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In the past, I used to be a walking paradox- how can an immigrant not be an advocate for the pardon of illegal immigration? At the age of seven, after an arduous process of obtaining our green cards in order to legally live in the United States, my family and I migrated from the city of Barcelona, Spain to the Land of Opportunity. Remembering the experience of this lengthy process, I couldn’t help but feel aggravated towards the idea of other people immigrating to the United States illegally, and by what I thought then, simply jumping over a wall. Thus, I perceived illegal immigrants as people who liked to take shortcuts; idle people who refused to work hard, yet expected to receive the same amount of opportunities as others. With this misconception
John F. Kavanaugh, a professor of philosophy and a Jesuit priest, wrote the article “Amnesty? Let Us Be Vigilant and Charitable” for an issue of America, a Jesuit publication. In his article he discusses the negatives of American immigration laws and argues for their reform.
In Marcelo M. Suarez- Orozco and Carola Suarez- Orozco’s article “How Immigrants became “other” Marcelo and Carola reference the hardships and struggles of undocumented immigrants while at the same time argue that no human being should be discriminated as an immigrant. There are millions of undocumented people that risk their lives by coming to the United States all to try and make a better life for themselves. These immigrants are categorized and thought upon as terrorist, rapists, and overall a threat to Americans. When in reality they are just as hard working as American citizens. This article presents different cases in which immigrants have struggled to try and improve their life in America. It overall reflects on the things that immigrants go through. Immigrants come to the United States with a purpose and that is to escape poverty. It’s not simply crossing the border and suddenly having a great life. These people lose their families and go years without seeing them all to try and provide for them. They risk getting caught and not surviving trying to make it to the other side. Those that make it often don’t know where to go as they are unfamiliar. They all struggle and every story is different, but to them it’s worth the risk. To work the miserable jobs that Americans won’t. “I did not come to steal from anyone. I put my all in the jobs I take. And I don’t see any of the Americans wanting to do this work” (668). These
There are several theories to look into when discussing the morality of borders. I specifically look into Stephen Macedo’s chapter “The Moral Dilemma of U.S. Immigration Policy, open borders versus social justice?” in Debating Immigration and Joseph Carens article “Aliens and Citizens: The Case for Open Borders.” Using political theory back up his argument, Carens uses Rawlsian, the Nozickean, and the utilitarian to support and explain his claims that there is little justification for keeping oppressed people from other countries seeking a better life out of the United States. Macedo also uses similar liberal philosophy referencing Rawlsianism to support the opposing idea of a more restrictionist society, posing the question of cosmopolitanism
Mexico: Mexico’s immigration policy is strict with clear and distinct laws with what a foreigner can and can’t do in the country. For starters, immigrants are barred from interfering with the country’s internal political affairs. Furthermore, it is a felony to be an illegal alien in Mexico; those who come to the country under false pretenses could be deported or incarcerated. They also only accept foreigners who will be beneficial to the country’s society and economy.
Jose Antonio Vargas’s article on My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant is a writing about his childhood journey from the Philippines to the United States as an Undocumented Immigrant. Vargas writes this article to emphasize the topic of immigrant and undocumented immigrant in the United States. He uses all three appeals: pathos, ethos, and logic in his writing, in specific, he mostly uses pathos throughout of his entire article with a purpose for the reader to sympathize and to feel compassion for him. The use of these appeals attract many readers, they can feel and understand his purpose is to ask for others to join and support other people who undocumented immigrant like himself. In addition, it gives other undocumented immigrant people courage
Ahead of the decision by current president Donald J. Trump to phase out the DREAM Acts’ Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, (DACA), dreamers are pursuing amnesty options the ensure their stay within the United States. The Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program, (DACA), grants two-year deferments to immigrant minors and young adults facing deportation because of illegal immigration status. In a response to the current president’s decision to phase out of the DACA program, former president Barack Obama included that, “dreamers are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper” (Obama, ). Dreamers have become model citizens, quite parallel to Americans. Dreamers attend school, go off to college, obtain degrees, and become employees, even owners of businesses, and corporations. Dreamers make contributions to the economy by working, culturally adjusting and honoring the laws put forth by the United States of America. Although dreamers do not live in the country legally, dreamers feel a part of its fabric. And with the uncertainty surrounding the ending of the DACA, dreamers are pursuing the amnesty option to
For many Mexican immigrants, crossing the border into the land of freedom and the American dream is no easy task. Some immigrants come over illegally by means of hiding in cars to cross borders, using visitor visas to stay longer, marrying to become citizens, and having babies as ‘anchors’ to grant automatic citizenship. Other immigrants gain green cards and work visas and work their way into becoming US citizens legally and subsequently gaining citizenship through paperwork for their families back home. After escaping harsh living and working conditions in Mexico, immigrants come to America prepared to gain education, opportunity, and work. This American dream unfortunately does not come to pass for most.
Immigration has been going on since the early 20th century when foreigners were allowed to come to America for jobs and other life opportunities. This would be the beginning of many foreigners coming into America without government permission or once entered, staying beyond their termination date of the visa given therefore becoming an illegal alien or immigrant. It is a problem and like any other problem, there is a solution. By pardoning illegal immigrants in America, this will allow many immigrants to start a new life erasing their past life in their past country but by doing so, this would mean that political offenses and other misbehaviors will be forgotten, a risk that is worth taking to guarantee immigrants a new fresh start. Donald
However, others may disagree, but in addition to lacking nce their arguments are also insignificant. Although there is a controversy on this matter, America should welcome immigrants that are already here. Immigrants may earn legal status as well as cost just as much or less than deportation. But, so what? Why is this notable? Well, here’s why, the future is on the line and we have to take charge. If leading undocumented immigrants to a path to citizenship, includes all of the previously mentioned advantages, there is no point to do otherwise. If we don’t go through with this, imagine the troublesome possibilities, imagine the costs, imagine the risks. It is necessary to lead undocumented immigrants to a path to citizenship, and your help is needed. Share this essay, spread the outlook, get involved, and do what you can to make sure, we are where we need to be in our
In the first article, The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Raúl Hinojosa- Ojeda argues that if the United States government moved from an ‘enforcement only policy’ to a comprehensive immigration reform, both individuals born in America and immigrants would increase benefits. The comprehensive immigration reform that Ojeda describes “legalizes current unauthorized immigrants and creates flexible legal limits on future immigration in the context of full labor rights…” (Ojeda page 175). Ojeda further argues that the current U.S. policy creates a wage floor, and if undocumented immigrants gain citizenship, the wage floor will rise, increasing the wages of all workers. The rise in wages cited in the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) states that a comprehensive immigration reform would increase consumer consumption and wages and would increase the creation of jobs and tax revenue. This is mainly based on the concept that IRCA was implemented during a time of recession, but was still able to raise wages and investments made by immigrants. Ojeda explains, through the example of the IRCA, it is estimated that comprehensive reform, over 10 years, would create 1.5 trillion dollars in United States gross domestic product (GDP) (176). However, they add that one of the issues with the IRCA, is the lack of flexible limits set on the number of workers allowed to enter the United States. In the 1990, therefore, U.S. labor demands were not met.
The United States of America, being a country founded by immigrants, is known all over the world as the land of great opportunities. People from all walks of life travelled across the globe, taking a chance to find a better life for them and their family. Over the years, the population of immigrants has grown immensely, resulting in the currently controversial issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants are the people who have overstayed the time granted on their US, visa or those who have broken the federal law by crossing the border illegally. Matt O’Brien stated in his article “The government thinks that 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in 2007.”(Para, 2).
Most of the United States (U.S) is comprised of immigrants—including those who have migrated to the States from another country and those whose ancestors freely travelled to the States in search of a fresh start. Every year, the U.S. grants a limited number of people around the world the opportunity to immigrate to the States each year. As a result of the restriction, citizens from neighboring countries cross the border illegally. According to an article by Jens Manuel Krogstad, 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants reside in the U.S. in 2014. This whopping number has stirred controversy both politically and economically for America’s government officials. As a result, many people argue whether illegal immigrants should or should not be aided
Obama Administration proposed what is called Comprehensive Immigration Reform. It is composed of six sections aimed at fixing the current immigration system. It includes enhanced border enforcement, interior enforcement and the most controversial section; an amnesty program to legalize undocumented immigrants. In other words, it creates a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants that is fair and feasible. Many argue that even though Comprehensive Immigration Reform is good for America because it addresses important issues like creating a committee to adopt the number of visas available to changing economic times, preventing people from working without permits and creating programs aimed at helping immigrants adjust to life in America. Yet it rewards violators of current U.S. laws who entered the country illegally, and those who entered the country legally but overstayed their visas. Opponents of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform proposal claim that immigrants have a negative impact on the economy; overwhelming social services of many states, and posing a threat to American workers as a result of big corporations exploiting immigrants with low wages and poor working conditions. With the recent economic downturn and the severe recession that hit the U.S, many individuals blame immigrants for their economic misfortune and lack of employment. For both the opponents and proponents of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Proposal, for the millions of the undocumented immigrants and their families, and lawmakers; immigration has become an emotional political issue. Despite the resistance of many, America should embrace comprehensive immigration reform.
It is often argued that undocumented criminals are draining the system and endangering American society. Opponents claim that illegal immigrants take up a large percentage in federal prison, which is costing taxpayers billions per year. Many of these immigrants are released back into society to re-commit crimes which they have been arrested for. Another claim is that immigrants broke the law with their presence and that alone should impede immigrants from any form of amnesty. Despite the 1986 law which made it illegal to hire undocumented workers, employers are still filling available positions with immigrants because it is cheaper. On “Illegal Immigration”, Ira Mehlam argues that young immigrants shouldn’t be granted a pathway to citizenship because it would
In an article by David Haugen and Susan Musser, published in 2011, it is stated that, “Obama detailed his vision of how the laws of the United States must operate to fix the broken system. He advocates a "path toward citizenship" for those noncriminal aliens living and working in the country.” Former President, Barrack Obama, defends that, although undocumented immigration is illegal and should be punishable, if the immigrant is working and playing a positive role in the economy, they should be given the feasibility of obtaining American citizenship. During his eight years of serving in office, Obama gained the support of many immigrants and worked toward making America a land of opportunity. Many will lean toward the perspective of Obama because a big population of the U.S. is made up of immigrants, mainly from the bordering country of Mexico. In the same article by David Haugen and Susan Musser, one of the most notable motives for immigration is discussed. The article mentions, “Mexican and Central American immigrants come to the United States because it offers the hope of economic opportunity and, perhaps, a chance to reunite with family members that have already established themselves in the country.” The act of moving to the United States, with or without documentation papers, can sometimes be the only way that a family can remain a union. The deportation of immigrants is a leading cause of broken