“The American story is a story of immigration. I would be the last person who would say immigrants are not important to America.”— Phil Graham, circa 1960. This quote may be from the mid-20th century, but it keeps its significance with the everlasting controversy on immigration and immigration laws. However, this is not the only time that the United States has experienced immigration controversies. Immigration laws have had an impact on the past, as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the National Origins Act are two out of hundreds of laws that were made to limit immigration. Currently, similar laws and actions are taking place with regards to a wall on the southern border of Mexico, and the exclusion of immigration from Middle East countries. With immigration laws playing a huge part in our present, and an even larger part in our past, future laws and disputes are inevitable, and will continue to be hotly contested in the US. However, immigration laws and the discrimination against immigrants needs to change. Immigrants provide this country with an immeasurable number of benefits, and limiting immigration will only leave the United States at a disadvantage to other countries. Immigration laws have also been very controversial about their morality and their actions can outrageously impact families lives forever. The future of immigration laws is unknown, but prohibiting immigration is not the answer the United States needs.
Immigrants have been moving into the US for hundreds of
Immigration laws need to be changed. I will prove that Immigration laws need to change. Some countries don’t allow Immigrants because they think there are dangerous. Government don’t want people from the middle eastern. People need to escape their country.
According to a study released last year by the Pew Hispanic Center, as of 2008, 11.9 million illegal immigrants lived in the United States, more than triple the 3.5 million who lived in the country in 1990 (Izumi). Immigration throughout the years has become a major issue in the U.S because of too many immigrants entering the country year after year. The U.S has come to a point whether they should deport the immigrants back to their country. Believe it or not, these immigrants are a big contribution to the U.S. If it wasn’t for them, the U.S economy wouldn’t be where it stands now.
“Within the past three decades, the ethics of immigration has emerged as a topic of considerable interest among political philosophers.” (Wilcox,1) According to Dictionary.com, “Immigration is the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.” I have always been amazed how the issue of immigration can so drastically divide our citizens opinions when in fact; The United States is a country that was built by immigrants. There are many different opinions on illegal immigration.
The United States is known to be nation built on immigrants. Undocumented immigrants, also are commonly referred to as illegal immigrants, unauthorized immigrants, or aliens, is a political topic that has been debated for many years. Many people would think that everyone should be given an opportunity for citizenship since this nation was founded by other foreigners. Anti-Immigration supporters believe otherwise and argues that illegal immigrants are ruining our country with terrorism or creating economic inequality by stealing jobs. Whenever undocumented immigrants are the subject of discussion, many naturally presume that Mexicans are being referred to.
Imagine starting your whole life over in a new country, escaping all the persecutions from your own country. Your trying to live the American Dream, but then, The American Dream gets taken away because of laws being changed. Immigration laws should not be reformed because changing the already existing laws can affect thousands of immigrants in America, and also because it would punish those who follow the laws. Changing the already existing immigration laws can cause chaos.
“We always hear about the rights of democracy, but the major responsibility of it is participation.” (Marsalis). Politics influences almost everything we do in our lives and how we do it. Therefore, political participation in the American government, a democracy, is the best way to be the change you want to see in your community and in your country. One small yet important and effective way to do this is by contacting your government and voicing your opinions, and when I wanted to raise the issue of immigration reform for the DACA recipients, I researched the issue, wrote a letter, and sent it.
In times such as now, immigration policy is a topic of controversial and emotional discussion. The key in having educational, progressive, and prosperous conversations is understanding the theoretical foundations behind the argument that a person stands for or believes in. Having factual evidence to support ideas on concepts such as: the opportunities that immigrants bring to a country, what the international rules actually are that govern the entry and exit of people from one country to another, and the causes, trends, and consequences of international immigration. Finding reason and support for these claims can take the discussion behind immigration policy from one of heated and emotional argument to one of educational and beneficial conversation.
Illegal Immigration is defined as an unauthorized or undocumented immigrant that violates the immigration laws of the destined country. There are an estimated eleven billion illegal aliens residing in the United States alone. A tenacious debate has been occurring for years in America about whether or not illegal immigrants should be given amnesty to live freely in the United States. Immigration laws need to be strictly enforced because, it is inviting criminal behavior into our country, causing a threat to the American workforce, and it cheapens the value of our country. Immigration into the United States, is not always, but often done illegally.
Imagine a tunnel, almost as long as seven football fields or 2,400 feet and 85 feet below the ground. This tunnel is equipped with a ventilation system, water systems, lights, along with particle concrete floors. The tunnel is used to smuggle marijuana across the United States southern border from Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego in California, yet it is completely undetected from border security. When found in 2006, two tons of marijuana was discovered, along with the tunnel’s exit under an abandoned factory. It is unknown when it was made or how many drugs or people were smuggled through it (“Discovery U.S.-Mexico”).
“We are unstoppable”, the crowd screamed as the battle against immigration at New York University broke loose (Sanctuary). Many wonder is this mindset enough to take down Donald Trump and his beliefs against immigration? Protests have broken out nationwide to do just that. Immigration has the potential to grow America, building it better than it has been and putting the U.S. back in front of other countries despite what Trump believes. Illegal immigration has been a problem for many years.
Immigration has been and will continue to happen all around the world. There are so many reasons for people who come from different countries and ethnicities to move from country to country. The reasons why these people immigrate is either they are simply forced to, due to violence and hostility or that they are in search of a better life for them, and or their family etc. Canada being rated number one in quality of life has been a goal for people wanting to immigrate. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ( IRPA) was established by the Canadian government in the year 2002.
For decades, immigration has been a problem for the United States. Due to the people traveling from their native lands to the United States seeking a better life for themselves, and more primarily for the family that has come with them. Immigration is the action of settling into a country of which one is not native. Despite the many legal immigrants not every immigrant enters the country with legal documents and most of these illegal immigrants are poor and uneducated. Some undocumented immigrants commit crimes such as drug smuggling, or terrorism.
One of the main problems in the United States is illegal immigration. We tried to prevent immigration from certain countries since the start of America. In 1798 congress passed the Naturalization Act. The Act states that any alien free white male must go to court to pass good citizenship and say an oath to follow the constitution in the country. That is the earliest recorded date for an immigration policy in America.
The United States of America, being a country founded by immigrants, is known all over the world as the land of great opportunities. People from all walks of life travelled across the globe, taking a chance to find a better life for them and their family. Over the years, the population of immigrants has grown immensely, resulting in the currently controversial issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants are the people who have overstayed the time granted on their US, visa or those who have broken the federal law by crossing the border illegally. Matt O’Brien stated in his article “The government thinks that 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in 2007.”(Para, 2) While some argue that illegal immigrants burden the United States of America and its economy, others believe that they have become essential and are an important part of the US, economy.
Immigration has always been a crucial topic in the United States government. Especially when it comes to giving amnesty and passing an immigration reform to 11 million immigrants, that live in the country. Many citizens believe that immigrants are detrimental to the well-being of the United States and do not agree with the passage of an immigration reform. One reason is that many believe immigrants take away the jobs of American citizens. Other reasons are that immigrants bring crime to the country and affect the economy.