The American Dream: Immigrant Perspectives

Art Credit: USA Today

By Jheyly Rojas Gonzales '26

Do you believe in the American dream?

In my opinion, everyone does not have the same opportunity. People living in South America don’t have the same opportunities as people who live here. Latinos often lack stability and a voice to speak out. Many times in South America, women lack freedom or cannot even vote.
Wethersfield High School English language learners teacher Sharon Woolery recalled her own family's history with immigration.

“My mother didn’t want to come to the USA, but my father wanted my mother to come,” Woolery said.

She said her mother did not believe in the American dream, but her dad trusted in it. Like all immigrants when they want to come here, he thought you receive safety, money, freedom and more opportunity. But when they arrive, they learn the true reality.
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In my experience, when I was listening to the experiences of others, I can say they have gone through the same things, just in different ways. For example, Woolery said that when her sister was in school, no one in her class could understand her.

Sophomore Cami de la Cruz said her experience in school was equally frustrating because she couldn’t understand people and couldn’t speak English because she had just arrived.
I think the American dream is about money, stability, safety and the freedom to have a voice, no matter what others think about you.

When immigrants come here and see freedom, they want to witness and experience that word for themselves. They want to feel as if they are in a safe place—a place without danger. They want the freedom of expression. For immigrants, this means a new place to live without judgment.

From my perspective, some people in the United States don’t get a good ending. Some of them get deported or even killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE. In 2026, ICE agents are everywhere, and they don’t seem to care about babies or children. They don’t care if they leave a baby without parents because a parent is deported back to their home country, leaving the child alone. This situation happens to immigrants all the time, and we all know it, but it feels like no one cares about it.

But for some people, there can be a good ending.

As De la Cruz said, “I came here because my family had a serious problem; there were people trying to take my family’s lives.”

When she arrived, she and her family were finally safe, and there was peace for her family.

Does the American dream really exist? YES and NO.

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