This article highlighted everything I find wrong with the “immigrants are taking our job” argument. Many Americans like to say that they can’t find a job and that unemployment rates are rising because of the number of undocumented immigrants working in the United States. However, when it comes down to the facts, the jobs undocumented immigrants take are not appealing to Americans in the slightest. They’re the hardest, more demanding jobs that require people to work in very dangerous, life threatening positions. I’ve met many people that are looking for work but have never considered – and would never consider – taking a job in a factory or working in a field. Immigrants take these jobs because no one else will do them and they need the money.
While the legal citizens are complaining about illegal immigrants taking up jobs in the low wage sector, this is not true. Undocumented immigrants are able to access those jobs because of the immobility of the American citizens working in the low wage sector (Nadadur 1048). On the other hand, the efforts of undocumented immigrants are not only realizable in the low wage sector, but also high wage sector that provides for white-collar jobs. Some of the illegal immigrants that reside in United States are highly qualified professionals and their input is significant in driving the U.S economy to greater heights. Within the population of undocumented immigrants,
Competing for jobs against native Americans, immigrants are not only using valuable government resources from welfare and other programs, but they are also increasing the rate of unemployment. True, the jobs immigrants are tak...
Illegal immigration has been a problem that has plagued the United States for many years. This problem is not new to the country because thousands of immigrants have crossed over the oceans and Mexican border since our country was founded. The underlying problem is the lack of assimilation to the American ways of life and the acceptance of existing rules and laws. With the already fragile economy and the largely growing unemployment rate Americans must make every effort to close its borders to undocumented workers to ease the strain and retain any available jobs for unemployed Americans and legal workers. Aviva Chomsky writes “immigration plays a much more complex role in the employment picture, and many different factors affecting employment and unemployment.”(4). Chomsky so on to say, “it indeed seems to be the case that immigrants and low-skilled citizens are competing for the same jobs”(11). Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants enter the country and start working either under illegal names or take agricultural jobs in which they are paid under the table. Chomsky solidifies this fact when she say “some immigrants work in the informal economy, and are paid under the table in-cash, so they don’t have federal and state income taxes, or social security taxes, deducted from their paychecks”(36).Which a lot of employers are catching on to because on doing this they don’t have to pay taxes and can turn more of a profit This also hurts the country’s economy because no one is paying their taxes and so there is no money flowing to pull the country out of the current recession. This burden indefinitely falls on the shoulders of the rest of the legal citizens of America who are inevitable paying the way for this one sided labor for...
In Marcelo M. Suarez- Orozco and Carola Suarez- Orozco’s article “How Immigrants became “other” Marcelo and Carola reference the hardships and struggles of undocumented immigrants while at the same time argue that no human being should be discriminated as an immigrant. There are millions of undocumented people that risk their lives by coming to the United States all to try and make a better life for themselves. These immigrants are categorized and thought upon as terrorist, rapists, and overall a threat to Americans. When in reality they are just as hard working as American citizens. This article presents different cases in which immigrants have struggled to try and improve their life in America. It overall reflects on the things that immigrants go through. Immigrants come to the United States with a purpose and that is to escape poverty. It’s not simply crossing the border and suddenly having a great life. These people lose their families and go years without seeing them all to try and provide for them. They risk getting caught and not surviving trying to make it to the other side. Those that make it often don’t know where to go as they are unfamiliar. They all struggle and every story is different, but to them it’s worth the risk. To work the miserable jobs that Americans won’t. “I did not come to steal from anyone. I put my all in the jobs I take. And I don’t see any of the Americans wanting to do this work” (668). These
The United States cannot afford to lose the economic gains that come from immigrant labor. The economy would be suffering a greater loss if it weren’t for immigrants and their labor contributions, especially during the 2008 U.S. recession. The U.S. economy would most likely worsen if it weren’t for the strong labor force immigrants have provided this country. Despite the mostly negative views native-born Americans have towards immigrants and the economy, their strong representation in the labor forces continues today. Immigrants aren’t taking “American” jobs, they are taking the jobs that Americans don’t want (Delener & Ventilato, 2008). Immigrants contribute to various aspects of the economy, including brining valuable skills to their jobs, contributing to the cost of living through taxes, and the lacked use of welfare, healthcare, and social security when compared to native-born Americans, showing that the United States cannot afford to lose the contribution immigrants bring into the economy.
The "American dream" is different for every person. To some it means financial success, to others it means freedom of expression, while others dream to practice their religion without fear. The "American dream" is a complex concept providing immigrants with the hope of better life. The U.S. government provides the environment and resources for everyone to pursue their dreams. Each year millions of people around the world apply for the Diversity Visa lottery program provided by the U.S. government, however only a few thousand people are lucky enough to come here. America is the place where people are judged by their achievements instead of having references or connections. Even though the American economy is in recession and the achieving of the American Dream is harder, many immigrants still achieve religious, political, financial, and sports dreams here in the U.S.
Have you been searching for a book that will inspire you, but just can’t seem to find one? Well your prayers have been answered, because I have the book for you. The Immigrant Advantage by Claudia Kolker will do the job. The novel was published in 2011 by Free Press. Claudia Kolker is an award-winning journalist, who has written for The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Economist, and The Oprah Magazine.
A common argument among those opposing further immigration is that foreigners take U.S. jobs and cause unemployment among the displaced American workers. In the July 13, 1992 edition of Business Week , a poll states that sixty-two percent of non-blacks and sixty-three percent of blacks agree that "new immigrants take jobs away from American workers." This is a widely held, if erroneous belief, among Americans. However, Julian L. Simon, author of The Economic Consequences of Immigration , states:
Many americans claim that illegal immigrants come into the u.s and take their jobs. In 2012 8.5 million jobs were taken by immigrants. (Passel, Jeffrey S. and D'Vera Cohn, Federation for American Immigration reform,p.2)Yes, many immigrants have jobs in the U.S but most of these jobs are all minimum wage. Facts actually show the types of jobs immigrants are taking. Most illegal immigrants work in hard, awful environment factories. They work extra hours just to have enough money to get by. People are mad at the fact that they have jobs here but truth is they wouldn't take those jobs anyways. If all immigrants workers leave, who would do these j...
The American Dream is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguished by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. People consider America the land of opportunities, a new beginning to a new life in which they can strive and succeed. America is known as the land of the free where if you have the perseverance you can achieve what you want from life. However does the American Dream apply to even those of color equally? Does the American Dream favor those who aren't Caucasian but of different pigments and ethnicities? Throughout history, immigrants and people of color have been cut short from certain carriers or occupations due to their race or ethnicity. An example from history was when The Irish migrated to the United States during the Great Irish Famine in the 19th century and they were banned from finding jobs or careers. When the Americans saw the Indian citizens who became citizens based off marriage back in the day succeeding in their business careers they passed on a law that stopped the Indians from marrying Americans which made the Indians lose their land owning right and businesses. When the African American slaves were first brought onto US land, they had no other option yet to be a slave and work under the command of Americans while the Americans set out to fulfill their American dreams. Have things changed around however throughout history? In my opinion, it is more unrealistic than realistic today...
Since the start of the twentieth century America has attracted people all over the world to relocate and start a new life. For many coming to America was a chance for a better life and new things. They all had something in common, they all had a dream, that dream was the "American Dream". In the present day the desire to achieve the dream hasn't changed. However, the idea of the American Dream, brings up a lot of questions. What is the American Dream? Who defines it? Can it be achieved? Lastly, should everyone have a chance to achieve it?
US citizens are accusing undocumented immigrants of taking over their jobs and impacting them in a negative perspective. Many believe this problem could be lessened by punishing the employer for hiring undocumented immigrants without proper papers. The employers are the ones responsible for US citizens becoming unemployed because they are the ones that decide who to hire. Illegal immigrants are doing what everyone else is doing, which is applying for the job and waiting to be hired. On the other hand, companies that want to get ahead of their competitors would hire illegals to not have to pay minimum wages, which will lead to them to cutting the costs of their payroll and getting ahead of their competitors.(“Does Illegal Immigrants Hurt the
Ronald Regan describes America as, “…a place in the divine scheme that was set aside as a promised land” (“Loosing the American Dream”). Do Regan’s words have any truth to them? How can America be a promised land when immigrants are still fighting for the chance to pursue the American Dream and social acceptance? Immigrants have different motives for coming to America some may seek citizenship for political freedoms that they once did not have due to uprising civil wars in their native country. Others may come for social freedoms that they were not awarded in their home country due to sexual orientation. Others may come for economic freedoms that allows them to go from rags to riches. No matter the reason, immigrants risk everything for a chance to pursue the American dream. So why is it so hard for immigrants to earn a spot as a citizen of the United States of America? Why are immigrants still facing narrow-mindedness criticism for being foreign? It is time for Americans to change their prejudice views of immigrants.
I disagree that every immigrant is a killer, rapist, or drug dealer and that immigrants take away jobs from Americans. We are not criminals; we are humble people who came to the United States to work hard. In an August 2016 New York Times article, Adam Edelman reported that in June 2015 you “labeled immigrants from Mexico ‘rapists’ and criminals.” Immigrants do not come to the United States to cause trouble. They come to the United States out of necessity. Immigrants risk their lives crossing the border for a better future. They leave their families, home, and country for a better living. If the economy in their country were good they would not come to the United States, but since they cannot earn enough money they cross deserts and rivers to give a better life to their families. Is hard to travel to an unknown country
Although the truth is that these illegal immigrants are taking legal citizens jobs. As illegal immigrants acquire jobs, they take place in legal workers jobs, leading to the average wage going down for the rest of the legal work force because illegal immigrants get paid significantly less. The United States is a democratic nation and is dependent on the citizens to help out with the making and following of laws and policies.