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Alyssa Abina
Mr. Bradley
Government 2
1 November 2016
Mock Congress Research Paper: Immigration Issues
Over the years the United States has been known as the land of opportunity, where many
immigrants would travel to our nation to strive for a better life. The realization that our country is
a place of many different ethnicities, cultures, and beliefs makes it a unique place to live in. the
immigrants both legal and illegal provide America with plentiful amounts of workers who are
willing to contribute to the lack of jobs in our community. We have also learned that the increase
of immigrants in our country will lead to conflicting immigration policies which would be a
constant struggle to get a hold of. However, the rising population of immigrants will lead to more
innovative ideas and concepts that could be shared to benefit the structure of our country. The
American government should allow illegal immigrants the right to work as a pathway to
American citizenship due to an increase in labor forces, a contribution to local taxes and allows
for foreigners to live a more successful lifestyle.
Ever since the United States has been struck with the devastation of the 2008 recession, job
opportunities in our labor force have greatly risen. This may give one the ability to start a new
job to benefit their own life.Those working in any type of workforce helps the people in our
nation to strive by providing certain needs such as produce or tax revenues. Unauthorized
immigrants make up 5.1% of the U.S. labor force (Krogstad). Without the necessary workers
needed in our labor force a large snowball effect would take place as the lack of inventory being
produced in one area would badly damage our economy. Immigration has a positive effect on
the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born workers (ACLU). Adding
more qualified workers to our nation will lead to a better economic status which will further our

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chances of recreating of Americas downfall in the 2008 recession. Within the growth of our
labor forces an increase in tax payments would help decrease the overall prices of goods and
contribute to Social Security.
The process of taxation in a country is largely important as it creates more benefits for its
citizens. Money collected from taxes will help a country such as America to become stronger and
help provide government aid to services for their people. Immigration has a positive effect on
the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born workers (ACLU). The
process of taxation will provide a large impact on American citizens in the long run and will gain
greater benefits for those who may need certain advantages. Granting citizenship to
undocumented immigrants would create jobs and increase tax revenues (CAP Immigration
Team). Without the creation of new jobs, immigrants would not be able to employ themselves
thus leading to the loss of tax revenues and the overall loss of payment to better our country. If
we were to allow for the right to citizenship for all incoming immigrants in America the issue
with tax revenue would ultimately be resolved as the payment of taxes will only get higher.
Immigrants collectively pay between $90 and $140 billion each year in taxes, and a recent study
found that undocumented immigrants alone paid more than $11.8 billion in taxes in 2012
(Selby). If we as a nation were to allow for immigrants to becoming citizens of the United States
then there would be a great possibility that this certain individual will be employed into a higher
leveled career leading to a greater payment of income tax. The higher income tax may not only
results in more tax revenue which helps American citizens, but will influence that foreigner who
may most likely be on their way to a better lifestyle to positively impact him/her.
Many if not all immigrants struggling with their current status in the existing country that they
live in hope for a better life for themselves or the family that they are raising. States with the

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highest percentage of illegal immigrant workers are Nevada, California, Texas and New Jersey
(Carriage). Within these heavily populated countries, there are many opportunities for the
rebuilding of a better life. Immigrants tackling the hardships in their homeland look at countries
such as America as a place of refuge and acceptance. The first wave of immigrants to colonial
America, from England, France, Germany, and other northern European countries, were fleeing
political and religious intolerance as well as seeking financial opportunities in the young
country (Mendoza). If we were to not provide our country to be a place of welcoming others we
are to be considered just as heartless and intolerable as the country's persecuted immigrants are
traveling from. The 20 million U.S. - born children of immigrants are significantly better off
financially than their immigrant parents (Werlin). It has also been statistically proven that those
immigrants who are able to start a fresh new lifestyle for themselves and their future families
will allow for a successful outcome as the years go by. Influencing positive success through
hardwork and dedication is what makes America the land of opportunities, and to not live up to
this saying is a let down to the expectations of how we portrayed our nation.
Although illegal immigration has greater benefits for the American population there are
dangers and counter - arguments that many may propose towards this issue. For example, the
conflict of overpopulation and the cost of illegal immigration are one of the top concerns
regarding this topic. These two out of many other controversies seem to cause the most negative
results to the well being of our nation. When a nation becomes overpopulated, this places a
great deal of strain on a variety of public services, including transportation (Murray).
Overpopulation results to a numerous amount of problems in a specific country which is largely
difficult to resolve. The abundance of people in a given area will cause more harm than good to
the environment and community around them. This may ultimately result to a fluctuation in

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finances and an outbalance in the economy. They also raise that poor illegal immigrants medical
expenses are paid for by the government and this money come for taxpayers as well (Buell).
The mixture of overpopulation and the increase of government costs is not a well put
combination. The two factor do not go hand in hand because both will result to a decline in our
economys standing leading to a negative outcome.
I believe that illegal immigrants should have the right to work as a pathway to American
citizenship due to a raise in employees in our workforce, a payment to tax revenues and allows
for an opportunity filled land for one to live in. The issue of immigration is not only about the
immigrant himself and how the effects of living in a new environment may change him, but how
this will further influence American citizens on helping others in need. The greater issue is how
we can grow to help others outside of our country to be the successful people they deserve to be.
I believe that we can all come together to propose a positive and influential act that will not only
benefit others greatly but us as citizens of an inviting nation.

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Works Cited
ACLU. "Immigration Myths and Facts." American Civil Liberties Union. GuideStar, 16 Jan.
2008. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Buell, Amy. "10 Critical Pros and Cons of Illegal Immigration." Green Garage. Immigration
Records, 26 Aug. 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
CAP Immigration Team The Facts on Immigration Today. americanprogress.org CAP
, 23 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.
Krogstad, Jens Manuel, and Jeffery Passle S. 5 Facts about Illegal Immigration in the U.S.
pewresearch.com Pew Research Center RSS. Fact Tank, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 18 Sept.
2016.
Mendoza, Louis Gerard, and Subramanian Shankar. Crossing into America: The New Literature
of Immigration. New York: New, 2003. Print.
Murray, Eugene. "List of Pros and Cons of Illegal Immigration." OccupyTheory. Vision Launch,
14 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
Selby, Riley. "Myths and Facts About Immigrants and Immigration." ADL. Global 100, 5 Oct.
2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Werlin, Beth. "Giving the Facts a Fighting Chance: Addressing Common Questions on
Immigration." americanimmigrationcouncil.org American Immigration Council.
American Immigration Council, 13 Sept. 2016. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.