Surrounding all the recent buzz and chaos around immigration status and the laws regarding it, I’ve always had a lot of thoughts, especially as a child of two immigrant parents. I just wonder how people can think of other human beings as ‘foreign’ or ‘illegal’ when in reality, we’re all just one species inhabiting this Earth. What is so wrong about a multicultural society? Is it not a privilege to decide you want to try authentic food from another country, and be able to walk down the street and just do that? Is it not a privilege to work alongside people who aren’t exactly like you, but bring learning experiences, stories, languages and culture with them. 

As someone who loves to travel, there is nothing I love more than being able to not only visit other countries but meet people from those countries and understand their everyday lives or learn a line or two in their language. We live in a country so diverse with numerous diasporas, that this can be achieved within our borders, yet we’re not the slightest bit grateful. It’s also interesting to travel to other countries and observe other Americans and how they interact with those within the country they’re visiting. When I visited France this summer, a lot of the Americans I interacted with were very snobby and rude, complaining about the food they’ve had to eat, the subway system, and how busy the tourist areas were. I didn’t really care because I’m not the biggest fan of French people but I definitely noticed. it made me realize that not only are a lot of Americans not very accepting in their own country, but just everywhere. 

Growing up, every Sunday night around 9pm, I’d join my dad who was already watching CNN, to watch Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. I’d watch him go to countries throughout the world, and try their dishes, whether they were popular or not. I really admired the fact that for him, it wasn’t about food, it was also about living like these people. He also spoke so strongly and highly of immigrant people and even once stated “The bald fact is that the entire restaurant industry in America would close down overnight, would never recover, if current immigration laws were enforced quickly and thoroughly across the board. Everyone in the restaurant knows this is. It is undeniable. Illegal labor is the backbone of the service and hospitality industry – Mexican, Salvodoran, and Ecuadoran in particular. To contemplate actually doing without is to contemplate mass closings, a general shake out of individually owned and operated restaurants – and, of course, unthinkably higher prices in the places that manage to survive…the ripple effects would be grave.” 

While long, this quote is so beautiful because it speaks to the volume that America underappreciates illegal labor while continuously profiting off of it. But dare I say, even if people considered ‘illegal’ didn’t work so hard, their presence should be welcomed as no one can be illegal on stolen land as many say.
In class, we read Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankin, and though it focused on Black stories which I appreciated, the themes of systematic bias and aggression and everyday racism remind me of our society today, which is a shame due to many of the anecdotes being slightly dated. When our society should be progressing it is in fact doing the very opposite, and as American people we deserve to be ashamed. Although Anthony Bourdain’s fate serves as a reminder that no matter where we go, we cannot escape ourselves, his longing for good food and interconnection was a beautiful gift.