairon CC International 4.0

Neukolln

Today, the majority of Berlin’s immigrant population resides in the center of the city in the districts of Neukolln and Kreuzberg. Although previously known for its unemployment and drug problems, Neukolln is reinventing itself as a hip and multicultural center. One of Neukolln’s iconic areas is Sonnenallee, often nicknamed “Arab Street,” which is home to many Middle Eastern restaurants, grocery stores and baklava shops. Walking through Sonnenallee, one is nearly as likely to hear various Arabic dialects and Turkish as German. Neukolln is also home to the Sehitlik Mosque, which is the most visited mosque in Berlin. The mosque participates in the Long Night of Religions, an annual event where houses of worship all over the city open their doors to the public to promote tolerance and interreligious dialogue. 

Turkish market in Kreuzberg. Gürer. CC2.0

Kreuzberg

Berlin’s Kreuzberg district is often nicknamed “Little Istanbul” for good reason; the neighborhood is home to the largest Turkish population outside of Turkey. On Tuesdays and Fridays, Kreuzberg hosts an expansive Turkish Market, selling everything from fresh produce and spices to fabrics and street food. Kreuzberg is an excellent place to try Turkish staples such as doner kebab and gozleme. Markthalle Neun is another acclaimed international market in Berlin. On Thursday evenings, it hosts “Street Food Thursday” with seemingly endless vendors serving diverse culinary options. Berlin’s Jewish Museum, also located in Kreuzberg, is the largest museum in Europe focusing on Jewish history and culture. Known for its nightlife and hip culture, Kreuzburg is rising in popularity. At the same time, this has given rise to gentrification which makes it difficult for migrant families to afford life there. 

One of the many warehouses in the Dong Xuan Center in East Berlin. Gürer. CC2.0

East Berlin’s Vietnamese Population 

Vietnamese make up the largest Southeast Asian population in Berlin, most of whom reside in the eastern part of the city. The Dong Xuan Center in Lichtenberg is home to Berlin’s hub of Vietnamese culture: a warehouse-like market that contains vegetable shops, clothing stores, beauty salons and authentic restaurants. 

The House of World Cultures in Berlin. Mennerich. CC 2.0

House of World Cultures 

Founded in 1989, the House of World Cultures is an arts and cultural center that hosts exhibitions, conferences and themes focused predominantly on non-Western cultures and societies. Located in the Tiergarten area near the Spree River, the center’s primary focus is to provide Berliners with an authentic view of contemporary art and culture from around the world. Past events include a Korean film festival and various world music events. 

Performer at the annual Carnival of Cultures. Reichert. CC 2.0

Carnival of Cultures

The Carnival of Cultures is a four-day celebration of Berlin’s cultural diversity that occurs every spring. Festivities include music, dance, street performances, street food and crafts. On Pentecost Sunday, the last day of the celebration, a procession of floats travels through Kreuzberg.

Immigration has shaped Berlin’s culture and history for decades, providing a fascinating framework for travelers to explore. Despite the contested status of refugees in Germany today, migration into Berlin is nothing new. Visiting these multicultural spaces is a step toward tolerance and appreciation of the beauty and diversity so often brought about by means of immigration.

Megan Gürer

is a Turkish-American student at Wellesley College in Massachusetts studying Biological Sciences. Passionate about environmental issues and learning about other cultures, she dreams of exploring the globe. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, singing, and composing music.

A Crisis of Violence Pushes Honduran Women to the U.S. Border

For women facing rampant femicide and rape in Honduras, the risks of a treacherous trip across the border are minor compared to the dangers of remaining at home.

High rates of violence against women in Honduras has been attributed to a culture of machismo. Paul Lowry via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0

Yo no quiero ser violada.


I do not want to be raped.

So read the signs plastered across walls and doors in the cities of Honduras. Simple black lettering is inscribed beneath a pair of thickly lashed eyes, with the eyebrows above turned downwards in an expression of anger—or, more accurately, indignation—at the dangerous injustices Honduran women face every day.

Honduras has been called the most dangerous place on Earth to be a woman, and with good reason: As of 2015, the Central American nation ranked alongside war-torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan for the highest rates of violent deaths among women. Although the overall murder rate of Honduras, which has long been wracked by drug- and gang-related violence, has declined in recent years, murder remains the second-leading cause of death for women of childbearing age.

In 2014, a high-profile “femicide”—the murder of a woman because she is a woman—rocked the nation and brought its murder rates into the international spotlight. Nineteen-year-old Miss Honduras winner Maria Jose Alvarado, just days from departing for London to compete for the title of Miss World, was brutally murdered and buried in a shallow grave in a riverbank. Authorities surmised that her sister’s boyfriend, 32-year-old Plutarco Ruiz, shot his girlfriend, Sofia Trinidad, before opening fire on Maria Jose as she attempted to flee. The ensuing investigation yielded the sisters’ bodies within a week, but their mother, Teresa Muñoz, believed it would not have happened at all if Maria Jose had not been famous: “Here in Honduras, women aren’t worth anything,” she told ABC News.

In 2013, the year before Maria Jose’s violent death, statistics showed that 636 women were murdered during the year, one every 13.8 hours. Most victims lived in urban areas, particularly San Pedro Sula and the Central District—in fact, 40 percent of all murders of women could be traced to those two areas. Nearly half of all women targeted annually were young, with the 20–24 age range being the most at risk. And murder is far from the only danger facing Honduran women. Rape, assault, and domestic violence are also rampant, and perpetrators enjoy near-total impunity: In 2014, the UN found that 95 percent of sexual violence and femicide cases were never investigated.

San Pedro Sula, a city with high rates of femicide. Gervaldez. CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 2.5, CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY-SA 1.0

Honduras’ shocking levels of violence against women can be traced in part to harmful attitudes bubbling below the surface. Suyapa Martínez, a local feminist and co-director of the Center for Women’s Studies—Honduras, points to “machismo,” a Spanish term describing a society built by men “who consider themselves to be the owners of women’s bodies.” In such a society, women have historically lacked political power: Only about half of Honduran women work outside the home, and when they do, they earn just half of what their male colleagues bring in.

Meanwhile, those ostensibly tasked with protecting all Honduran citizens—women included—have done little to mitigate the crisis. A 2015 report from the UN special rapporteur on violence against women concluded that the administration has paid “minimal attention” to gender empowerment and implemented only “ineffective measures” to address social reform. And in many cases, the government inflames the problem by limiting women’s options after sexual violence: Emergency contraception is completely banned, as is abortion, even in the case of rape, incest, or threat to the mother’s life. Women who seek abortion can receive a prison sentence of up to six years. These strict rules stem from the stranglehold of the Catholic and Evangelical churches, who have resisted even minor liberalizations to legislation—even after the UN joined with other human rights groups in 2017 to call for the allowance of abortion in cases of rape, incest, or possibility fatality. To make matters worse, the government is expected to decrease the penalty for violence against women later this year to between one and four years in prison.

Trapped in a repressive society and seeing little hope for a safer future, huge influxes of women and children have embarked on the treacherous journey to America’s southern border. In what the UN has called an “invisible refugee crisis,” women from the Northern Triangle—which includes Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala—have been fleeing in droves, with more than half listing violence as their reason for requesting entry to the United States. Lori Adams, director of the U.S.-based Immigration Intervention Project at Sanctuary for Families, told Politico, “Women are leaving with no other option but to flee north, even knowing that the journey itself might be life-threatening, but knowing it’s a near certainty that they will be killed if they remain.”

Migration office in Honduras. KriKri01. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0


Yet even if women survive the trek north, their hopes are often dashed when they reach the border. According to researchers at Syracuse University, the percentage of asylum applicants denied by U.S. immigration courts has been increasing since 2012, reaching 65 percent in 2018. That year, prospects for Hondurans were particularly grim, with judges granting just 21 percent of asylum cases. And as of mid-August, new policies from the Trump administration will privilege green-card applicants—immigrants aiming to become naturalized citizens—who are educated and monied while denying those who are considered likely to rely on government welfare programs. Given the financial dynamics of Latin America, the new rule will almost certainly affect Honduran women seeking safety in the United States. Dario Aguirre, a Denver-based immigration lawyer, told the New York Times that Trump’s policy gives officers carte blanche to deny green cards to many working-class immigrants from less developed countries, such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Thus, another option is ripped from the hands of already desperate Honduran women—and until the U.S. government or Honduran officials enact substantive change, their eyes will stay wide open like the posters on the walls, watching keenly for danger.






TALYA PHELPS hails from the wilds of upstate New York, but dreams of exploring the globe. As former editor-in-chief at the student newspaper of her alma mater, Vassar College, and the daughter of a journalist, she hopes to follow her passion for writing and editing for many years to come. Contact her if you're looking for a spirited debate on the merits of the em dash vs. the hyphen.







ICE’s Wandering Children

Where Are They? Are They Really Gone?

Recently the news that ICE lost track of nearly 1,500 children stormed headlines on news and social media. At a glance, the way this news was being pushed to the front lines of every outlet made it seem that this was something very recent and nobody had known about it until now; however, that is not the case. The most minor of internet searches will show that this actually happened in the last few months of 2017, and it has only become major news as of late. Why? Nobody is completely sure, but what remains known is that this is something important and regardless of why it has suddenly come to light, it cannot be ignored.

The current administration has a known stance on immigration, and it is no secret that they hold fast to a virtually nonexistent tolerance policy for people in the United States illegally; yes, children too. An article from CNN written by Dakin Andone states that, “The federal government has placed thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children in the homes of sponsors, but last year it couldn't account for nearly 1,500 of them.” These children that were taken by the government and placed with sponsors were unaccompanied by adults or separated from their family when they crossed into the United States. The children were brought to sponsors that were typically people that had ties to the children specifically, whether it be by blood or otherwise. However, in and after the process of all of this being done, around 1,500 children became unaccounted for. 

These children were dismissed by officials as not legally their problem to deal with, and claimed some of them were merely runaways. The same article from CNN by Dakin And one states, “An additional 28 had run away” after quoting Steven Wagner, who is said in the article to be an official in the department of Health and Human Services, on his stance on the situation. When this headline broke out recently, a lot of people talking on the subject on social media heavily suggested that some sort of trafficking issue could be at play here. The idea that the government had purposefully lost these children was becoming more and more talked about with each day, but there was never any concrete evidence to back these theories, just thoughts and ideas rooted in past government activity. 

While the whole truth has yet to be concretely proven, one can only wonder just how much is at play here, and what will happen next with this story.

ANNA LOPEZ is a rising sophomore at Ithaca college. She is a writing major with aspirations of heading to law school after completing her undergraduate years. She loves animals, art, and travel; she can't wait to see where writing takes her!