Immigrants Should Not Be Given American Citizenship Essay
725 Words
3 Pages
I’m sure we have all heard the phrase, “America is a country made up of immigrants”. While this may be true in terms of the history of the United States, but today it’s not that simple and it remains a highly debated topic that most can agree needs reform. Moreover, it draws many differing opinions on what actions are best in pursuit of the same goal. Immigration also brings many changes that raise fundamental questions for Americans. Who are we? What kind of a society have we built, and whom shall we welcome to it? What should we do to encourage the integration of newcomers? How should we deal with those who arrive uninvited?” (Martin, 2003) As for providing amnesty for the undocumented immigrants, it may be the efficient way to handle
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To counter the notion that allowing amnesty will make others want to come here, I feel that the influx is not the issue. An analysis by the Pew Research Center that examined 2010 population data found that "nearly two-thirds of the 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants living in the United States have been in the country for at least 10 years and that nearly half are parents of minor children (Burns, 2013). For new immigrants, it mostly comes down to opportunity. Are they stealing American worker jobs? Perhaps in some cases, but ultimately the jobs they are seeking are in specialized fields, which would not work against American workers as a whole. The economic impacts vary tremendously based on the skill level of the individual (Greenstone, 2010). There are many instances in which talented and hard-working students who graduate from are institutions are forced to leave the country because of the process and requirements to gain citizenship. It would be in our best interest to retain those who are educated and will be highly productive in society. One major downside to amnesty is that, in a sense, it rewards bad behavior. For those attempting to follow procedure it can be a difficult …show more content…
Instead of spending it there, the focus should be on getting them into the system. There should be regulations in place that require them to hold jobs and pay taxes, but compiled with an improved pathway to citizenship. If the system is easier to navigate for those looking to enter, it can reduce the over ten million illegal immigrants we have today. “Like U.S. citizens, most working-age immigrants seek jobs, earn wages, pay taxes, and consume public services. In 1997, the National Research Council (NRC) concluded that legal and illegal immigration add between $1 billion and $10 billion per year to the U.S. gross domestic product, largely because immigration holds down U.S. wages and thus prices and increases the efficiency of the economy.” (Martin, 2003). Even with an “easier” process to citizenship, there will still be those denied. Criminals, and those who have little to no benefit on our society will not be allowed. This, in many ways is no different than many other countries that allow immigration based on a need within the economy. As long as the economic benefit is there, I feel that this is a country that does provide opportunity for those looking to bring value and culture to
To counter the notion that allowing amnesty will make others want to come here, I feel that the influx is not the issue. An analysis by the Pew Research Center that examined 2010 population data found that "nearly two-thirds of the 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants living in the United States have been in the country for at least 10 years and that nearly half are parents of minor children (Burns, 2013). For new immigrants, it mostly comes down to opportunity. Are they stealing American worker jobs? Perhaps in some cases, but ultimately the jobs they are seeking are in specialized fields, which would not work against American workers as a whole. The economic impacts vary tremendously based on the skill level of the individual (Greenstone, 2010). There are many instances in which talented and hard-working students who graduate from are institutions are forced to leave the country because of the process and requirements to gain citizenship. It would be in our best interest to retain those who are educated and will be highly productive in society. One major downside to amnesty is that, in a sense, it rewards bad behavior. For those attempting to follow procedure it can be a difficult …show more content…
Instead of spending it there, the focus should be on getting them into the system. There should be regulations in place that require them to hold jobs and pay taxes, but compiled with an improved pathway to citizenship. If the system is easier to navigate for those looking to enter, it can reduce the over ten million illegal immigrants we have today. “Like U.S. citizens, most working-age immigrants seek jobs, earn wages, pay taxes, and consume public services. In 1997, the National Research Council (NRC) concluded that legal and illegal immigration add between $1 billion and $10 billion per year to the U.S. gross domestic product, largely because immigration holds down U.S. wages and thus prices and increases the efficiency of the economy.” (Martin, 2003). Even with an “easier” process to citizenship, there will still be those denied. Criminals, and those who have little to no benefit on our society will not be allowed. This, in many ways is no different than many other countries that allow immigration based on a need within the economy. As long as the economic benefit is there, I feel that this is a country that does provide opportunity for those looking to bring value and culture to