Illegal Immigrants Surpassing American Citizens

There’s no question that illegal immigration is constantly tossed around like a pingpong ball. Making the debate on whether or not immigrants should be granted amnesty, neverending. The U.S was founded by people who are now referred to as, “immigrants” these immigrants being the “undocumented,” “the aliens,” the “illegal people.” When the only real immigrants here are the “Americans” themselves, the citizens of the U.S. However, American citizens still argue that this is their land, a land constantly referred to as “the land of the free,” is not so free after all when it comes to the undocumented people that come from all over the world looking for a better life. But most of all, American citizens fear being surpassed by a different race.

Some Americans argue that spending money on granting amnesty to immigrants is just not worth the cost. Ed Butowsky, a highly international recognized wealth manager and financial advisor states, “we simply can’t afford it. Amnesty will cost you, the American taxpayer a fortune” (1). This is why so many American citizens are opposed to it, it’s not all about the undocumented immigrants, but the money. Americans don’t want their money to go towards something that does not benefit them. However, Americans fail to keep in mind that immigrants are also contributing towards that sum of money that they (American citizens) fail to spend. Taxpayers are not just all legal citizens but illegal immigrants as well. Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times writer says, “they (immigrants) have contributed $100 billion to Social Security over a decade without any intention of collecting benefits...houses headed by unauthorized immigrants paid another $11 billion in taxes in 2010 alone.” This goes to show that immigrants are paying for something that does not benefit them all while some Americans refuse to do the same for them.

Most Americans also fear that immigrants will begin to change the world in which they live in. They’re afraid of assimilation but yet they want immigrants to assimilate to their American ways. This is hypocrisy at its best. Theodore Roosevelt once said in 1918, “every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country” (1). This goes to show that the fear of assimilation by illegal immigrants, in the U.S, by American citizens, has been thriving and keeping American citizens at the edge of their seats since 1918 and maybe even far longer than that. Nicholas Kristof then continues by saying, “many Americans see foreigners moving into their towns, see signs in Spanish, and fret about changes to the traditional fabric of society” (1). It seems like the only thing Americans are afraid of here, is change. They’re afraid that they’ll become less superior because as of now, and as of always, whites in general have been seen as the “superior” race. Americans see America the way that their white ancestors left it, but fail to see that before their white ancestors, Natives inhabited this land.

All in all, immigration will never be fully resolved because underneath it all lies racism and inequality. Granting amnesty would be one step forward and then another two steps back. Amnesty has been given to the undocumented before but what about the undocumented people now? History is repeating itself because some of the American citizens alive now, hold the same beliefs their ancestors had who were strongly opposed to legalizing immigration. People make change, and change also makes people. The day that we all start thinking as one and for one and not just for ourselves, is the day that we will advance to a better world, together.