Pro And Negative Effects Of Immigration

The United States, founded by immigrants 238 years ago, continues to be influenced by the presence of migrants. The first wave of immigrants occurred during the colonial era when the majority of Europeans came in search of better economic opportunities, while others sought religious freedom. The early settlers set the pattern for future migrants, who currently come to the United States seeking a better life, one filled with plenty of financial opportunities. According to the American Community Service report of 2012, 40.8 million immigrants, equivalent to 13% of the population, live in our nation. While this figure continues to grow exponentially, Americans remain in constant negotiations about the effects of immigration on the U.S. economy.

House of Representatives. Individuals like Murphy argue that immigrants provide a “diminished economic opportunity for U.S. citizens” because they require financial assistance from the government (Becerra 112). Immigration does come at a price, but the actual cost represents only a small percentage of the budget (Becerra 112). The opposition hyperbolizes the effects of immigration in attempt to persuade the public to vote against immigration policies. Anti-immigration groups support their claim that immigrants are an obstruction to the development of the American economy by assuming that immigrants freeload off of welfare. However, most immigrants do not qualify for federal programs, and therefore, do not use many of the services the government offers (Becerra 121). Supporting their argument that immigrants exploit the government services, objectors of immigration allege that the newcomers do not pay their share of taxes. On the contrary, the National Council of La Raza reports, “immigrants contribute over $7 billion annually to Social Security and over $1.5 billion to Medicare” through their income taxes paid using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers or false Social Security numbers. While the reality of immigration can be embellished, the statistics will

The United States is often referred to as a melting pot since it is made up of people from different cultures. Individuals might differ in their skin color, ethnicity, and beliefs, but we are united by various factors, including food. With immigrants coming to the United States from all over the world, Americans are exposed to new cuisines. As these cuisines spread across the country becoming more and more popular, Americans develop a strong liking towards them, which affects the growth of the economy. For example, the increased number of Asian immigrants exposes more Americans to various Asian cuisines and causes the number of Asian restaurants to “[mushroom] and the variety of cuisines [to multiply]” (Yang 169). The proliferation of ethnic restaurants has flourished the economy, and Chinese restaurants alone produce “$17 billion in annual sales” (Yang 170). But the introduction of new cultures and cuisines transforms the unhealthy American lifestyle into a nutritious one. Since countries around the world have healthier staple foods and rely on “grains, vegetables, and fruits rather than meat and dairy products,” they have decreased rates of health implications like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which are all prevalent in America (Yang 170). When more Americans make the