The American Dream: Illegal Immigrants

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Our country has been a refuge and a place to grow as individuals to obtain the “American Dream”. The idea that this country was such a place began in the 17th Century when it was reached by a few Puritans searching for religious freedom and monarch subjects looking or wealth in the form gold. During the 19th Century the United States had gained a virtue of being the land of opportunity. On the east coast there were immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Germany and various other European countries from people searching for a better life and riches. On the west coast many people from Asia and the pacific islands flooded California to work for cents per week, hoping to have a better life than in their home countries. The invocation of president James …show more content…
Anyone could come into this country and be a citizen of this great and fascinating country that was full of opportunities. The beginning of the 20th century brought turmoil and skepticism of new comers and laws were created to safeguard our way of life. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” The ability to gain the American Dream became more difficult for those escaping tyranny, famine, disillusion, and poverty.
When it comes to immigration most would agree that it is an issue that needs to be fixed. One view is that illegal immigrants are a burden to the economy and must be eradicated from the US. To start they take jobs away from citizens, tax payers, and law abiding citizens. Millions of dollars are spent on educating, housing, and providing health care for undocumented immigrants and give very little back in the way of taxes. According to a detailed analysis by the Heritage Foundation, each illegal immigrant costs our country $24,000 a year. But, on average, each pays $10,000 in taxes, so it’s reasonable to say that each illegal really adds $14,000 a year
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The US has changed the way the world interacts by globalizing commerce, social media, and by foreign policies. After the attacks of 911, US citizens took notice of the implications of having such relax immigration laws. Having a “blanket” opinion that all illegal immigrants are terrorists or a burden to our economy is an inaccurate one. Taxes paid by immigrants and their children, both legal and unauthorized, exceeds the costs of the services they use. Many government expenses related to immigrants are associated with their children, however, the children of immigrants are just like other American children, both are US citizens that require expensive investment on education and health care. Those expenses, however, are paid back through taxes received over a lifetime of work. Undocumented immigrants pays taxes in a number of ways, including income and sales tax. The majority of undocumented immigrants pay taxes using Individual Taxpayer Numbers (ITINs) or false Social Security numbers. The Social Security Administration reports that it holds $420 billion from the earnings of immigrants who are not in a position to claim benefits. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for the majority of state and federal benefits and are only eligible for those that are considered important to public health and safety. There should a policy that gives illegal immigrants a working permit that will allow for

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