Ellis Island's Broken Promise

America's Immigration System is Failing the Dreamers and Doers It Once Welcomed

In Francis Coppola’s cinematic masterpiece, The Godfather Part II, young Vito Corleone’s harrowing journey to America offers a poignant glimpse into the immigrant experience. Fleeing violence and oppression in Sicily, Vito arrives at Ellis Island, alone, frightened, and unable to speak English. When Vito looks through the window, he might not know at that time, the towering Statue of Liberty represents hope and opportunity, a beacon of the American Dream. Watching this scene many times as a teenager, I was captivated by the vision of America as a land where hard work and perseverance could build a brighter future. It inspired my own journey years later, armed with a postgraduate STEM degree and high aspirations.

But today, the promise of Ellis Island feels distant. The American immigration system, once a gateway to opportunity, is now a maze of bureaucratic inefficiency, political battlefield, and entrenched vilification. It fails to align with the demands of a globalized labor market. For example, visa numbers do not match reality: some categories have far fewer than needed, while others go unused. Skilled workers who live in the U.S. for years, or those earning postgraduate STEM degrees and landing their first job in the country, must navigate a separate and convoluted path to permanent residence.

Simu Liu titles his autobiography “We Were Dreamers,” but nowadays dreamers and doers are at a crossroads. In most developed nations, temporary work permits lead seamlessly to permanent residence after 3-5 years. In contrast, the U.S. operates on an outdated dual-track system of “immigrant” versus “non-immigrant” work visas—a framework rooted in the Ellis Island era. What used to be the first official step of immigrants on Ellis Island is now only museums. While this immigration system might have made sense a century ago, it is woefully inadequate in today’s fast-paced world. Yet, as grateful as I am for the opportunities to study and work in the U.S., the reality of immigration hurdles has been deeply disheartening.

The U.S. leaves skilled immigrants in a cycle of uncertainty. The H-1B visa, a cornerstone of America’s skilled labor system, exemplifies this. While it allows temporary employment, it comes with significant limitations: restrictive annual caps, dependency on employer sponsorship, and excruciatingly long waits for green cards. These issues often leave workers in limbo: they are not able to change jobs or make long-term plans, fostering instability and frustration. At times, this journey has felt overwhelming, as the complexity of immigration issues often overshadows the progress that those young dreamers and doers have made during school and after graduation.

Advocates of the current system may highlight the overwhelming volume of applicants, claiming reform would be administratively burdensome. While these points have merit, they ignore the broader consequences of a rigid and inefficient system. Treating skilled immigrants as disposable resources or at least commodities rather than potential long-term contributors and partners undermines both the economy and America’s standing as a global leader.

This flawed system not only affects individuals but also undermines America’s global competitiveness. Talent is the hard currency, and talent is mobile. Although the U.S. decline is unlikely in the foreseeable future, the country risks losing out to others with more efficient immigration policies.

Reflecting on my own journey, my first stop in the U.S. was also New York. There, I pursued a Master’s degree in a STEM field, embraced student leadership roles, got a job, and built a life supported by mentors, friends, and peers. Each step has been both a challenge and a privilege, a journey I deeply cherish. Previously, as an “alien” from a somewhat privileged background in East Asia, I can barely imagine how desperate I would have to be to choose a life where I have to worry about La Migra every day of my life. Nowadays, like millions of others, this stark concern is something I cannot ignore. During my time as a captain or sports coach, I often tell my team, “Do not let them get inside your head! Focus!”–a mantra I use to fend off distractions and similar negative thoughts so as to focus on work, study, and life. It works well all the time, but the effectiveness diminishes when it comes to immigration in the U.S. People who have lived and worked here for 3-to-6 years after a STEM degree from a U.S. university have to follow an entirely separate path for permanent residence. However, in other developed countries, after living and working legally for 3-to-5 years on temporary work permits, permanent residency is automatic or a mere formality.

While the U.S. undeniably remains the most powerful country in the world, it is incumbent upon this generation of policymakers to steer the nation toward an upward trajectory, not downward. This means embracing policies that reflect modern realities and prioritizing inclusion, innovation, and long-term growth over stagnation and witch-hunt. The latter can only drag the empire toward decline, which finally becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy by the words of some politicians.

The U.S. is expected to humanize the immigration process. People thinking of being bound for the U.S. start questioning, “Are we heading to the Statue of Liberty or a locked gate?” Stories like that of young Vito Corleone (I am not praising the crimes the mafia committed)—and countless others who followed—embody resilience, determination, and hope. By reforming its policies, America can honor the legacy of Ellis Island while embracing the opportunities of the modern era.

The American Dream—powerful as it is—cannot thrive in a system that prioritizes exclusion over inclusion, rigidity over reason, fear over harmony, partisanship over decency. A “Golden Age” will not deliver without a fundamental shift in how the policymakers view immigration. Reflecting on my journey and the ideals that inspired me, I remain hopeful that change is possible after the current political turbulence, even amid today’s fractured politics. Just as the Statue of Liberty welcomed generations of immigrants, a reimagined system with a revived spirit of opportunity and confidence can open its doors to the next wave of dreamers, doers, innovators, and builders.

(Fangzheng Sun)