Immigration Nation

This week I have decided to bring up the much debated issue on immigration. The United States was formed on a nation of immigrants and now all we can do is pass judgment and offend new immigrants coming in. I understand the two stand points and see where both sides are coming from. However, I think immigration is a necessary implement to our society. Without immigrants, low skill jobs would go to American citizens and inflation would occur nearly everywhere. Although it is unfair to the immigrants to receive much lower wages than citizens it is what must be done, unless taxes are raised substantially, an option Americans so not even consider. The problem with illegal immigration, mostly stemming from Mexico, is what a lot of Americans are at odds with. We must put aside our own selfish concerns and look at the reasons unto why they feel the need to escape their own country and come to ours. They are usually not gang bangers or bad drivers who refuse to learn our language, but they are people with humanity, like us, looking to improve their own and a lot of times their families lives. Over the summer I went on the Mexico House Build and got a chance to visit with and learn more about the Mexican culture. Driving through Mexico you notice the poverty and the soldiers situated all along the country with weapons. I don't know about you, but I would want to escape from this too. On an experience like this, you get to know the people and see how they look up and long to be Americans like us, a commodity we often take for granted. Now hear me out I am not saying there should be open borders and America should be a free for all nation. However, the immigrants in America who have abandoned their lives and risked everything to come here should not have to be deported back to their country. We must come up with a better plan and system for immigration which can look out for both the American citizens and the immigrants. Americans claim illegal immigrants are taking "their" jobs and raising their taxes, but a large majority of illegal immigrants find ways to pay taxes and contribute to society. I also believe we almost make people have to be illegal immigrants since legal immigration is so difficult. Instead we should just come up with a better process for people to become legal immigrants. We also have a problem with illegal immigrants having children who are American citizens. We cannot argue with the fact that they were born in the United States, however we do argue about the resources they can use. Children of immigrants need education, need basic health care, and need basic resources. If we do not let these children take advantage of these public organizations we are just hurting our own country more. These children will grow up to be American adults and will have the opportunity to vote and make a difference. If we do not allow them to use public education we are assisting to a less educated society. As much as people do not like paying taxes to benefit children of illegal immigrants, we must realize if we take away these rights we are only hurting our own nation. Now, I am going to give you my own personal experience with immigration. Since I was born I had a babysitter/house cleaner who is an illegal immigrant from Honduras, her name is Maria. Maria refers to me as her "1st daughter" and was around just as much as or maybe more than my working parents when I was young. She is married to an illegal immigrant and has two children. When she first started watching me I helped diffuse her into the American culture by teaching her English. She has an employment card and her husband and her have been here for 20 years. Her children are bright "American" children who some day will be American citizens. A few months ago, her husband was taken from hislow class apartment at 6 am and put into jail. They kept him in harsh conditions for a few days until finally they returned him to Mexico. Maria still came to work that day to clean my house! Does this display laziness as Mexicans are seen to be? I thought about how her children, who also went to school that day after seeing their father be taken away. Villy, her husband, was back within a week due to a "coyote" taking him across the border. I know a lot of people would hear this and become angry with the fact that he could just as easily get back across as the police brought him back home. However, look into the humanity they have worked in America for 20 years. Also, I know for a fact that they find their own way to pay taxes. All they want is to be an American citizen and are willing to fight to remain here. How many of us take this for granted? How often do we go to the negative rather than be positive that our situation could be much worse? Maria, Villy, and her children are the happiest most positive people I know and that is because they never take for granted being here in America. The truth is honestly how many of us want to be house cleaners, Villy's job as well, when we grow up? I am pretty sure none of us at least at Chaminade... and if by some chance we don't make it and are stuck with a low class job how many of us would be positive and look to the light in this situation? I believe immigrants are a natural aspect to our society and without them our lives would be much more difficult and expensive.