What Happened to the Promise of America?
An immigrant’s honest reflection on fear, fairness, and what it means to be a well-informed citizen.
Dear Duniyawaalo (People of the World),
I have never written anything like this before.
Not in my blog. Not in my newsletter. Not even in private.
I have always stayed away from politics.
It felt like a fire that burns more than it heals.
And to be honest, I never wanted to alienate anyone.
But something has changed in me.
And I felt compelled to speak up.
When the Truth Gets Quiet, We Must Get Loud
This Is Not a Political Post
This is a personal one.
This is a human one.
It is about what happens when good, law-abiding people, especially immigrants, get caught in the crossfire of distraction and division.
It is about what happens when billionaires avoid taxes and accountability,
while people like you and me get lectured about being responsible citizens.
It is about what happens when the truth gets drowned out by noise,
and the country forgets what it was meant to stand for.
I Am an Immigrant. I Am an American. And I Am Anxious.
I came to this country in the year 2000.
I became a citizen in 2010. The legal way, the long way, the hard way.
I never took that privilege lightly.
I believed, and still believe, that it was my responsibility to assimilate.
To understand this country.
To contribute. To speak up. To belong.
And I did that every chance I got.
I made friends.
I showed up.
I stayed grateful.
I stayed positive.
I have never felt racially profiled.
I have never been made to feel like I did not belong.
Not once.
Until recently!
Until talk of “denaturalizing citizens” started gaining ground.
Until politicians began floating the idea of revoking citizenship over minor infractions, like misfiled taxes or paperwork errors.
I still believe in the rule of law.
I still believe in the judiciary.
But I would be lying if I said I did not feel anxious.
I worked hard for this identity.
I earned it.
And now I worry that it can be taken away.
Not by justice, but by politics.
That leaves me unsettled.
Not just as an immigrant.
As a proud American.
Have We Forgotten What America Is Supposed to Be?
Etched on the Statue of Liberty are these words:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…
That is what America promised.
Not luxury.
Not shortcuts.
Just a fair shot.
For the tired, the poor, and the willing.
What happened to that promise?
We cannot talk about law and order while punishing the peaceful and excusing the violent.
We cannot talk about fairness while rewarding wealth and penalizing decency.
I have seen peaceful immigrants deported over technicalities.
And at the same time, I have watched people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th walk free.
Some were pardoned.
Some were never charged.
Some are running for office.
That contradiction cuts deep.
The Real Divide Is Not Left vs. Right
It is Top vs. Bottom.
It is Truth vs. Distraction.
When politicians talk tough on immigration but pass tax breaks for billionaires, by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, food assistance, public education, and even international humanitarian aid like USAID,
we should pay attention.
These cuts do not hurt the wealthy.
They hurt the elderly, the sick, the poor, the students, and the struggling.
When the media tells us to fear the “other” but not question corporate power, we should ask why.
And when legal, peaceful immigrants are portrayed as dangerous, while insurrectionists are treated as patriots, we should say, “Enough”!
Becoming a Well-Informed Citizen Is the Most Radical Thing We Can Do
Not just an opinionated one.
Not just a loud one.
Not just a hashtag-sharing one.
A well-informed one.
One who asks better questions.
One who looks past the headlines.
One who votes with clarity.
One who builds community instead of walls.
Here Is What I Believe
I believe we can disagree on policy and still agree on basic human decency.
I believe the immigrant who works 14 hours a day to feed his family deserves more respect than the billionaire who dodges taxes and calls it strategy.
I believe outrage is cheap and understanding is hard.
And I believe the only way forward is through courageous citizenship.
The kind that thinks critically, listens deeply, and acts boldly.
What You Can Do
Turn outrage into awareness
Ask, Who benefits from my anger? before you react.Focus local
Billionaires do not pick your school board. You do.Build bridges, not bubbles
Conversations change minds. Echo chambers do not.Support what lifts people up
Community matters more than commentary.
Final Thought
You may not agree with everything I said.
That is okay.
But if you have ever felt the weight of being misunderstood,
misjudged, or misrepresented, then you know what I am talking about.
This post is not an attack.
It is an invitation.
To pause.
To think.
To question.
And to become the kind of citizen this moment is calling for.
Not louder.
Wiser.