Essay/Term paper: Immigration: pro

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Social Issues

Immigration: Pro


We live in the 90's the age where scandalous and controversial topics
cover the news headlines. Such subject matters as homosexuality, A.I.D.S, and
abortion are fiercely debated upon. Sides are always taken, with the
conservatives battling the liberals. One such argument that has always been
debated upon since the founding of this nation has been immigration. The fact
that it has been argued over for so long makes it seem ironic. A country
founded by immigrants perpetually arguing over immigration. The basis of this
dispute runs deep and that is what will be discussed in this following paper.
Anti-immigrant sentiments have been circulating since the Alien Act of
June 25, 1798 . The Act was the first federal legislation that dealt with the
expulsion of aliens in the United States. Another landmark case was the
notorious Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. That clause revoked all Chinese
immigrants to emigrate to the States for a period of ten years. It is so
infamous due to the fact that it was the first bill that discriminated against
any one particular race. Restrictions on immigration may seem to have been
eradicated from current history but that is an oversight. Even in the
"politically correct" society we live in today allows for these discrepancies,
for in the Immigration Act of 1990 which brought up controls for immigration.
Behind all these legal documents there are reasons that spurred these
causes. Certain prejudices against certain races or religion. The prejudices
were not always a color issue as the current immigration problems are. In the
beginning it was primarily Europeans. In particular the Irish and German were
thought of negatively. The percentage of the Irish in the Mid-Atlantic went from
45.9% in 1870 to 48.5 in 1930. Germans in 1870 went from 31.4% to 35.6% in 1930
. The common belief was that the two races were against assimilation. They
lived in their own communities and refused to learn the English language. But
that belief like all others were false based. After the Germans and Irish
started to finally assimilate we needed a new scapegoat. The next were the
Italians and Jews, following them were the Catholics. Throughout history there
were always someone who got the blame put on them. Lately the blame has been
put upon Middle-Eastern, Asians and Hispanics.
Now that the basics has been laid out it is time to argue the two sides
of immigration. The Anti-immigrant argument is that immigrants were taking away
jobs. With the incoming immigrants they do take away jobs that could have been
taken by Americans. But most of the jobs that some of the immigrants take are
the unwanted ones. The incoming immigrants also overcrowd the cities and start
to overpopulate in the States in Taking Sides they state that approximately
fifteen to eighteen million are expected to arrive in the states within the next
ten years . Another valid point is that with the arrival of so many different
types of people that we lose a sense of nationality. Every race starts to
clique together and tries to shut out the rest of the neighboring societies.
But that was similar of past races, its just a matter of time. The biggest
immigration problem is illegal or undocumented immigrants. They arrive on great
numbers (though less than half of all of the immigrants arriving in America).
The only problem with curbing the numbers of illegal immigrants is it is often
difficult to put a control on them.
The pro-immigration stance on the arrival of settlers from abroad mostly
take what the anti-immigrant stand says and rationale it out. With the arrival
of immigrants the truth is that they don't take jobs away they create more.
With an entrepreneur mentality the newcomers open their own small businesses
therefore creating much more dire needed jobs. Another advantage to having a
diversity of people is there is no stagnation. There always is a new influx of
people creating new technology and new ideas. In the past most of the greatest
accomplishments from Americans has been from foreign born researchers. A prime
example is Albert Einstein one of the foremost mathematician of all time. He
contributed the equation E=mc^2 and various other formulas. The list though
doesn't end here it goes onencompassing the likes of Ted Koppel, Henry Kissinger,
and the likes of many other prominent "citizens".
Immigrants are also not a burden on our tax dollars but a blessing.
They provide us with much needed tax dollars. The other fear that the
undocumented immigrants using benefits that are only given out to citizens are
mistaken, for they are all ineligible. But on the flipside the illegal
immigrants by paying taxes and payroll end up paying for those programs that
they are unqualified for. The estimated amount that they paid in 1990 for those
services was about 2.7 billion, and which they can not touch even a cent of.
The stereotype that immigrants are dumb uncooperative people are allayed by
those who fear cultures different from theirs. As a result, it has become more
difficult for foreigners to commence the life that they had intended to live in
the so-called "New World". Their purpose for migrating to America is not to
invade the original culture that was first brought over by the English. Instead,
these outsiders leave their old country behind to travel to a new country they
believe will
provide them the opportunity to lead a better life. Immigrants also by
arriving to America they pass on knowledge of their own culture to help unify
all the humans. Also by sharing their culture we are able to expand business
further into other foreign countries. With the motivation and talent that they
possess immigrants are the backbone for the continued growth of our country.
My stand on immigration is probably lucid. I am pro-immigration. Being
an immigrant myself I have personally felt the hardships and prejudices held
against me, simply based on skin color. Immigrants that arrive here usually
come with a goal in life - to succeed on it. With that kind of mentality I
share the same view as Stephen Moore. Even the undocumented immigrants that
seem to be numerous is false, they only constitute roughly 1-1.5% a very small
margin to say the least. This country was founded by immigrants, built by
immigrants and flourishes because of immigrants. It seems only in dire times
that America tries to find a scapegoat to use as a justification of why they are
failing, when the truth of the matter is that the fact that we have to blame
someone else we have a much more serious problem than we think.