The United States began its life a wild untamed land; due to the strong work ethic and perseverance of immigrants it has become the country we see today. But in this vast amount of time between the immigrants of 21st century and those of the past what has changed the effects people see immigrants as having. The Native Americans in the 1800s saw people immigrating to their lands as unnecessary pest and not people who would one day help the country grow and thrive. Just as today many Americans view illegal immigrants, people who come into a country illegally without proper documentation, as burdens on the country not realizing for every negative they offer they also have a positive. Also, many do not realize that no American other than Native Americans have ancestors who were not once illegal unwanted immigrants onto this land. Illegal immigrants not only burden but help the United States they take the jobs that Americans feel to privileged to work; they help increase the United States Gross Domestic Product, and immigrants are willing to work for very little; on the other hand, illegals cost the United States money on welfare, health care, and educating their children.
The citizens of the United States have grown accustomed to certain luxuries and living lives of privilege in contrast to people of other countries. Many Americans feel as though they are above doing certain jobs such as picking fruit in fields, washing dishes in restaurants, and other low paying unskilled jobs. “Of the roughly one-million farm workers in the United States, most are immigrants, and an estimated one-quarter to one-half of them are illegal” (Baragona, “US Farmers Depend on Illegal Immigrants”). Some argue that Americans want these jobs like farm w...
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The United States was formed by the immigration of many people from all over the world. Americans take pride in knowing that we are a people of vast ethnic backgrounds and culture. However, at the present time, the flow of illegal immigration, as well as a large influx of other legal immigrants is placing a strain on our land of "huddled masses." Legal immigration to the United States can easily be handled and is welcomed by most Americans. However, the flow of illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico, must be stemmed, due to the strain it is placing on the government, (at the local, state and federal level), as well as the general population. Illegal immigrants are costing the United States over 24 billion dollars a year in taxpayers money (National Review 12.13.93). Something must be done to reduce the flow of illegal immigration into the United States. The focus of this paper will be the problems caused by and possible solutions to the problem of illegal immigration.
Becerra, David, et al. "Fear Vs. Facts: Examining The Economic Impact Of Undocumented Immigrants In The U.S." Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare 39.4 (2012): 111-135. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
For many years, America has had a misconception of immigrants. Most Americans think them to be taking up space, money, and jobs, but that’s not it. U.S. born citizens have the wrong impression of immigrants, which technically has them judging themselves because all U.S. born citizens have a family background with at least one immigrant that came to the U.S., as stated in “Religious Issues in American Immigration,” “All Americans are immigrants” (Granquist). Even U.S. born citizens have a trace of immigration in their family history leaving them with no room to judge others. Americans have common misconceptions of a lot of things and immigration happens to be one of them. However, that is not to say that it is not a fixable problem. Through the past years of politics and reforms in the U.S, we have begun to fix prejudice towards immigrants, as well as start to understand why it is occurring. America has made improvements in having equality in culture, religion, education, and language which made it a better environment for the immigrants. America managed to throw out the hardships and stereotypes of immigrants and realize how they are benefitting. After reforms were put in place to increase equality and decrease prejudice, America benefited socially and economically. Since immigrants increased the supply demand, they created more jobs. This in turn brought a rise of the economy. America made some of the most appropriate changes in order to benefit others as well as themselves. Because of the advanced reforms in America and the determination for no prejudice towards immigrants, the environment became better and America started to benefit.
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.
Illegals, Aliens, Undocumented (however you wish to call them) are often viewed as a burden to America. But are they really? Are American conscious of the contributions that “Illegal Aliens” bring to this country? “Illegal Aliens” have stimulated enormous economic wealth to this country. It is now the time to recognize those hard working underpaid immigrants and grant them the reform they deserved after so many years of being a shadow.
Most immigrants usually fill essential service jobs in the economy, which are vacant. Unfortunately, like new immigrants throughout U.S. history, “they experience conditions that are commonly deprived, oppressive, and exploitive” (Conover, 2000). They are paid low wages with little potential for advancement, are subjected to hazardous working conditions, and are threatened with losing their jobs and even deportation if they voice dissatisfaction with the way they are treated. Many work several jobs to make ends meet. Many also live in substandard housing with abusive landlords, have few health cares options, and are victims of fraud and other crimes.
One would expect that social equality would just be the norm in society today. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Three similar stories of how inequality and the hard reality of how America’s society and workforce is ran shows a bigger picture of the problems American’s have trying to make an honest living in today’s world. When someone thinks about the American dream, is this the way they pictured it? Is this what was envisioned for American’s when thinking about what the future held? The three authors in these articles don’t believe so, and they are pretty sure American’s didn’t either. Bob Herbert in his article “Hiding from Reality” probably makes the most honest and correct statement, “We’re in denial about the extent of the rot in the system, and the effort that would be required to turn things around” (564).
Throughout the course of my life, I have always encountered individuals wanting to better their economic situation especially those within my community. Those who come from impoverished communities in other countries risk their lives and lifetime savings to come to the United States hoping that one day they will regain everything that they lost. Their only motivation to come to this country is to be able to provide their family with basic necessities and in order to do this, they must work two or more jobs that pay at minimum wage and are taken for granted. However, many individuals do not see this side of the story and categorize immigrants as unambitious people. In order to be completely aware of what immigrants truly go through and how they succeed in life, one must be willing to place themselves in their shoes and hear his/her story. We must acknowledge that the hands of these people work in back breaking jobs in order to sustain their families. While some Americans may be against immigrants arriving to the United States in search of a better life and the American Dream, in The Madonnas of Echo Park, Brando Skyhorse further reveals that immigrants are exploited as cheap labor, and although they contribute greatly to the everyday function of American industry, they are quite invisible.
Immigration is the greatest part of American history. In the beginning, Immigrants brought a vast variety of cultures and beliefs and turned America in to the beauty it is today. Immigrants are still doing this. However, the issue with immigration can be it 's illegal status. Many undocumented immigrants are entering this country causing questions among the American citizens. Rather than asking if this is right or wrong, a solution can be found. Illegal immigrants come here for a purpose and can be helped with this purpose. Most come fleeing persecution, although some come here for more demented reasons. Those, illegal immigrants will be done away with. However, Those immigrants who come here for pure reasons need to be taken Care of in proper
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
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... to exist in our days, needs to be changed more if we ever want to achieve a true progression in our economy and society where not only the rich get the biggest piece of the pie. After researching a little and analyzing numbers and statistics from the past and present, fifty-one years have done two basic things to the harvesters of shame, their wages have improved a little bit and the ethnicity of the workers has changed from poor whites and blacks to poor Hispanics, bringing new factors into play such as the pros and cons that hiring immigrant workers bring to companies. Even though, these potential improvements appear to be substantial and beneficial shifting the views many workers and farmers had in the past, not all people receive the same treatments and benefits some companies share, thousands of immigrant workers have become the new mute slaves of America.
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
Lynch, R., & Oakford, P. (2013, March 30). The Economic Effects of Granting Legal Status and Citizenship to Undocumented Immigrants. American Progress. Retrieved July 2, 2014, from http://americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2013/03/20/57351/the-economic-effects-of-granting-legal-status-and-citizenship-to-undocumented-immigrants/
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