The total foreign-born or immigrant population (legal and illegal) in the United States hit a record high of 47.9 million in September 2022, according to the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) by the Census Bureau. This is an increase of 2.9 million since January 2021, bringing the immigrant share of the U.S. population to 14.6 percent, just slightly below the all-time highs reached in 1890 and 1910. The majority of migrants to the United States are coming from Middle Eastern countries.
Jamal Ashour, born in Gaza in 1996, is one such immigrant who came to the United States from Palestine. With a Palestinian father and Russian mother, Jamal left Gaza in 2014 to study in the U.S. but stayed due to the ongoing conflict in both Palestine and Ukraine, where his roots are connected. He has since applied for asylum in the U.S. and has worked various jobs, including as a model in New York fashion weeks.
However, Jamal feels lonely in the U.S. as he is separated from his family and friends. He is currently in the process of applying for asylum and cannot leave until it is approved. Despite the challenges he faces, Jamal has a big dream – to open a film academy and help others who have experienced war to tell their stories through film. He believes that sharing his own experiences can be a call for peace for the future.
“Living in the United States means fighting all the time,” says Jamal. “There are entertainment and business opportunities here, but over time, I realize that I am lonely. Neither my family nor my friends are with me. I want to make a film about what I experienced and help others to do the same. I saw war three times and I don’t want war anymore. I’m 27 years old and I’m already tired. My past will perhaps be a call for peace for the future.”