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Jacob Inosencio
Kim 7
English A.P. Prep
10 March 2014
Illegal Immigrants.
Every day, illegal immigrants stream across the Mexican border into the United States.
Aliens come across on makeshift rafts or they slip past U.S. Border Patrol agents. Coming to
America gives immigrants a chance to better themselves. They come with a hope of improving
their lives and with hopes of giving their children a better future. Although it is a problem that is
gaining increased awareness, illegal immigration is not a new issue. Congress is currently trying
to politicize the issue further than it already has, yet Congress has failed to consider the safety of
the American people or well-being of those who may be attempting to cross the border. One part
of the problem is that so many parties have a stake in the immigration battle. Congress,
especially representatives from the border states (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California),
along with the state and municipal governments of those border states, the White House, and the
Mexican government, are all affected by what happens with immigration.
One tool used by the Federal Government to secure the American border is the United
States Border Patrol. Created in 1924, the U.S. Border Patrol has always attempted to control
illegal immigration. (Harvard). An federal immigration overhaul was passed in 1990 in an effort
to rectify the mess caused by years of legislative and political turmoil. This new law
strengthened the U.S. Border Patrol and removed AIDS and homosexuality from the list of
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factors causing a candidate to be ineligible for legal immigration (Leinden). The new legislation
also, for a short time, increased the annual immigration cap to 700,000 from 1992-1994. Starting
in 1995 the number of immigrants per year was capped at 635,000 where it remains today
(Leinden). Due to the Federal Government's failure to act, immigrants are coming into the U.S.
from all across Latin America. Deportations of aliens, not from Mexico but from Honduras,
Guatemala, and the rest of Latin America, more than doubled from 2011 to 2012. (Archibold)
Meanwhile, Congress continues to squabble and accomplish nothing and our President is
deporting people at a record rate.
Deporting all 11 million aliens isn't feasible. President Obama has long surpassed any
prior Commander-In-Chief and he has only deported 400,000 people per year on average since
he took office. (The Economist) That's only about 2 million people deported compared to 11
million . Deportation also tears families apart and hurts our economy. According to one study,
over a quarter of deported aliens have a relative in the U.S., making them 2-3 times more likely
to attempt to recross. (Grimes) According to another report, immigration is likely to rise as our
economy slowly heals. (Plumer) In light of these studies, it seems that if we do not solve the
immigration problem, it will only continue to get worse.
An average family with three children making a middle to low income live in San
Elizario, Texas, right on the border of Mexico. Things are alright, but the budget is tight. One
day, the father of the family, Steve, comes home with devastating news. The factory laid a whole
department off and he was let go. With the number of immigrants rising, farm costs are going
down due to cheap labor. With more people to do the work, the crops don't need as much help
and the farmers don't buy as much of the fertilizer from Steve's factory. Now, this hard-working
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middle-class American family could lose everything. 20 miles southwest of San Elizario, it is a
completely different world. It's the same dust and dry air, but here on the Mexican side of the
border life is very different. The crime rate is terrible. Homicides decreased in 2013, but
kidnappings topped 100,000 with less than 2,000 reported to the police (Planas). The average
household income in Mexico is approximately $12,700 USD (Better Life Index). In Texas, the
average household income is over $51,000 USD (Census Bureau). Texas households, then, earn
four times more, on average, than Mexican households. In Mexico, the appeal of freedom and
economic opportunity is irresistible for some. Imagine knowing that your kids could go to school
and knowing that hospitals were available if there were an emergency. All you had to do to get
those guarantees was move north 20 miles. What measures would you take to protect your family
and ensure their well-being? How am I going to provide for myself and my family? Illegal
immigrants face this difficult question every day.
Those who cross the border aren't criminals, they are people. Instead of looking at them
like statistics who drain our economy, why not search for realistic solutions that benefit both
parties instead? After all, who are we to say they can't live here? Aren't we a nation of
immigrants who, at one point or another, sought out the prosperity and freedom of the greatest
country on earth? Both families are struggling right now and both should have the opportunity to
get another job and, if the need arises, to use welfare as a temporary safety net. How can we
morally tell one family no, and tell another family that we will support them through this
hardship.
It would be in the best interest of the American people, and aliens alike, that all illegal
immigrants currently residing in the United States, as well as undocumented
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children born here, be granted an opportunity to register for citizenship without penalty or the
risk of deportation.
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein
they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive
any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any
person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." (Amendment 14,
Section 1. U.S. Constitution).
The Constitution states that anyone born in the United States is a legal citizen of the
United States. Others may say that this rule only applies to children whose parents are citizens. It
has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to mean that all people born here, regardless of
parental citizenship, are citizens. (Legal Information Institute). If immigrants are going to reside
here, our nation should benefit from them. As citizens, they will be able to vote and potentially
influence elections. Most importantly, however, they will pay taxes and put money into the
system instead of just drawing it out. The U.S. should also make it easier to obtain citizenship
while simultaneously strengthening the border. Increasing the total amount of new legal citizens
per year and making the requirements less demanding will encourage prospective immigrants to
obtain their status legally. This will benefit not only the immigrants but also the U.S.
Government as we work toward a safer more effective system.
Roadblocks and unnecessary red tape clog the system and make it very hard for
immigrants to come to the U.S. While some suggest that immigrants should just wait their turn,
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many aliens don't have that liberty. Time is something they are short on as many struggle to earn
money and survive. Every day they spend south of the border is another day of poverty, exposure
to extreme violence, and despair.
In the United States immigration reform is highly politicized. With Republicans seeking
to strengthen the border and Democrats pushing for more leniency, actual progress is hard to
achieve. Many politicians try to win party battles before they worry about accomplishing
anything and determining what's best for their district. When this happens immigrants are
quickly forgotten. If leaders in Congress changed the way they approached the issue while, at the
same time the system is made easier then many people will be helped, and our nation will
benefit.
From an economic standpoint immigration is a great concept. One major argument
against immigration, however, is that aliens will take jobs that would have otherwise employed
Americans. The rationale behind that argument is not supported by facts. Workers with a non-
specific skill set allow craftsmen to excel and accomplish more. When a skilled contractor can
complete more jobs, the contractor and any immigrants who may work with them, will both
make more money. Also, immigrants spend a lot of what they make or they send it home
(Davidson). Money that moves quickly is good for economic growth which, in turn, is good for
Americans. Social Security also is benefitted by the number of illegal immigrants. According to
the New York Times, illegal immigrants annually pay about $15 billion dollars into Social
Security compared to the $1 billion they take out (Davidson). Many of them don't qualify for the
benefits so more benefits are available for American citizens.
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Americans seem to be ready to see more immigrants in our country because they realize
the many benefits of allowing them to be here. 71% of people from one interview said illegal
immigrants should be allowed to stay and 43% said they should be allowed to apply for
citizenship (Pew Research Center). The economic strain of 11 million new people, many of
whom will qualify for benefits, is an obstacle; but the strain is far from insurmountable. Even if
11 million people take funds out of the system that dent is heavily offset by their much higher
payments into Social Security. As citizens they will also have to pay taxes on their income. A
team of researchers found that of 1,000 detained immigrants, less than 3% of them were
unemployed (Grimes). Accordingly, our unemployment rates will fall as well.
Considering these positive aspects of increasing the number of legal immigrants, it is
important to make the naturalization process easier to navigate. If we make the process simpler,
then we will encourage legal immigration. This will benefit everyone involved. When we make
the legal system more desirable for innocent immigrants then the number of people crossing
illegally will diminish. Those who are forced to cross illegally, because of their illegal activities
elsewhere, will be much easier to catch. We need to lower the requirements that are placed on
potential immigrants. Getting a 60% on a test about American culture and history is not that
relevant to whether people should be allowed to immigrate or not. While knowing things about
the Revolutionary War and the United States Judiciary system may be beneficial, many questions
on the citizenship test are ones natural born Americans cannot answer themselves. Plenty of
immigrants have come throughout the years not knowing the language or the culture. From
Ireland to Mexico, Germany to South Korea, immigrants have come the United States
determined to make something of themselves.
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We should allow all current aliens to register for citizenship without penalty. As citizens
they will pay taxes and vote in elections. In both cases, our nation benefits. Our country should
strengthen the border so that we have fewer illegal people living here in the future. Making the
border tougher to cross will discourage innocent immigrants from crossing and make it easier to
apprehend those who seek to smuggle illegal substances into our country. As a nation, America
needs to increase the number of legal citizens allowed to enter the country per year. Increased
immigration caps will benefit immigrants, the national economy, and most importantly, the
American people. Lastly, we should make the naturalization process easier to get through and
much more appealing than the hardships of illegal immigration. We want people to come here.
Our nation has always wanted immigrants to come and make a better life for themselves.
America has always been the land of the free, where anyone from any background can work their
way to the top and be as successful as they want to be. To deny people the chance at a new life
would be denying them their dignity and denying them hope. Immigration reform, in light of all
these concerns, is necessary. Reform will benefits Americans and immigrants alike, and it is time
we find a solution to this critical issue.