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Cassandra Aguilera

Ms. Layson

English 11 B

29 March 2018

Build Bridges Not Walls

When I was in kindergarten, my father became a citizen of the United States of America.

At the time, I didn’t understand how much of a big deal it was; I always figured it was normal to

have a parent who came from another country, all that changed when our now president, was

campaigning for the 2016 election. Every once in awhile, racial slurs or jokes would be my way

of how I would get deported back to Mexico, or how I would get thrown over “the wall”. Trump

firmly believed that all the illegals who came from Mexico were either smuggling drugs,

becoming drug dealers, rapists, or any other type of criminals. Well Mr. President, I can

guarantee you my father, my uncles, my aunts, cousins, any person from my family along with

any other who enter this country is nothing like you describe. Every single member or my family

or legals and illegals are hard-working and willing to do anything to see this beautiful country

thrive. Immigration is needed for a beneficial future of America.

Immigration is the act of settling into a new country after leaving one’s country of

citizenship. Most who desire to leave their home country is due to either trying to escape

religious or political persecution, war, a revolution or political unrest. While many countries are

considered sanctions, the United States receives over ⅕ of the world’s migrants. Nearly 14% of

America’s population is of foreign-born people, typically from Latin America or Asia. While

immigration has always been on the political agenda, it hasn’t been until recent years with the
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election of 2016, with Donald Trump running for the presidency, campaigning to build a “great

wall” between the US

Technology and everyday chores are slowly being taken over by high-skilled and

low-skilled immigrants. Today’s productivity and the best innovations are mostly foreign-based

inventors, creating a new growth of new products. Also, immigrants are constantly contributing

in our daily lives, to make those hard-working americans lives a little easier. Those who are

high-skilled are spending more time on their job, they need someone, who is typically

low-skilled, take care of the kids, housework or landscaping. Those who are low-skilled are also

able to relocate fairly easy, as they are very flexible between employers.

To somes surprise, most immigrants pay their taxes, just like any American citizen. Each

time one makes a purchase, either in a store or property/land, they contribute to sales and

property taxes. When one gets hired, they must provide a social security number, whether it be

valid, to their employer to extract taxes from their paychecks. Most americans think that

immigrants, both legal and illegal, have access to any government funding like medicare,

government housing, social security when the time come, however, this federal funding is strictly

for US citizens. Another burden on taxpayers would occur if we acted on more reforms of

immigration or even build the wall,

As much as President Trump would like to build a wall, it would be extremely costly,

both financially and environmentally. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it would

cost roughly $3 million per mile for construction. In order to finance repairs or maintenance

across the 1,952 mile border, it would cost over $49 billion in a course of 25 years. On top of

that, we would have to pay for border patrolling, with an estimate of about $15 million. Not only
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will the building of the wall take a toll on us financially, it would affect the environment around

us, as the border region is already sensitive and is home to several endangered species.

While I do understand the concern of national security some Americans have, I deeply

feel that immigration is beneficial to America. Every legal or illegal is fiercely contributing to

the economy of our country. They are fighting for a better life, and living out their dreams.

However, while some might bring more crime by smuggling drugs, being a drug dealer or rapist

or worse, there is so much good that enter in our country. Many high-skilled immigrants bring

new innovations and increase productivity. Without immigration, America wouldn’t be this

beautiful, diverse country.

More often than not, Americans forget how our roots came about. The ideas of the United

States was made from immigrants, searching for land where the people could govern themselves

and have freedoms that no other country could offer them. America is praised for being a unique

and diverse country that is home to some many different people from around the world. America

is privileged with how many resources and freedoms, we as the people are granted. The least we

could do is offer those who want the same, into our country, and let them live out their all

American dream.
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Works Cited

"Immigration." ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection,​ Gale, 2017. ​Opposing Viewpoints In Context,​
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3021900059/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=5f946253.
Accessed 27 Mar. 2018.

Fitz, Marshall, et al. "Legalization of Unauthorized Immigrants Would Benefit the US Economy." ​Immigration

Reform​, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2016. At Issue. ​Opposing Viewpoints In Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010962209/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=fa1ae968. Accessed

27 Mar. 2018. Originally published as "Immigrants Are Makers, Not Takers,", 8 Feb. 2013.

"Open Borders Improve the US Economy." ​Should the US Close Its Borders?​, edited by Louise Gerdes, Greenhaven

Press, 2014. At Issue. ​Opposing Viewpoints In Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010615222/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=02a7a701.

Accessed 27 Mar. 2018. Originally published as "Immigration and Economic Growth," ​Cato Journal,​ vol. 32, no. 1,

Winter 2012.

Mason, Melanie. "Border Fencing Is Bad Policy." ​Homeland Security​, edited by James D. Torr, Greenhaven Press,

2004. At Issue. ​Opposing Viewpoints In Context,​ http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010265225/OVIC?uVIC

xid=18cbc0fe. Accessed 27 Mar. 2018. Originally published as "The Border Fence Folly," ​The New Republic,​ 30

June 2008.
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"Hispanics View of Their Place in America During Trump Presidency, 2017." ​Tribune Content Agency Photos,​

2017. ​Opposing Viewpoints In Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/HWFBLJ907910221/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=1804a7f0.

Accessed 28 Mar. 2018.

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