Chevon Christie

Professor Gardner
CHC150
February 8, 2010
America: the Immigration Center
The perusal of immigrants and immigration in United States has been a major focus of
the media, news, and politics one of President Obamas points of reform for this country is the
reconstruction of Americas old, flawed immigration policies. After reading the three articles
Everything you ever wanted to know about assimilation but were afraid to ask by Marcelo
Orozco, What Does It Mean to Be an American? by Michael Walzer, and Becoming
American, Becoming New Yorkers: Immigrants Incorporation in a Majority Minority City by
Philip Kasinitz, et al. it is clear that all aim to investigate the patterns of immigration, the
inheritance of immigrants culture through the generations, and the eventual displacement of a
native culture by the seeping in of American ways.
The pattern of immigration has changed drastically since the mid the 20th century.
According to Orozcos article, prior to 1950, nearly 90 percent of all immigrants were
Europeans or Canadians. Today, however, over fifty percent of the immigration population
arrives from Latin America and a little over a quarter from Asia in modern America. Now, this
change in immigration composition is not only numerically significant, but is culturally
influential. In New York, one can find the most diverse mixed of foreign-born residents
immigrant groups are far more diverse in NYC than other cities (Kasinitz, et al.). And as a
consequence of these large numbers of immigrants with different cultures in America, it is hard
to really to truly define what is American. In Kasinitz article, Americans are simply referred to
as native whites; here, there is no cultural connotation attached. What cultural aspects should
one associate with an American?
Albeit there is not a clear-cut definition of American culture, immigrants do assimilate to
the American society. i.e. live more liberally and lack aspiration. The absorption of American
ways by second-generation immigrants, and inevitably the loss of their native culture, is an overarching theme in all of the articles. During Orozcos interview with Keith St. Clair, he had
mentioned that the descendants of immigrants are missing the appreciation for opportunities they
have; first-generation immigrants come sparkling with hope and the first generation finds hope
rewarded. Their childrens eyes no longer sparkle (Orozco). Once this sparkle is lost and
assimilation starts to occur, an immigrants motivation tends to decline; the more
Americanized the immigrants become, the worse off they are. As they assimilate, they are more
likely to engage in risky behaviors such as substance abuse, unprotected sex, and delinquency
(Orozco).
The large scale immigration the United States is experiencing is not only reshaping the
country culturally and socially, but economically as well. Many anti-foreign, native whites
oppose immigration because they believe immigrants take jobs from Americans, and they do not
pay taxes to contribute to the country as a whole. Nevertheless, according to Marcelo Orozcos
article, immigration produces net economic gains for domestic residents. And this point is
easily proven by simple logic undocumented immigrants who pay sales tax on goods they buy
every day are unable to use the resources made available by that money, and as a result, they are
accountable for some five billion dollars of unclaimed tax money that goes back into this
country, benefiting Americans citizens.

Chevon Christie
Professor Gardner
CHC150
February 8, 2010
With close to a million legal immigrants arriving in the United States every year, and
hundreds of thousands of undocumented ones coming here annually for the same reasons a
better life, their full measure of liberty, and a fair chance to pursue true happiness , why doesnt
the country have a better way of facilitating this helpful stream of new faces from all walks of
life? With the pressure from the new immigration investigated by the articles and the failure of
old plans in a new era, all eyes are on President Obama for 2010. The President stated we can
create a system in which you have strong border security and an orderly process for people to
come in. But were also giving an opportunity for those who are already in the United States to
be able to achieve a pathway to citizenship so they dont have to live in the shadows. And with
this, President Obama has given hope to millions, and has attracted the watchful of attention of
others (myself included). As time wears on and immigration patterns continue to morph, America
must be able to adjust her strategies for dealing with those seeking refuge inside her safe
boundaries.