Just Come Here the Right Way

You want them to come here the right way? Great! They want that too. They want to at least have the option to do things right. Most people wouldn’t risk their life for a chance at a better future if they didn’t feel it was their only option.

And I hope that if you ever have to flee your country due to economic instability, war, political unrest, or simply because you have the right to pursue a different life than the one you were born into, you have the option to do it the “right” way. I want everyone to have the opportunity to do things the right way, and for those right options to be available.

You’ve never known the pain of leaving everything you’ve ever known in search of upward mobility, economic opportunity, and safety, and I hope you never do. For millions, that pain is all too real. It’s the struggle for survival, for safety, for a better life.

But I hope that if you ever have to flee because your life is in danger, that doing it the right way doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars you don’t have, or walk hundreds of miles, risking death, seeing others die, or possibly losing your own life.

I hope you don’t arrive at a country you believed was more advanced and humane, only to be met with hostility and forced to wait months, if not years, in inhumane conditions. I hope they don’t take your children from you.

I hope you're able to work right away to provide for your family, even if it means earning pennies to the dollar compared to citizens, because at least you're safe, your family is safe, and you have the opportunity to rebuild your life.

I hope that when you go through the legal process, there's a clear path to follow, one that isn't determined by your skin color or country of origin, and that you aren't forced to wait a decade or more for a chance at a better life.

I hope you get the medical care you need, and that your children receive the proper education to help them become contributing members of society.

I hope you don’t have to live a life in hiding.

I hope that when you need to travel—whether it’s because of a family emergency or simply to see the world—you can do so freely and without fear of being stuck in a system that doesn’t care about your humanity

I hope the immigration system is well-staffed and efficient, so you don’t have to wait a decade or more.

I hope you don’t have to live in the shadows, always fearful of being discovered or torn apart from your family and being ripped away from the life you worked so hard to create.

Because if you were born here, you understand you did absolutely nothing and put in zero work to be here—you just got lucky.