Illegal Immigration Argumentative Essay

Introduction to Illegal Immigration Argumentative Essay

Illegal immigrants crossing into the United States use the Mexican border, the Pacific Ocean, and other routes to sneak into the country. Many immigrants at first entered the United States legally with a visit or study visa but did not bother renewing their status once the visas expired. They work in numerous sectors of the economy, and some have made something off their stay in America. This illegal immigration argumentative essay looks at some of the issues that this phenomenon has on a country.

Illegal Immigration Pros and Cons

Illegal immigration pros and cons depend on how you look at this situation. On the one hand, they provide cheap labor cutting costs for many businesses. On the other hand, they do not pay taxes robbing the country of much-needed revenue source. On this illegal immigration essay, we shall take a look at some of these issues. The United States currently is home to between 7 and 12 million illegal immigrants, majority of them being Hispanic and Mexicans. They enjoy education, welfare, jobs and at times unemployed compensation from the government. They are also taken advantage of by employers as they do not have valid documentation thus cannot complain of low wages. These jobs do not require language skills making it easy for immigrants to get employed. The sectors that they work in include:

• Agriculture
• Manufacturing
• Construction
• Mechanical

Illegal Immigration Essay: Opinions

Majority of Americans and immigration officials are of the thought that illegal immigration should get stopped as it is bad for the country. They think that it is a drain on the country’s economy. The number of undocumented workers in the United States is over 10 million, and this is excluding their families. Most of these immigrants are in Texas, California and other states in the country. Three-quarters of these workers get access into the country through the Mexican border and find employment quickly as they are paid below minimum wage by most employers. They do not get a healthcare plan or enjoy benefits that a documented worker does. Employers save on taxes as they pay these illegal workers under the table and do not remit their tax information to the government. It is due to these reasons that this illegal immigration argumentative essay advocates for reforms in the employment and immigration sectors.

Once they enter the country, there is no documentation of where they go or where they come from in the first place. They may be suffering from transmittable diseases and due to their large number, spread them across the United States bringing untold suffering to the population. Illegal immigrants also add burden to the country as they use resources that they do not pay taxes for as their wages go into their pocket. It is, however, essential to look at the downside of strict immigration laws. The job market, if not filled with illegal immigrants, would need someone else to fill in these positions. If the relevant departments were to process all immigrants coming into the country on a daily basis, it would be an expensive process. One can argue that illegal immigrants are people too and should not get discriminated for trying to look for a better livelihood for themselves and their families. Others, however, claim that the education system is getting overburdened by the kids of illegal immigrants. There has been a public outcry over affirmative action which is the discrimination of immigrants at their place of work. The Supreme Court in 2003 upheld certain types of affirmative action.

There are those that argue however that immigrants help in increasing production of the United States as they offer skilled labor. And when an employer pays them lower than the minimum wage, the costs of the business go down which in turn reflects on the price of commodities going down as the cost of production is lower. Illegal immigrants also send money back home to their families and relatives and end up strengthening the value of the United States dollar on the global market making the US economy stronger in the process. These pros of illegal immigrants get overshadowed by the costs that they bring to the country. Immigration reforms are necessary and will bring benefits both to the United States and the immigrants. Illegal immigrants bring a lot of problems to the United States, and many are of the opinion they should not be allowed to enter the country in the first place. But since it is impossible to stop immigrants from coming to the country in one move, steps should be undertaken to reduce illegal immigrants in phases. Most of the money that they earn is undeclared depriving the United States economy of much-needed taxes.

Argumentative Essay on Illegal Immigration: Measures to Curb Illegal Immigration

Putting an end to illegal immigration is not impossible as many tend to assume. However, if there are proper reforms and a reliable taskforce, it is achievable. For this to work, there should be political goodwill as well as enough funds to see the program through. The executive can come up with measures to try and reduce illegal immigrants without needing new legislation. The laws already in place should be applied uniformly and not selectively. When rules are implemented depending on what one can get out of it or for selfish reasons, they will fail.

Employers should also be encouraged to hire documented workers to help the government in fighting illegal immigration. They should look at the bigger picture and not think of how cheap it will be hiring illegal immigrants as opposed to the rest. Illegal immigrants also take job opportunities away from locals since their labor is cheap and employers tend to hire them over citizens. Congress and the courts should clarify laws about immigration making them simple so that all parties involved realize what the country expects of them before entering.

Prohibiting illegal crossing and deporting those caught living in the United States without proper documentation is also a useful tool to combat illegal immigrants. 95% of illegal border crossings occur through the Mexican border, and border patrols are overwhelmed by this. They should increase the number of officers patrolling this area to deter potential immigrants from using this stretch to come into the country. Fences, lights and other barriers should be erected along this busy stretch to assist in the fight. Hotspots should be mapped out and officers sent to these areas to interdict those caught trying to cross into the country illegally.

All these are measures that can be implemented by the relevant authorities without needing approval from Congress. There have also been numerous prosecutions relating to illegal immigrants over the past years. The government is not only targeting the illegal immigrants but corporate America as well as hiring undocumented workers to reduce their cost of doing business. A company faces federal prosecution if they are found culpable of flaunting employment rules to favor themselves. Illegal immigrants have an unfair advantage over documented migrants as they accept minimal remuneration and work more hours without expecting overtime compensation from their employers. Currently, it is agaist the law for a company to knowingly employ and retain illegal immigrants even after realizing their status. Also, failing to comply with employment requirements can lead to an employer’s prosecution. They face hefty fines, civil and criminal penalties if found liable for this offenses. These charges and fines that employers face serve as a deterrent to some, but many continue to employ illegal immigrants in their companies. It is vital for employers to take the necessary measures and avoid hiring illegal immigrants so as to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. It is costly in the end for an employer if caught hiring illegal immigrants than hiring documented individuals.

Conclusion

As this argumentative essay on illegal immigration shows, illegal immigration is not unique to the United States alone but is also a significant challenge for most European nations. Lately, numerous illegals have died trying to make into these countries via the sea and through the deserts. Proper laws and reforms need to get implemented in the fight against illegal immigration and are going to be successful. The government, corporates, and the citizens should join hands and assist each other for them to be able to win the fight against illegal immigration.