This paper was written in accordance with University regulations.
The life of a Latino immigrant in New Jersey mirrors that of many of the other Latino communities throughout the United States. Public opinion polls paint a picture that would have us believe that all poor people from in impoverished nation would like nothing more than to come to the United States to take advantage of the many resources that this nation offers. One of the greatest fears cited by the public is that immigrants from poor countries often come to the United States because of the many social services available in this country.
It is a widespread fear that foreign born people will increase the taxes of natives as they consume more and more publicly funded resources. A recent article (Espenshade 1997) demonstrates that a majority of New Jersey residents believe that immigrants are more likely to use these social services such as free medical care and welfare. This holds true regardless of whether or not these immigrants have come to the United States legally or illegally.
The way natives make the situation appear, one would believe that the sole aspiration of many of these immigrants is to come to America to lead an easy life. Never mind the old adage that "America is the land of opportunity." The current feeling is that immigrants only see America as the land of opportunity to live without having to work. In the meantime they are soaking up the resources that were established for those citizens who are unable to work one reason or another. If this were the case would we not have ten times the number of immigrants crossing the United States borders every day?
We spoke to two Guatemalan men who provided us with very different
testimonies than would have been expected based on public opinion
sentiment. Our interviews with Jose Alfredo Pinto Morales and
a man whom we will call Miguel Acevedo illustrate two lives of
hard work. These are two men who for one reason or another have
been pushed out of their homelands. For Alfredo Morales the reasons
were slightly political coupled with economic problems. In Miguel
Acevedo's case the reasons were purely economic. Either way,
the remarkable stories these people had to share do not resemble
the picture that is given in the popular media.
Guatemala is a country that has been plagued by the longest running Latin American civil war. Although it has not received as much attention as some of the other wars that have taken place in countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua, the war in Guatemala has been going on for over thirty years. It is a war that has proven costly for the civilian and especially the Indian citizens of the country. Located just south of Mexico, many of the Indios of the region are of Mayan ancestry and most are of rural backgrounds.
The country has been ruled by various military dictators for several years now. The country has been plagued by turmoil since before the Eisenhower years. He was the last president to admit that the US had been involved in Guatemalan politics as the CIA was used to overthrow one regime. Recently there were three factions vying for power in Guatemala. Each of these were military forces centered in different regions of the country. The fighting had been going on for a long time and new generals were always coming to some level of power.
The political instability of Guatemala was highlighted by the 1983 coup led against President Rios Montt (who himself had gained office in 1982 - when the three warring factions had set aside their differences in order to work together). This coup was led by General Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, defense minister for the nation. International pressures and a poor economy proved to be enough to warrant a change in office.
These events were unfolding as Guatemalan death squads still roamed the countryside, attempting to liquidate the opposition (a classic example is seen in the book, I, Rigoberta Menchu).
The new president to be elected was Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo, the first civilian to hold office since Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro (1968 - 1970). His term lasted until 1990, when his power base eroded, in part due to the struggling economy.
More recently, a major event in Guatemalan politics occurred this past year. There was a treaty, formally bringing an end to 36 years of civil strife (Hegstrom, 1996). A peace accord was signed in December of last year by the different factions in order to end the fighting. Under the terms of the treaty, all war criminals are to be given amnesty. Leftist rebels were required to turn in their arms but are now able to move around in society without any fear of recompense for their past involvement in the fighting. (Some Latin American analysts believe that the war treaty was engineered to give a sense of Guatemalan stability to the international community. A stable nation, they say, may encourage foreign investors to invest in the growth of the nation and may help it economically).
Miguel Acevedo lived in a northern province of Guatemala before coming to the United States. His is from Puerto Barrios Isabel. He says there are approximately 100,000 people living in his little province. The place where he lived is about a five or six hour drive from the city. It is easy to imagine the rural setting this man must have grown up in. His whole family still resides in this region of the country.
Mr. Acevedo worked for the Guatemalan government for seven years before coming to the United States in 1990, just after another coup threatened the stability of the nation. He worked as a telegraph operator, which is a decent job in Guatemala. By our calculations, the twenty-seven year old Acevedo, must have started this job at about thirteen years old.
"I never had money in the bank," Acevedo said, regarding his financial status in Guatemala. He worked long hours and his compensation was less than spectacular. "I work, work, work and never have any money."
It was this lack of earning power that compelled Miguel to try and work in the United States.
In Guatemala, Miguel had aspirations to get an education. He wanted to go to school and get some sort of degree. Unfortunately, he said the climate of Guatemala at the time was one that did not readily support any sort of advancement.
"I'm working and I couldn't try to go to school, I don't know why," stated Acevedo.
He said one soldado ruler, General Oscar Mejia Victores, was especially against too much education. The way Miguel described it, the ruling military class viewed education for the poor as threatening to their status. Even something like learning English was banned. Only Spanish could be taught in the schools.
Here in the United States, images of immigrants speaking only foreign languages permeate our outlooks. We see a bunch of foreign born people who are unwilling to assimilate as they continue to speak foreign tongues and we feel endangered because they are threatening the existing "American identity." The story told by Mr. Acevedo adds a new twist to this image. Some people just are not allowed to learn the language in their native homeland, so when they decide to immigrate they are immediately at a disadvantage.
Alfredo Morales, on the other hand, came from a major city in Guatemala. He immigrated here from Zacapa in 1983, leaving behind (as most migrants do) a family in the hope that he could earn enough money to send for them later. Mr. Morales, who is 60 years old, has been happily married for the last thirty-eight.
While living in Guatemala, Mr. Morales worked for his sister, who owned her own commercial business. His duties ranged from chauffeuring to working in the shop his sister owned. Whatever needed to be done, he would take care of it. He says he had to leave Guatemala because the situation there was very bad for his family. When asked what he meant by this he simply stated, "politically (politicamente)." He wanted to come to the United States in order to provide a better life for his children. Had they not left Guatemala, there is a likelihood that they would have run into some problems. The United States offered sanctuary and economic opportunity.
Mr. Acevedo came to the United States in 1990. He traveled north through Mexico and crossed the border into Arizona. From Arizona, he came to Princeton, N.J. for three months. He had friends here and heard about the job opportunities here.
"From Arizona, I came here to Princeton and I saw Princeton but I'm a young man and I want to see a big city. I stayed three months."
"I have friends in Boston and they coming to Providence and they called my up to say "come on up" and I wanted to see a big city."
Acevedo stayed in Providence for three years before returning to Princeton. He now holds down a job within the city and works close to 80 hours a week. Miguel seems to enjoy his work and his new home here in Princeton but he longs to return to Guatemala.
"I want to go back, I'm working here for now but I am going to go back to my country."
The image of Latinos streaming across the border in order to set up permanent residence in this country clearly isn't the case with Miguel. This is the classic example of return migration - Miguel came to this country in order to work, never considering making the United States his home.
Acevedo left behind his mother, three brothers, grandmother and an uncle. He longs to return to Guatemala. He has no family with him here in Princeton and has only one relative in the United States, a cousin living in California. His isolation from his family has proved to be difficult.
The close familial networks, that so many immigrant families rely on, are absent from Miguel's experience. He has had to stick it out in an unfamiliar setting with help from friends of his.
The only scenario in which Miguel would live in the United States permanently would be where his family joins him here.
"Maybe if my mom was here and my three brothers- my two brothers and one sister- if they came with me, maybe. But I don't want to have problems with immigration if I try to bring my mother here."
The American dream that so many immigrants share inevitably gives way to the harsh reality of America.
"People who worked in the United States and came back to Guatemala would say what a nice place it was, they wore nice shirts, the Levi jeans. People in Guatemala thought that if you came to the United States, you would be able to get everything. No, it's not like that."
The long hours that Mr. Acevedo puts in at work is a testimony to his desire to earn enough money so he can return home to his loved ones.
When he informed his family about his intention of leaving in order to work in the United States, his mother was not happy.
"My mother didn't want me to go. I had a job over there that paid 1,200 quetzales by myself and I don't have a family so it's a lot of money. But I didn't want to have nothing in 30 years, I want to have something for then."
In order to have that kind of money, it was necessary for Miguel to leave Guatemala and come to the U.S. While working and saving for his return trip home, Miguel manages to send money home to Guatemala every month.
When he entered the United States, Miguel knew little English. He picked up the language from his friends and his co-workers. He says that he didn't have too hard a time learning the language. His present job requires him to have a working knowledge of English and he has yet to run into any problems.
In fact, Mr. Acevedo knows enough English to help out Latinos who do not. "I go to the hospital with a friend to help out because I know a little English, not too much but a little bit." He acts as a translator between his friends and the hospital staff.
When asked of the treatment he and his friends received, Acevedo replied that the hospital staff treated them very well. While Miguel has never used the health care facilities in the U.S., his friends have been taken care of.
This is a classic example of an immigrant's experience in the United States. It directly contradicts the stereotypes that certain American politicians like to paint about the current "immigration problem." While politicians like the esteemed Governor of California, Pete Wilson, try to paint immigrants as lechers who come to this country so they can get on welfare. Mr. Acevedo does not seem to fit into Governor Wilson's image of immigrants taking advantage of our nation's hospitals. Actually, Mr. Acevedo is exhibiting another Latino stereotype. Like many Latino males, he does not feel the need to go to the doctor's office unless there is an extremely serious problem. In the seven years he has been in the United States, Miguel has not once visited a doctor for his own health.
The long hours that Mr. Acevedo works does not allow him the luxury of relaxing much on the weekends. Whenever he does get a day off (usually once or twice a month), he enjoys relaxing at home or occasionally spending time with his friends.
"I have friends here but one year ago I said that I don't want to go to parties, I don't want to spend money because my plan is to go back to Guatemala."
While he refrains from going out with his friends for a night of fun, he does manage to have some fun.
"Last Sunday, I went to watch the football-soccer game. I went to Giants Stadium to watch the Metro Stars [NY-NJ] with California [the Los Angeles Galaxy]. California won."
He also expressed an interest in basketball. We proceeded to talk about the current playoff situation for about fifteen minutes. He says he wants the Chicago Bulls to win because they are his team. He even manages to catch parts of the games after work. What he cannot watch, he stays on top of by reading the newspaper. But he not only exhibited a knowledge about sports issues. He was well read on many current events. We also discussed how the university operates with regards to its admission and financial aid policies.
In the case of Alfredo, Princeton was the first place Mr. Morales moved to upon entering the United States. He never thought about going anywhere else. Since he has been here, he never thought about leaving to go elsewhere in the country. He says the job opportunities here were better than in other places and the pay is greater than he could have received in other more "traditional" ports of entry.
Mr. Morales' current job includes health benefits for him and his wife. He would be hard pressed to find a job in Southwestern cities which pay him as generously and with as many incentives.
Upon his arrival into the Princeton area, Mr. Morales worked a variety of jobs before landing a job with The Grotto Restaurant. His work day there began at 8 in the morning and ended at midnight. Mr. Morales kept this schedule for nine years. Presently, he holds a job with the University. There, he is known by his co-workers simply as "Amigo." He received this nickname because of his standard greeting of "Hola, Amigo," always said with a friendly smile.
Like many immigrants into this country, Mr. Morales found the American dream to be an illusion. He remembered the difficulties he encountered in finding employment, the main barrier being his inability to speak English. Once he did secure employment, the hours were long and the pay was far from terrific.
Jose worked the long hours because he was saving to be able to send for his family, still in Guatemala. Slowly, his family joined him here in Princeton. His wife and five of his six children soon settled with him in Princeton. His children came, one by one, over the years. Once her children were here, Mrs. Morales joined the family.
(Upon her arrival to Princeton, Mrs. Morales worked long hours as well, in order to provide for her family. Now, with all but one child having left the house, she is able to stay at home, Mr. Morales' income being enough to support his family.)
It was this aspect of immigrating that Mr. Morales found the most difficult. Being separated from his family proved to be a great burden on him yet it was this that provided the main motivation for him to work the long hours.
While Princeton has an ever increasing Guatemalan population, the social networks that so many immigrants rely on was lacking in his experience. Not only was he isolated from his family, he was also without any friends or neighbors who could provide support. The hours he put in at work also limited his interaction with others in the community. His first few years here followed the routine of waking up to go to work, then coming home to fall asleep and doing it all over again the next day.
In the United States, Mr. Morales said his biggest problem stemmed from his difficulties with the language. To this day he is still learning English. Working sixteen hours a day for nine years did not allow him the luxury of attending classes and working in a restaurant did not allow him to interact with enough people to learn the language. Mr. Morales managed to learn some English through his interactions with his co-workers, but this was not sufficient enough for him to master the language.
His children, on the other hand, experienced no problems learning the English language. His children, upon arrival in Princeton, ranged in age from nine to twenty years old. The public school system facilitated their acquisition of this mode of communication.
While living in Princeton, Mr. Morales has utilized the social services available to the community. He has gone to the medical clinic a few times for his wife and children. Upon his visit to a local clinic, he found that they knew Spanish and he found the staff to be extremely courteous. However, like Miguel Acevedo, Mr. Morales has never felt sick enough to warrant him going to the doctor's himself.
He attributes his health to his daily exercise. Weather permitting, Alfredo walks twenty minutes to and from work everyday. When he gets home he walks another half an hour with his wife. Despite the fact that his work schedule has a tendency to wear him down, he finds that this exercise keeps him going. It is a testimony to the remarkable difference in societies. What struck me was that the sixty year old man seemed extremely happy to be doing so well at such an "old" age, even though he is still fairly young by American standards.
His transition to the United States is not yet complete. He still yearns to return to Guatemala but he remains here in the states because his family is here. The burden of leaving them again is just to much for him to bear.
The stories of these two immigrants offer many similarities to the experiences we discussed in class. They also offer many contradictions to the preconceptions held by many of the citizens in this country. In the lives of these two Guatemalan men we see two people who have struggled and worked hard in the United States.
The stories these two men tell do not resemble the image of freeloading immigrant that many politicians and anti-immigrant groups try to put forth. Both Miguel Acevedo and Jose Alfredo Pinto Morales have worked very hard to achieve what they have gotten. They regularly log in work days that exceed twelve hours a day. The time they put in at work would rival even the most successful investment banking Princeton alum.
As far as New Jersey in general, the following data was found (taken from 1994 Census Bureau study). There are 1.08 million foreign born people residing in New Jersey. Of these, only 15,000 were receiving federal assistance and the majority of that was under the AFDC (Aid For Dependent Children). This directly contradicts, on a macro level, the notion that immigrants come to this country to "have it easy." According to the study, quite the contrary is true. The immigrants are indeed coming to the U.S. but not for handouts. On a micro level, the personal histories of Miguel and Alfredo also contradict the ideas that many have of immigrants. Perhaps if their stories were given as much attention as a politician trying to further his own agenda, the current wave of immigrant bashing would not be as widespread.
These Guatemalan men extol the economic opportunities available in the United States. In this they resemble the Mexican immigrants of the Southwest and the Puerto Ricans in the Northeast. They did not come here to receive any sort of hand out. They came to the United States because here they might have an opportunity to acquire some level of economic stability and comfort. And it is obvious from talking to these men that they want nothing less than to earn what they get. Mr. Acevedo said it best:
"In my country, you have jobs, but no money. Here you get jobs and you get money."
But unlike Mr. Acevedo, Mr. Morales also displays a little bit of the Cuban experience. He felt he had to leave Guatemala shortly after the military coup of 1983. He was driven out of the country for political reasons just as many Cubans were. He had a good job in Zacapas, Guatemala and probably would have preferred to stay in his country with his family than to leave them behind temporarily to come to the United States. He found life here to be much better than that back home so he slowly sent for his family.
Neither of these men follow the example of other Latino communities who have had an existing network of people who could help them adjust to life in the United States. Mr. Acevedo has one cousin living in California, but for the most part he came alone. He was able to meet some people in the months he spent in Princeton before moving to Rhode Island. These were the people who convinced him to come back to Princeton because, as he said, "it costs more [to live here], but you make more money."
Mr. Morales came to the U.S. without anyone. He was the first from his family and had no friends. He, like many other migrants, had to pave the way for others to follow him. He became the network source for his family, and possibly future waves of immigrants from Zacapas, Guatemala.
One thing that is interesting to note in the lives of these two men is that there lives are closely tied to their families. This is one of the images that Americans hold about immigrants that happens to be positive conception. It is this familial bond that drives these men to work as hard as they do. It also dictates their current desires. In the eighties, this bond drove Mr. Morales to work sixteen hours a day to earn enough money to bring his family to the states. It now drives Mr. Acevedo to work almost eighty hours a week to earn enough money so he can go back home.
This familial bond is also keeping them from doing what they truly
want. Given a choice, Alfredo Morales would prefer to return
to Guatemala. Unfortunately for him, his family, and especially
his children, have grown up in the United Sates. They all have
lives here now and will not go back to Guatemala. He misses his
native tierra but his love for his family supersedes his
own wishes. Miguel Acevedo would prefer to stay in the United
States. He feels he could have a better life here. Given the
choice, he would bring his mother and his brothers and sister
to the United States. But since that is impossible at the moment,
he would rather give up his life here and return back home. These
acts of personal sacrifice demonstrate what each of these men
feel is truly important to them.
Keen, Benjamin. 1992, A History of Latin America, 4th edition, p. 441 - 449, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA.
Wiarda, Howard J. & Harvey F. Kline, 1990, Latin American Politics and Development, 3rd edition, p. 498 - 518, Westview Press, Boulder, CO.
Espenshade, Thomas J., 1997, "Taking the Pulse of Public Opinion Towards Immigrants," taken from Keys to Successful Immigration, ed. by Thomas J. Espenshade, Urban Institute Press, Washington, D.C.
Hegstrom, Edward. 1996, "Arzu vows reconciliation for war-torn Guatemala," Houston Chronicle, December 28, 1996, p. A20.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1995, "The Foreign-Born Population: 1994," Current Population Reports, P20-486, Washington D.C.