America is considered to be one of the most diverse country; a country in which in every town there is more than one nationality to learn from. Many cultures and nationalities fill this nation with all the variance it has to offer. The diversity offered here in America allows new businesses to develop, new cultures to leach through the American culture, it even allows individuals to grow into who they want to be, but where did this diversity come from? How is it that in America there are many cultures to acquire from? Immigration plays a tremendous role in the way our society is set up, “In 2011 there were 40.4 million foreign-born people residing in the United States, whereas the immigrant population in 1960 was 9.7 million. Broken down by immigration status, the foreign-born population in 2011 was composed of 15.5 million naturalized U.S. citizens, 13.1 million legal permanent residents, and 11.1 million unauthorized migrants.” (Garcia,1). Immigrants will continue to populate America and transport their cultural difference into our society. Even though immigrants bring many positive benefits there can be a downfall in many aspects. The positive and negative sides of this situation are what make this condition such a tremendous problem in our society today. Americans can at times find immigrants as a threat to the economy and work force. They feel as if the immigrants that come into America take the only jobs that are left here. There are no jobs, no money, our economy is at an end, do we have space for others to come and take what we have left? These two opposing views bring separation and debatable arguments into our society, “some people say that illegal immigration benefits the US economy through additional tax revenue, expan...
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...is more than just a political problem, “Immigration for all of us is more than a political issue. It is who we are as Americans. From Plymouth Rock to Ellis Island and Galveston, Texas, to the sandy shores of Florida and the rocky coast of California, immigrants have made ours the greatest country in the world.” (Goodlatte ,46). Immigration is a huge problem that is occurring in our society today, and what we need to do is get a grip on it. We need to take in the positive and negative side from this situation and find boundaries. The boundaries we find will allow us to negotiate a contract or plan in which everyone has a mutual gain. Why kick immigrants out if they are beneficial, but then again why leave the ones who commit crime in America? This situation is something that can be handled in a way in which it will allow America to continue grows strong as a nation.
The author, Jo-Ann Pilardi accurately writes about immigration in her article “Immigration Problem Is about Us, Not Them.” All Immigrants, whether they are legal or illegal know that having the chance to live in America, is a dream come true or in other words, “a chance in paradise.” America is known for its opportunities. Immigrants came to the United States for a very significant purpose. Their purpose and goal is to take advantage of the opportunities in the land known as, “the land of opportunity.” Immigrants did not come here to damage the country or to over burden its inhabitants. That author states, “Many of our political leaders talk hard line about immigration reform even though they know our country is mired in its demand for the
The United States of America has the largest foreign-born population in the world. With nearly thirteen percent of the total population being foreign-born, one may find it hard to imagine an immigrant-free country (U.S. Bureau of the Census). Immigration has been an integral part of the United States’ overall success and the country’s economy since it was established and without it, would have never been founded at all. Although there are some negative issues associated with immigration and many native-born Americans believe to be more of a problem than a solution, overall it actually has a positive effect. Immigrants in America, among other things, fill jobs where native-born Americans may not want to work or cannot work, they contribute to Social Services and Medicaid through taxes and they help provide the backbone of America, especially by working jobs that natives may have not even considered.
In the United States, the cliché of a nation of immigrants is often invoked. Indeed, very few Americans can trace their ancestry to what is now the United States, and the origins of its immigrants have changed many times in American history. Despite the identity of an immigrant nation, changes in the origins of immigrants have often been met with resistance. What began with white, western European settlers fleeing religious persecution morphed into a multicultural nation as immigrants from countries across the globe came to the U.S. in increasing numbers. Like the colonial immigrants before them, these new immigrants sailed to the Americas to gain freedom, flee poverty and famine, and make a better life for themselves. Forgetting their origins as persecuted and excluded people, the older and more established immigrants became possessive about their country and tried to exclude and persecute the immigrant groups from non-western European backgrounds arriving in the U.S. This hostile, defensive, and xenophobic reaction to influxes of “new” immigrants known as Nativism was not far out of the mainstream. Nativism became a part of the American cultural and political landscape and helped to shape, through exclusion, the face of the United States for years to come.
America has, is, and will always be a nation of immigrants: the great melting pot. In the
The United States has often been referred to as a global “melting pot” due to its assimilation of diverse cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities. In today’s society, this metaphor may be an understatement. Between 1990 and 2010, the number of foreign born United States residents nearly doubled from 20 million to 40 million, increasing the U.S. population from almost 250 million to 350 million people. With U.S. born children and grandchildren of immigrants, immigration contributed to half of this population growth. These immigrants, consisting of mostly Asian and Hispanic backgrounds, have drastically changed the composition of the U.S. population. In 2010, Asians and Hispanics made up 20 percent of the U.S. population, in contrast to a 6 percent share of Asians and Hispanics in 1970. It is predicted that by 2050, the share of immigrants in the United States will increase to one half of the entire population. With this rapid increase in diversity, many citizens have opposing views on its impact on the United States. In my opinion, an increase in immigration does contain both positive and negatives effects, but in general it provides an overriding positive influence on America’s society (“Population”).
Immigration has always and will always be an essential part of America’s demographic and cultural diversity. Our country was founded on the immigration of Europeans to the New World; without them our nation would not be as advanced as it is today. Over the past three centuries, America’s immigration policies have evolved, both positively and negatively. Although we are moving forward, several episodes in our country’s immigration policy have targeted and attacked certain ethnic or cultural groups. Throughout America there is disparity regarding attitudes toward immigrants. Policies fluctuate throughout the entire country, different states, and even major cities. As the United States moves forth, it is vital that we remember how crucial immigrants
First, immigrants come to the U.S. to work and bring valuable skills which help grow the economy despite the negative views surrounding their part in the U.S. economy. Since the 2008-2009 recession the view on immigration and its effects on the economy has been more negative than positive (Peri, 2012). A study done by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government found that about 50 percent of American adults believe that immigrants burden the country because they, “take jobs, housing, and healthcare”, while the other 50 percent believe that, “immigrants strengthen the country due to their hard work and talents” (Delener & Ventilato, 2008). Over the past decade, “over half of the increase in the U.S. labor force,… was the result of immigration-l...
Immigration in America in recent years has continued to rise steadily. Why? What do they want? Do these immigrants even contribute to society or are they just simply here to do diabolical deeds? Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova assert “In 2013, approximately 41.3 million immigrants lived in the United States, an all-time high for a nation historically built on immigration” (par.1). Every year millions of immigrants migrate into the U.S looking for better job opportunities or searching for freedom that is limited to them elsewhere. Reporter Janelle Ross contends “America is a much more diverse country — in every region — than it was during the last century. That is largely due to the nearly record-topping share of the country 's population that
Immigrants have always been an important part of United States’ population. Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of immigrants, from all around the world, including legal and illegal, come into the United States for job opportunities, new life, or the American Dream. “Immigrants have contributed significantly to the development of the United States. During the Lincoln administration, immigrants were actually encouraged to come to America, as they were considered valuable to the development of the country.” (Soylu & Buchanan, 2013). They believe that the US will give them more freedom, protection, and opportunities, which sometimes it becomes the major issues for immigrants. That’s why “the U.S. population is becoming more racially and
The issue of immigration must be dealt with rationally, not emotionally. Facts, figures, and statistics must be studied by both sides in order to reach a decision most beneficial to our nation. Our lives are enhanced by the new jobs created by immigrants, the social service funds bolstered by their tax payments, and the valuable technical skills and knowledge brought with them. These benefits far outweigh any negative effects and prove the value of immigrants as they pursue the American Dream in our "nation of immigrants."
“In 2009, the U.S. admitted over 1.1 million legal immigrants, just 6.5 percent of whom possessed employment skills that in demand in the United States” (Report by Immigration Progress). American is a nesting ground for immigrants from all around the world. An important issue in the United States is the problem of illegal immigration. An illegal immigrant is someone who migrates to another country, and breaks the immigration laws of a destined nation. The United States has by far the most immigrants than any other country and this is a catalyst to many of the problem that America is facing today. Due to the increase in Immigration, there is an increase in poverty and economic downfall in the United States. Factors like education, job conflicts, welfare, and unemployment all play a vital role in proving the theory.
In recent discussions, the topic of immigration and the fundamental question of what is to be done with immigration? has been circulating in many american homes today, especially the closer we get to election day. As David Cole puts it in his essay Five Myths about Immigration “But just as in the 1850’s, passion, misinformation, and shortsighted fear often substitute for reason, fairness, and human dignity in today’s immigration debates”(185). Despite misconceptions of immigrants, Cole believes that immigrants positively affect society in several ways. In addition, Cole challenges and questions the beliefs of others in his essay. Whereas, Victor Davis Hanson’s essay Our Brave New World of Immigration focuses
The definition of immigration has developed to include a profound understanding of migration. Immigration has put an emphasis on the effects of school funding. Evidence suggests that the largest challenge in school funding is the result of increase in migrant children in schools. As a result, as the South Carolina State Superintendent of Instruction a policy must be in place for the anticipated increase of immigrant children.
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.
...which has caused the changes in American culture in two centuries. It can be approached from many different views. Instead of America being a nation, we can redefine it as a multicultural society; or the lasting establishment of positive action for immigrants based on their race; or immigrant are seen as the big promoter of the America culture because they get into intermarriage relationship that expand their culture mix with American culture as the population increase. The Immigrant has been blamed of decline in educational and environmental standards in areas dominated by Hispanics. At the turn of the century a wave of new immigrants Jews and Italians were believed to be too different to assimilate into American cultural life. Today the same fears are raised about immigrants’ from Asia and Latin America, as their counterparts were in previous historical time.