Illegal Immigration Thesis

Introduction: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” (Lazarus, 1883). These words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty are intended as a beacon of hope for all immigrants that enter the United States. Illegal immigration is the passage of individuals across the borders of a country in a manner that disregards the immigration laws of that country (Center for Media and Democracy, 2007). Illegal immigration has been a continuing issue and controversial topic throughout the history of the United States. In fact, illegal immigration has been in the forefront of national news over the past month. Eighty-two percent of U.S. population growth is due to immigration, with an estimated 11.7 million illegal immigrants

b) A Center for Immigration Studies analysis maintains that in the federal budget alone “illegal aliens [create] a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 million” (Camarota, 2004, p. 5).
2. American workers typically invest and spend money earned within the United States, stimulating the economy.
a) Immigrants send a substantial amount of earnings back to their country of origin.
b) In fact, “Mexico’s central bank reported …remittances from Mexicans living in the U.S. reached $20 billion” (Lopez, 2009, p. 4).
B. Therefore, the illegal immigration policies must be enforced, since they are the laws of the country and government funds are being consumed and exhausted.
1. Laws must be followed and enforced.
a) The United States government has an obligation and responsibility to protect its’ citizens and enforce the laws of the nation.
b) Allowing illegal immigration to occur through amnesty or non-enforcement, results in the encouragement of illegal activities when there are legal methods of entrance to the country.
2. Illegal immigration places an undue tax burden on legal

This would meet demand for certain types of labor, while providing the chance of improving their lives.
3. The program would eliminate any justification or defense for businesses employing undocumented workers through significant penalties.

Transition: As a result, the guest worker program would satisfy the needs of both the United States and immigrants.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the United States has always been considered a land of opportunity and must continue to be so. Each nation has the right to promote and protect its own national interests. Thus, an immigration policy must be designed to meet the needs of the United States, not to solve the problems of the world. As stated by the 43rd President of the United States, “We are a nation of laws, and we must enforce our laws. We’re also a nation of immigrants…These are not contradictory goals…There is a rational middle ground between granting automatic…citizenship for every illegal immigrant and…mass deportation” (New York Times, 2006). Therefore, the best option is to implement strategic policy reform to control illegal immigration by enforcing the illegal immigration policies of the country, securing the border with border controls, and implementing a guest worker program to allow immigrants to legally work in the country. This strategy will be effective in addressing illegal immigration concerns and issues in the United