By Gil Cisneros
For centuries, the United States of America has been a shining beacon of freedom and hope for millions of people around the world. Immigrants have come to this country in search of the American dream, and in return they have built the America that we live in today.
When the Pilgrims famously settled in Massachusetts in the 1600s, they came to practice their religion freely and start a new life. When the potato famine struck Ireland in the 1840s, thousands came and took low-wage jobs to feed their families. After the Vietnam War in 1975, many came to escape violence and starvation. In all of those cases, immigrants traveled to America knowing there was a good chance they could perish along the way amidst dangerous conditions. Still, they persisted.
Millions have come to America, each with their own reasons and their own story to tell. In America, they have worked hard to improve their own lives. In the process, they have bettered the lives of all those around them. Immigrants often take the most difficult and laborious jobs, toiling for long hours and making little money. They make an immeasurable impact on our country, contributing to our economy and paying taxes.
One needs to look no further than Southern California to realize the value of immigrants. Here, our community thrives because of our diversity. We are a melting pot of cultures, strengthened by the different experiences that each of us brings. There are few places where one can drive for a few miles and see the world. Southern California is one of those few.
Numerous studies also show that immigrants are far less likely to commit violent crimes. They’re not here to make trouble. They’re here because they care about this country and what it stands for.
Every year, thousands of immigrants join the U.S. military and risk their lives to defend this country. Since 9/11, nearly 300 immigrants have died in the line of the duty. Many of them were still waiting to become U.S. citizens, but they all made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and the U.S. Constitution.
Today, immigrants make up 17 percent of the U.S. workforce. In Southern California, they are even more important. California’s 39th Congressional District lies at the intersections of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties. Here, nearly a third of the district was born outside the United States, not to mention the thousands who are second or third generation immigrants whose parents and grandparents came to this country not long ago.
The immigrants of today are not so different from those first came to America. They, like many before them, are coming to the United States to build a better life for them and their children. They are seeking the American dream, a promise of opportunity that has uplifted millions of people who now call this land home. That is still the promise of America today, but only if we work to keep it that way.
On November 6, voters will cast an important ballot that will influence whether America continues to be a welcoming place for all. The stakes have never been higher.
In Congress, I pledge to always advocate on behalf of our immigrant families and to fix our country’s broken immigration system. We are stronger when we work together to build a better future. I’ll fight to ensure we end the detention and separation of families, we keep our promise to DACA recipients, and I refuse to fund the administration’s senseless border wall.
I am proud of my Mexican-American heritage, and I come from a family of service. My father fought for our country in Vietnam, and I followed in his footsteps serving in the Navy for 10 years. I have seen firsthand the contributions that immigrants make to our armed forces and our society. The immigrants who have woven the fabric of America have made tremendous sacrifices. I will defend the United States as a welcoming land of opportunity, so that future generations can find the same strength in America that we and our ancestors have.
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Gil Cisneros is an independent leader running for Congress to ensure our children are provided with the same ladder of opportunity that the Navy provided him. Son of a cafeteria worker, Gil is not a career politician, he is a veteran, philanthropist, and education advocate, who pledges to stand up to the insurance and pharmaceutical industries to lower healthcare costs, protect education funding, and work to create good-paying local jobs. Gil refuses contributions from PACs because he believes the government should work for the people – not corporate special interests.
