Illegal Immigration
According to the Department of homeland security an alien is classified as “Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.” Although the United States has strict laws enforcing immigration into the country in 2014 there was a total of 11.3 million illegal immigrants. These immigrants come for many reason but mostly for economic opportunity and to reunite with family already here. The problem is nothing is being done to stop it and something needs to be done. If a person living outside of the U.S. wants to become a citizen these people need to do it legally and follow the necessary path. On the government 's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services there is a 10 step pamphlet to becoming an american citizen …show more content…
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy “The 11.4 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States collectively paid $11.84 billion in state and local taxes in 2012”. While that does seem like a lot of money if all immigrants become legal U.S. citizens that number would increase by over $2.2 billion. In colorado alone immigrants paid $114 million in taxes and If each of the undocumented immigrants took the necessary path to become legal that number would improve by over $38 million. When asked about taxes Jason Richwine ,who graduated Harvard with a Ph.D in Public policy, stated “In 2010, the average unlawful immigrant household received around $24,721 in government benefits and services while paying some $10,334 in taxes”. In a survey taken by Sreekar Jasthi she states that in California, the state with the highest percent of illegal immigrants, ” Families who own homes pay an average of about $35,300 in annual taxes”. Illegal immigrants and their families are receiving benefits from the government but not doing their part to keep these benefits …show more content…
Reports posted online from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons tell us that “At yearend 2013, the BOP had custody of 25,800 inmates it identified as noncitizens, 35% of the total number of reported noncitizens held in prisons”. In Federal and State prisons combined there is a total of 73,665, 1,269 of which in colorado prisons. According to the Federal Register the cost to hold a Prisoner in a corrections center in 2011 was $26,163. That amounts to a grand total of $1.9 billion to house all illegal immigrants, during 2013, for one year. This proposes the highly debated topic of if the United States should send illegal immigrants convicted of crime back to their country. When asked this question Richard Jones , a sheriff in Ohio, commented “ Why should Butler County taxpayers have to pay for jail costs associated with people we don 't believe should ever have been in this country ”. Why are U.S. citizens paying for criminals of another country to stay in its jails. It 's not fair to the taxpayers and it 's not fair to the legal immigrants that have taken the necessary steps to become a legal citizen. These illegal immigrants are giving a bad name to legal immigrants and the country as a
According to the Department of homeland security an alien is classified as “Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.” Although the United States has strict laws enforcing immigration into the country in 2014 there was a total of 11.3 million illegal immigrants. These immigrants come for many reason but mostly for economic opportunity and to reunite with family already here. The problem is nothing is being done to stop it and something needs to be done. If a person living outside of the U.S. wants to become a citizen these people need to do it legally and follow the necessary path. On the government 's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services there is a 10 step pamphlet to becoming an american citizen …show more content…
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy “The 11.4 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States collectively paid $11.84 billion in state and local taxes in 2012”. While that does seem like a lot of money if all immigrants become legal U.S. citizens that number would increase by over $2.2 billion. In colorado alone immigrants paid $114 million in taxes and If each of the undocumented immigrants took the necessary path to become legal that number would improve by over $38 million. When asked about taxes Jason Richwine ,who graduated Harvard with a Ph.D in Public policy, stated “In 2010, the average unlawful immigrant household received around $24,721 in government benefits and services while paying some $10,334 in taxes”. In a survey taken by Sreekar Jasthi she states that in California, the state with the highest percent of illegal immigrants, ” Families who own homes pay an average of about $35,300 in annual taxes”. Illegal immigrants and their families are receiving benefits from the government but not doing their part to keep these benefits …show more content…
Reports posted online from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons tell us that “At yearend 2013, the BOP had custody of 25,800 inmates it identified as noncitizens, 35% of the total number of reported noncitizens held in prisons”. In Federal and State prisons combined there is a total of 73,665, 1,269 of which in colorado prisons. According to the Federal Register the cost to hold a Prisoner in a corrections center in 2011 was $26,163. That amounts to a grand total of $1.9 billion to house all illegal immigrants, during 2013, for one year. This proposes the highly debated topic of if the United States should send illegal immigrants convicted of crime back to their country. When asked this question Richard Jones , a sheriff in Ohio, commented “ Why should Butler County taxpayers have to pay for jail costs associated with people we don 't believe should ever have been in this country ”. Why are U.S. citizens paying for criminals of another country to stay in its jails. It 's not fair to the taxpayers and it 's not fair to the legal immigrants that have taken the necessary steps to become a legal citizen. These illegal immigrants are giving a bad name to legal immigrants and the country as a