Edlir Tale

Professor Jane Bolster

English 110

2 October 2018

                                                                             A Decentralized Government

           The United States of America– a nation built on the backbones of immigrants stretching from all across the globe– has become a nation that views immigration with firm opposition.  The United States of America was built by immigrants who came looking for new beginnings, a better life, and most importantly: opportunity. Currently, President Donald Trump has implemented ideas and specific policies that have been portraying immigrants as threats to America. President Donald Trump and his administration have increased border control, as well as implement ICE agents to seize, separate, and deport illegal immigrants who came to find opportunities in a nation that has it all.

Source 1- Magazine

“{Steinfels, Margaret O’Brien. “Another Abu Ghraib? How Trump’s immigration policies could lead to abuse.” Commonweal, 24 Mar. 2017, p. 7. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A488657963/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&sid=OVIC&xid=a69c17e6.Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

Summary: “Another Abu Ghraib? How Trump’s immigration policies could lead to abuse” by Margaret O’Brien, illustrates the comparison between the Iraq war days and the modern day immigration detention centers. In this text, Steinfels explains how during the Iraq wars the military had an agenda to capture bombers and terrorists in which led to the random gathering of Iraqis, who were seized in the middle of the night and hustled, without notice, to Abu Ghraib. Eventually, the ratio of prisoners to interrogation was exponential, and this led to harsh treatment and brutality for these prisoners. Steinfels goes on to write about whether this incident will occur with the rapid gathering of immigrants in the United States.

Rhetorical Situation: Margaret Steinfels served 15 years as the editor of Commonweal, an independent biweekly journal of political, religious and literary opinion. Steinfels writes this text to show that the American government fails to move forward and often resorts to old tactics without realizing the impact it has on individuals. According to the document, “President Donald Trump has promised an all-out-effort to deport “the bad hombres””(Steinfelis). Currently, secretary of Homeland security John Kelly desires to hire an additional ten thousand ICE agents and 5,000 border guards, leading to an increase in brutality towards immigrants by inexperienced officials.

Audience: The article was published in “ Commonweal On Donald Trump’s Immigration Policies Could Lead to Abuse” on March 13, 2017. The audience of this magazine is intended for Anti-Trump supporters. In the text, Steinfels states, “ American’s traditional optimism about the future is steadily giving way to the conjuring of worst-case scenarios.” Steinfels appeals to American values and the symbolic American pride known as patriotism.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this article is to inform Americans that today’s immigration policies place immigrants seeking better lives as threats to society. In today’s society, the government sets labels on individuals and implements segregation as a tactic to promote their beliefs. Immigrant families are being detained and abused by the government.

Genre: The Magazine Article: “Another Abu Ghraib?” is portrayed as a political magazine set to illustrate readers in the informalities of the American Government and the abuse endured by immigrants. Based on the images of ICE detaining immigrants on the streets, Donald Trump and his administration are implementing policies unwelcoming to immigrants.

Stance:  Steinfels, Margaret O’Brien inform readers that the American government is growing increasingly spiteful toward immigrants and the idea of immigration. Steinfelis includes this article in the “ Commonweal On Donald Trump’s Immigration Policies Could Lead to Abuse”  to incline readers on her firm opposition towards President Donald Trump. Steinfelis hopes to inform the general public that immigration will never end and to brutalize individuals based on their hopes, is an attribute America should not contribute to.

Source 2  Newspaper

“{“Immigration: Ongoing family separation, asylum crisis.” Premium Official News, 4 July 2018. Infotrac Newsstand, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A547815063/STND?u=cuny_ccny&sid=STND&xid=45df456a. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

Summary: The following article titled: “Immigration: Ongoing family separation, asylum crisis” was published in August 2018 in regards to Maryknoll missioners along the U.S-Mexico border and the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns in Washington, D.C. to take action to end family separation and protect rights of asylum seekers. The “Premium Official News” article reflects on the core values of America and the dark path the nation has taken in regards to immigration.

Rhetorical Situation: This article exists to increase intervention on immigration as well as end family separation at the border. The text encourages immigration reform supporters to contact their Members of Congress and urge them to use their oversight capabilities to stop the Department of Homeland Security from separating families. More than  2,300 children were separated from their parents since early May – and more families seeking asylum are being turned away by the U.S Border Patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Audience:  The Newspaper article is intended to appeal to the emotions of Americans. The author refers to criminalizing those who seek asylum as inhumane and contrary to Christian values. The author appeals to Americans since Christianity is the most dominant religion in the United States.   

Purpose: The author’s agenda in this newspaper article is to inform readers that American Immigration policies must change and that immigrants seeking asylum shall not be mistreated and should be welcome. In the text the author includes such examples when he/she states, “Public outcry forced President Trump to reverse course on June 20 and issue an executive order to detain families together – another problem altogether. “ The U.S. government still has not shared a clear plan for reuniting the thousands of children already separated from their parents.

Genre: From the images present in the article, I believe this text is a political newspaper to promote protesting amongst Americans and firm believers of freedom. The picture in the version quotes, “ Catholics say families belong together.” Essentially, this text connects societal issue, specifically Immigration, with religion and applies religion as a book of law that society should follow.

Stance: The author’s position in this text is firmly against the current predicament against immigrants and draws attention to reform in government immigration policies. The author utilizes a personal tone to inform readers that President Trump’s plans on immigration are unjust and cause families to fear being separated and never reunited.

 

Source 3: Scholarly Article                                                                                                      “{Jellinek, Michael S. “U.S. immigration policy: What harms will persist?” Pediatric News, July 2018, p. 8. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A549157704/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=5daf3e0d. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

Summary:  The article titled “U.S. Immigration policy: What harms will persist (Pediatric News)” by Jellinek, Michael S., was published in July 2018 to demonstrates the mental harm done to children that are separate from there families. Dr. Michael Jellinek–a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School– discusses how the current trauma children are facing is likely to result in nightmares, depression, and persistent anxiety about trusting the safety of their surroundings. Dr. Jellenek then compares the current predicament to the World War ll Japanese internment camps and wonders if today’s current problem is equally as brutal as then.

Rhetorical Situation: The reason this article exists was to gather facts and statistics for Americans, specifically parents who have children, and illustrate the brutality immigrant children currently endure. Presently parents are being detained and separated from their children. “ These harms will impact their health, their ability to learn, their relationships, and may increase the risk of self-medication through use of substances”(Jellinek).

Audience:  The audience of this article is intended for parents who have children. Dr. Jellinek plans on appealing to parents with children and describes the brutality immigrant children are enduring mentally. Dr. Jellenek hopes for parents to imagine their children as being one of the immigrant children who has been terrorized by the American government. Jellinek intends to appeal to Americans emotion and illustrate the wrongdoings of the government.

Purpose:  The author’s agenda in this article is to inform readers that the American government is terrorizing immigrants and their families. Dr. Jellinek wants to gain support from American families who live in an ideal household and compare them with immigrants families who are separate at the US/Mexico border. Jellinek illustrates the trauma endured by these immigrants and hopes to gain support from Americans for change.

Genre: The article titled: “U.S. Immigration policy: What harms will persist” is a political news article that is against the current immigration policies. The article questions whether or not the government’s treatment of immigrant families will end or not and how many immigrant families will posses post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The article continues to provide questions for the American government and approaches toward immigration reform.

Stance: ” The separation of children from parents whether politically motivated or as a punishment for frightened immigrants is a dubious end that cannot justify immoral means”(Jellinek).  This quote explicitly shows that Dr. Jellinek is against the actions taken by the American government towards immigration. Jellinek believes that harm is, and continues to be done to immigrant families; some of it transient, some permanent, and some causing immigrants to feel demoralized.

Source 4:  Website

“{“Trump’s new plan to detain immigrant families indefinitely, explained.”

           This time, it might actually stand up in court.

By Dara Linddara@vox.com  Sep 6, 2018, 2:20pm EDT}”

Summary:   In Dara Lind’s article titled: “Trump’s New Plan to Detain Immigrant Families Indefinitely, Explained” Lind describes President Donald Trump’s plan to detain families who enter the United States without legal status for as long as his administration sees fit. It is starting to become a government official practice without considering the idea of the separation of children from their families.  The Trump Administration’s new proposal holds everyone in DHS custody — children and parents alike — to the same restrictive standard. Children arriving alone will be sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, whereas children coming with their parents are detained for as long as the government deems necessary.

Rhetorical Situation:   The author Dara Lind’s has covered immigration in some form for about a decade and has written this text to include the common issue of immigrants facing harsh conditions. Many of them are entering the country without proper documentation and are entering the country for new opportunities as well as to seek asylum. Immigrants are facing discrimination and are being mistreated by the American government and its policies.

Audience:  The audience of this text is intended for Americans who despise Donald Trump’s agenda towards immigration. Lind’s tries to appeal to Americans emotional state and refers to Trump’s administration’s policies as an act of wrongdoing. Lind describes Trump’s new proposal to increase ICE agents as well as border patrol. Trump’s plan is set to override the Flores settlement, an agreement that the federal government has used since 1997 to govern what happens to children who arrive in the US without their parents.

Purpose:  The text is set to inform the public that the government wants to detain more families and put them in less improved facilities. Currently, a majority of adults who arrive in the US without legal status have to be kept in immigration detention centers while put through “expedited” deportation proceedings. Asylum seekers are allowed to be released into the US while they fight their asylum case, but only after they’ve passed a preliminary “credible fear” screening that can take weeks.

Genre: The text stands as a political website in which describes the current predicament at the U.S. –Mexico border. The current proposed regulation would essentially let the government detain families and audit the facility later. It would set baseline standards for how facilities ought to treat children — including requirements for educational programming and emotional and medical care.

Stance:  In this text, Lind’s is neutral and merely provides evidence on the current immigration situation. She provides information to inform Americans on the flaws of the new proposed bill. Lind’s unbiased viewpoint is evident when she writes, “ Generally, children apprehended by Customs and Border Protection officials are supposed to be sent to another facility — either an HHS facility for unaccompanied children or a DHS one for families within 72 hours. Under the new regulation, that wouldn’t apply in cases of an “emergency.”

Reflection of all the Sources:  In all of these sources the authors have tried to explain the brutality immigrants have endured by the American government and how the government continues to place regulations that will further harm immigrants. The purpose of all of these articles is identical. In all four pieces, the authors have intended to inform readers, specifically Americans and American families, that the government is threatening people lives as well as drawing families apart. All of these sources are published in different genres to educate the public in all different angles that the current actions against immigrants are immoral and not American. They also try to inform readers that Immigrants entering America are individuals who have ambitions that are being denied to them by the American government.

WORKS CITED

 

• “{Steinfels, Margaret O’Brien. “Another Abu Ghraib? How Trump’s immigration policies could lead to abuse.” Commonweal, 24 Mar. 2017, p. 7. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A488657963/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&sid=OVIC&xid=a69c17e6. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

 

 

 

• “{“Immigration: Ongoing family separation, asylum crisis.” Premium Official News, 4 July 2018. Infotrac Newsstand, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A547815063/STND?u=cuny_ccny&sid=STND&xid=45df456a. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

 

 

 

• “{Jellinek, Michael S. “U.S. immigration policy: What harms will persist?” Pediatric News, July 2018, p. 8. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A549157704/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=5daf3e0d. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.}”

 

 

 

• “{Lind, Dara. “Trump’s New Plan to Detain Immigrant Families Indefinitely, Explained.” Vox, Vox, 6 Sept. 2018, www.vox.com/2018/9/6/17826912/flores-family-detention-trump-regulation.}”