Pro Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration is a topic of nationwide debate. The impact of immigration laws on students is detrimental. Demanding immigrant students to report their citizenship status is harmful for both themselves and society. It leads to negative effects such as an increased dropout rate, unfilled jobs, damage to innocent children, and more. Students should be encouraged to get an education, not live in fear of deportation for their families and themselves. Forcing students to report their status increases the dropout rate within our school systems.

Asking students to detail their status evokes fear that they and their families may be deported. The increase of immigrant dropouts leads to a less literate class in society, which ultimately becomes a burden. The number of undocumented immigrants is substantial.

According to Mohammad M. Fazel-Zarandi, "Our conservative estimate for 2016 is 16.7 million, well above the estimate accepted at present, which is for 2015 but should be comparable." There may also be an increased crime rate and an additional burden on the prison system. By encouraging the education of immigrants, we help them become productive community members. They may not have these opportunities for education in their home countries. Instead of seeing them as criminals, we should consider them future leaders trying to provide better lives for their families. In the New York Times' Room for Debate Article, Professor Michael A. Olives argues, "In enacting this law, the state is punishing innocent children." These children are not causing damage to their communities.

Many immigrant students have lived in the U.S. their entire lives and know nothing else. Most have not committed crimes or threatened the U.S. overall. Why should they be punished? Immigrants come over for the same reasons that people have migrated for hundreds of years: to build better lives, to find job opportunities, and to pursue education. Why should we deny them the freedom others have enjoyed in the past? Regarding students who are trying to get an education and haven’t known anything else, the only language DACA students might know is English. The only life they might have known is in America. It would be dangerous to deport these young people who have little life experience. Some might argue that illegal immigration is a national security issue. However, if immigrants have been within our borders for some time without causing harm, why would they risk everything and face deportation?

Even so, authorities should be able to conduct background checks on the people entering the borders and allow those who are clearly innocent to stay. Requiring kids to report their status is discriminatory towards immigrants and discourages people fleeing from oppressive countries. The U.S has a history of providing sanctuary to those in need. Providing sanctuary is the humane thing to do. It’s unjust to deny children and students this sanctuary because of their parents' mistakes. After all, migrating to another country is a stressful event.

According to Alfonso Urzúa, "This situation sometimes means living in overcrowded environments, being potential victims of sexual exploitation and other types of violence. These problems can affect their behavior, their social relationships, and their general health. It can also diminish immigrants' quality of life, mental health, social wellbeing, self-reported health, and generate distress, among others." Requiring students to report their citizenship status only increases stress on the students and families of immigrants. A policy that discourages immigration is destructive. Our economy runs smoothly based on the jobs filled by immigrants.

The UMass Law Review mentioned, "As economic conditions affecting the U.S. have evolved since fifty years ago when family reunification emerged as the cornerstone of American immigration policy, the focus of the American immigration system must be reoriented towards competing in the global economy." Not only do they fill needed jobs, but they have a positive impact on the economy through the sales tax on the goods they purchase. Immigrants directly and indirectly support the cost of education through property taxes. Properties that immigrants either buy or rent are typically taxed to support the cost of schools. Immigrant students benefit our economy.

By pressuring them to give their status, it leads to more problems for society. However, many argue that gathering the status of students is just for statistical purposes and helps research the education being provided in the communities. Others say that as taxpayers, they should be able to know where their money is going and for whom. While there are definitely issues with our immigration system, forcing students to give their status to the education system is not going to improve or reform it in any way. If anything, it will just make things worse. It violates a person's privacy and possibly federal law. Some argue that requiring students to disclose their citizenship status is unconstitutional.

According to John C. Eastman, "A bare majority of the Supreme Court held that denying free public school education to illegal immigrants violates the 14th Amendment's requirement of equal protection." It would be unjust to not provide equal protection for everyone within our country. By not following through with our country’s principles, it can make us seem insolid in our laws and foundations. Immigration is important for our country’s development, but the way in which we do it needs to be revised. Immigrant students should not be punished for laws not followed by their parents. Our security and systems should respect people and look into the detail of their situation. Reporting a student’s citizenship status can be dangerous for oneself and their city.

Bibliography

1. Urzua, Alfonso, et al. 'The mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between perceived discrimination and psychological well-being in immigrants.' PLoS ONE, vol. 13, no. 6, 2018, p. e0198413.
2. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A543865521/OVIC?u=txshracd2500&sid=OVIC&xid=aed9c09f. Accessed 18 Oct. 2018.
3. Fazel-Zarandi, Mohammad M., et al. 'The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States: Estimates based on demographic modeling with data from 1990 to 2016.' PLoS ONE, vol. 13, no. 9, 2018, p. e0201193.
4. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A557752378/OVIC?
5. Olives, Michael A. “Should Schools Help Catch Illegal Immigrants?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 May 2015, 12:27am, www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/04/should-alabama-schools-help-catch-illegal-immigrants/alabama-should-be-ashamed-of-this-immigration-law.
6. Eastman, J. (2015). Alabama's Immigration Law Is Permissible and Sensible - NYTimes.com. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/04/should-alabama-schools-help-catch-illegal-immigrants/alabamas-immigration-law-is-permissible-and-sensible [Accessed 13 May 2015]. 

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