The Immigration Debate
ThePatrick Lombard
Professor O’Brien
English Composition
November 30th, 2012
The Immigration Debate Today America is one of the most diverse countries in the world. But how did our country become this way? People who emigrated from different areas around the world immigrated to the United States and founded our nation. Even the people that would be considered "indigenous" to the U.S. had more then likely immigrated to the continent at some point in time. But today this is not the case, our nation has cut off the right for people to move here freely and we are also deporting people that have already made it here illegally. In my opinion this is wrong, the United States is supposed to be a country that was founded on the rights of an individual person, it is completely deceitful to reject citizenship to someone that wants to have it. Immigrants help to make us a stronger country; we need them for a variety of different reasons. According to Richard Rodriguez, “We will begin to see the immigrant as the figure who teaches us most about what it means to be an American. The immigrant, in mythic terms, travels from the outermost rind of America to the very center of American mythology. None of this, of course, can we admit to the Vietnamese immigrant who served us our breakfast at the hotel this morning. In another 40 years, we will be prepared to say to the Vietnamese immigrant that he, with his memory of tragedy, with his recognition of peerless freedoms, he fulfills the meaning of America.” (Blaxicans 104). And this meaning is that America is a land where there is freedom and an opportunity for prosperity and success. Immigrants want this same opportunity just like the rest of us do. Do we actually have valid reasons not to let them have it? I’m not sure about that, but I have reasons why they should be able to.
As the members of the older generation start moving into retirement, we have a need for workers that the growth of the population isn’t filling. A lot
Professor O’Brien
English Composition
November 30th, 2012
The Immigration Debate Today America is one of the most diverse countries in the world. But how did our country become this way? People who emigrated from different areas around the world immigrated to the United States and founded our nation. Even the people that would be considered "indigenous" to the U.S. had more then likely immigrated to the continent at some point in time. But today this is not the case, our nation has cut off the right for people to move here freely and we are also deporting people that have already made it here illegally. In my opinion this is wrong, the United States is supposed to be a country that was founded on the rights of an individual person, it is completely deceitful to reject citizenship to someone that wants to have it. Immigrants help to make us a stronger country; we need them for a variety of different reasons. According to Richard Rodriguez, “We will begin to see the immigrant as the figure who teaches us most about what it means to be an American. The immigrant, in mythic terms, travels from the outermost rind of America to the very center of American mythology. None of this, of course, can we admit to the Vietnamese immigrant who served us our breakfast at the hotel this morning. In another 40 years, we will be prepared to say to the Vietnamese immigrant that he, with his memory of tragedy, with his recognition of peerless freedoms, he fulfills the meaning of America.” (Blaxicans 104). And this meaning is that America is a land where there is freedom and an opportunity for prosperity and success. Immigrants want this same opportunity just like the rest of us do. Do we actually have valid reasons not to let them have it? I’m not sure about that, but I have reasons why they should be able to.
As the members of the older generation start moving into retirement, we have a need for workers that the growth of the population isn’t filling. A lot
Cited: * Ebers, Valerie M., and Manochehr Dorraz. Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity, and Religion. New York: Oxford UP,2010. Print. * Alden, Edward1. “Immigration And Border Control.” CATO Journal 32.1 (2012): 107-124. OmnFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson). Web. * Blaxicans by Richard Rodriguez in “75 Readings” * Immigration is Good for America By Matthew Yglesias on Nov 1, 2010. New York Times.