Is Immigration A Fortune Of Diversity, Or A Crushing Burden? Essay, Research Paper

Are immigrants a fortune of diversity, or a crushing burden? America has longed

battled the issue about immigration. Today people in general have a very mixed feeling

about the issue of immigration. Immigrants escaping from prosecution built the United

States. Gladly today, America firmly tries to solve many of our economical, political and

social difficulties due to the burden of the thousand immigrants that enters the United

States. Many people argue that immigrants steal jobs from the loyal Americans,

Overcrowds schools, ruin health care system and abuse health and public and federal

services. Michael Huffington, a former member of the U.S House of Representatives

from California, explains: ?Spending on illegal immigrants is out of control.? On the

other hand, many argue that immigrants are actually good for America?s present and

future status. Statistics show that immigrants lower unemployment rates, pay more taxes

and expand our economy by consumption of goods and other services. Immigrants also

increase jobs and improve schools. As more Americans become aware of the issue, the

more questions are aroused and the fewer answers we come across. By exploring the

differing views in this matter, we can define our personal vision of what we should do to

come closer to finding the answer we need to solve this problem.

Are immigrants job-takers or job-makers? One of the first issues that came with the

wave of immigrants, was the fact that Americans believe that immigrants steals jobs from

native-born Americans, and increase the competition for jobs. Statistics showed that for

every 100 working low-skill immigrant replace 25 U.S low-skilled worker. The Urban

Institute also estimates that 74% of immigrants hold jobs, against the 72% of the general

male population. Immigrants usually have most of the low-wage jobs that many

Americans would refuse to do. Most immigrants agree with the long hours and low- pay,

this is what makes the unemployment rate to diminish. Immigrant workers for sure

increase the competitiveness for both local and international industries. Most of these

high-paying immigrants are multilingual, with various degrees and with international

knowledge. These immigrants increase payments, multiply the number of jobs for both

Americans and other immigrants. So, there is no reason for natives to worry, or is there?

The National Immigration Forrum explains, ?the whole job stealing jobs is a myth.

Almost all the relevant research has found that immigrants do not displace native

workers.? It said. ?In truth Immigrants workers stimulate local economies, create jobs

and pay far more in taxes than they receive in public services. Those who oppose this

theory conclude that immigrants displace more than 1 million natives in 1992, and those

Americans displaced cost the U.S $6.1 billion dollars annually from immigrant

competition. Both of these views were based on costs and unemployment, but another

chapter in this issue, is the education element.

How far should we go to educate our immigrant?s children? As more

Immigrants pour in the United States, more and more immigrant children enter the U.S

schools. Many critics argue that educating immigrants are too expensive. All in all the

U.S spends $175-200 million annually on bilingual programs. These bilingual programs

cost $650 a year for each student. Keep in mind that there are over two million immigrant

students enrolled in the U.S schools. Just think if the United States took $1 billion we

spend educating illegal immigrants in California Schools, it would allow us to put anew

computer on every 5th grader school desk. Still there are many factors that many people

realize when constructing their opinion. When educating immigrant children we teach

they laws and rules of the American country. When immigrants attend schools they are

obligated to learn the American ways, and that will make them citizens and part of our

society. Educating the immigrants also enhance the American?s understanding of foreign

cultures and nationality. By exposing kids at a young age to foreign tolerance,

ethnocentrism will be forgotten. The immigrants taught today would receive the same

amount of knowledge as an American would. Therefore, the immigrants would create an

equal opportunity when the job opportunity gets scarce. Immigration at this time is a

growing problem in schools all across the U.S, the decision that comes from this issue

will have a lasting scar on the non-English-speaking children.

Another issue that troubles the U.S are the immigrant?s right to benefits and

public services. Do immigrants pay their way in the welfare state? Some of these benefits

include housing and Urban Development, General Assistance, Medicaid, emergency

services, services for pregnancy women and many other benefits. Michael Huffington

explains, ?Many illegal immigrants come for two purposes that are both destructive and

expensive: to commit crimes or to receive government benefits.? Illegal immigrants with

citizen children are eligible for food stamps and many other benefits just as an American

child would have received. Many Americans find we need means testing as a solution, to

find those who commit entitlement fraud. Except the means testing would cost million of

dollars that America can not afford. The National Forrum presented the second view.

Immigrants overall pay more in tax ($85 billion) than they use in welfare ($24 billion.).

They said that most immigrants do not use welfare, and use fewer social services than

United States-born residents. The immigrants do not seem more likely than the natives do

receive the government benefits. Therefore to create more doubts and

mistrust among both immigrants and Americans.

After all the information I have presented to you, it is time to create an

unprejudiced resolution of the improvements and impacts of immigrants. Do they hurt or

improve our economy? Do their tax money support the health programs and public

services they receive? How far does America have to go to educate both immigrants and

their children? In addition, the biggest question, how can we solve this? These different

views are what cause many of the problems and question that create the insecurity and

doubt among the American today. Maybe with these facts and different analysis, we will

eventually have the power and will to solve this infinite puzzle in the United States

today.

Footnotes

1.Michael Huffington. The 1994 ?Illegal Immigration.?

Book- Illegal Immigration Opposing Points. Introduction/page 12.

2.The impact of Immigrants on the U.S. ?Shattering the Myths.?

Book- The Challenge of Immigration. Chapter 4, Page 59

3. Michael Huffington. The 1994 ?Illegal Immigration.?

Book- Illegal Immigration Opposing Points. Chapter preface, Page 63

37e