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The United States is the perfect illustration of the melting pot analogy where many different cultures are mixed. This multicultural society is an effect of the American Dream. Today, immigration in the US is topical. Therefore, we should ask ourselves if the American Dream is still alive today, and if it’s feasible for everyday immigrants. To answer this question, we are first going to define the American Dream. Then we will discuss the reasons why immigrants go to the US and some of their aspirations. Finally, we will talk about the difficulties they face and to what extent it questions the existence of the American Dream.


I/   What is the American dream ?

The American Dream is a cultural trait of the United States. We can define it as the improvement of our living conditions, access to the democracy, freedom, equality. It's a set of ideals. It's the access to education, to « life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness », as said Jefferson in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence. They can be and are many visions of this concept. U.S.-born citizens usually associate it with themes such as wealth, financial security, freedom and even family. Immigrants in the U.S. are more likely to define the American dream as the pursuit of opportunity, a good job, owning a home and in many cases, safety from war or persecution.
However, some people don’t believe the American Dream is still alive. Indeed, many people criticize this idea. According to them, it is impossible for everyone to be able to fulfill their dreams. Indeed, there are still inequalities in class, race, religion and ethnicity preventing people from « living the dream ». Nevertheless, immigrants come to the US with the hope that they would have a shot of the American Dream.



II/   Why do people emigrate ? What are their aspirations when they come to the US ?

An immigrant is someone who leave his origin country and migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence. These persons can emigrate for many reasons, a common reason is political tensions. For instance, we can talk about Farah Naficy. She was born in Iran and spent her childhood during the revolution. Her mother decided to immigrate to the US and settle in California. Then, Farah became a political refugee who left her native country to flee the war. They also can emigrate to do studies, like Miguel who is an Mexican immigrant who lives in New York for three years. He wanted to go to college, graduate and find a well-paid job. He integrated a prestigious university and after his graduation he hoped he will have a shot of the American dream. Another example is Nelly Rodriguez. This student, without papers, of Latin American origin arrived in the USA to find a better future and professional success.

 

III/  What difficulties do they face ?

When they arrive in the US, immigrants can be disappointed because their dream is not the reality. Indeed, it can be very difficult for a stranger to get a job. They also can meet racism and xenophobia and find some difficulties to be integrated in the American society. This is the case of Farah Naficy, who felt as an outsider and was homesick. As for Nelly Rodriguez, she can’t obtain a title of legal residence even after living in the USA for numerous years. She would like to become an American citizen to study in the USA, so she can take classes and graduate. She needs the Dream Act to be approved, otherwise she might be deported. However, The American dream can seem like an illusion. But it’s not real for everyone. A success story, we can take the example of is Fareed Zakaria who, after immigrating, became a Harvard graduate and he is currently a contributing editor at Time Magazine.



As a result, we can say that the US can give to immigrants the opportunity to improve their life and to have a shot at the American Dream. However, the ease of access has changed over the centuries, that’s why new immigrants can meet obstacles and difficulties. But we must not forget that the US was created thanks to the immigration and is still a nation of immigrants. So, we can say that the American Dream is still alive today.