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Jessica Farias
Kathy. L Rowley, MA
English201 (MW)
15 March 2012
Argumentative Essay
Hispanics deserve to be in America
" Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character
and growth of its speakers." by Cesar Chaves. Illegal Hispanics have been mistreated for not
having the opportunity of speaking English but they are primarily being accused of stealing jobs,
stealing identify, and not paying taxes. As many U.S Citizens in our nation affirm Hispanics
shouldn't be here and have no right to advance in life. Our nations actions have been
unacceptable to many U.S Citizens and non U.S Citizens. So far, the illegal immigration issue is
still occurring with no solution from our president Barack Obama. Promises were made to
Hispanics at Barack Obama election and so far those promises still remain on the bottom of his
agenda. Hispanics should be allowed to be here in the U.S because several of them cross the
border for a better living condition. U. S Citizens and Americans are blessed to be born in the
United States. You really don't know how it feels like to be undocumented and have that desire
to want to enhance your living condition, because most don't have that problem or they just don't
care. Imagine that you weren't blessed or fortunate enough to be born in this country, how would
your living status be like? Would you still have the same education or job that you have now?
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Illegal immigrants are human just like any other citizen and therefore deserve the same
opportunities.
In Washington state in 2011,farm growers faced a tough time throughout their harvest
season this past fall. They were left with no Hispanic workers or illegal Hispanics to harvest their
fruit and had no choice, but to hire prison labor. As the author LornetTurnbull in Seattle Times
newspaper mentions that, "In Washington, agriculture is an industry almost entirely dependent
on immigrant labor, contributed $7.9 billion to the economy last year." (Seattle times newspaper
pg. 2) Hispanics abandoning work is effecting industries in our economy, and leaving
Americans with the harvest work. Forrest Shertzer an American citizen took the challenge by
picking apples at an orchard in Quincy he shares his experience by saying "I spent the last
money I had, pawned my guitar and tools to get out here, this has been the hardest work I've ever
done, and plans not to do it again." (Seattle times newspaper pg.2) As for the director of the state
department of agriculture Dan Newhouse says: "for long term survival of an industry so
dependent on immigrant labor, the federal government needs to resolve the illegal immigration
problem." (Seattle Times newspaper pg.2) This is why illegal immigrants should be capable of
employment in any industry with no fear of deportation. If illegal immigrants are threatened by
immigration each year, they're going to seek other ways to work at other industries or abandon
their work to live somewhere else. Our economy is not getting any better, and it won't develop
any better if illegal immigrants are removed from our nation. The need of hard workers is needed
all over our nation and several of our labor, only immigrants are willing to do and are best at
every task given. As Dan Newhouse has mentioned immigrant labor is needed and wanted in
their industry and I believe our federal government needs to step it up to better our system.
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Numerous of illegal immigrants are willing to work less than minimum wage which is
called cheap labor and several companies prefer hiring those kinds of workers. As the article
Illegal Immigration by Peter Katel mentions: "More than 10 million illegal immigrants live in
the United States, and 1,400 more arrive every day." (Illegal immigration CQ Researcher)
immigrants say: "Illegal migrants fill the jobs Americans refuse to take and generally boost the
economy." (Illegal Immigration CQ Researcher) Peter Katel says: "To some Americans,
undocumented Mexicans are job stealing, non English speaking, threat to American culture,
economic well being and nation security." ( Illegal immigration CQ Researcher) Illegal
immigrants are taken advantage of when it comes to employment. Our country is willing to hire
cheap labor to have a higher income. Illegal immigrants come to American blind, by that I mean
not knowing their rights. Illegal immigrants should have the right pay wages just like any other
citizen in the U.S. Yes, they made a crime by crossing the border illegal, but is it really a crime
when they want to improve their living status? The majority of illegal immigrants are helping
our economy to progress in the future.
While illegal immigrants are moving to other secure states for employment, they are still
being targeted for several other reasons. In CNN Rick Sanchez talks to Republican Rick Murphy
about the issue illegal immigrants of being accused of stealing jobs, stealing identity (SSI), and
not paying taxes. During their conversation Rick Sanchez affirms "all illegal immigrants pay
taxes, they pay sales taxes and property taxes, applies to renters and buyers." As for Rick
Murphy claims that "some illegal immigrants pay some taxes." Rick Sanchez continue his
believe on illegal immigrants as he states: "illegal immigrants subsidize you and your social
security to 7 billion dollars for some day you can retire on money they put on the system, but that
they can never collect." as Rick Murphy says: "7 billion dollars is a drop in the bucket." ( CNN:
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Even illegal immigrants pay taxes in 2010) Rick Murphy as already shown and given evidence
by Rick Sanchez that illegal immigrants do pay taxes and have less benefits than a U.S Citizen,
as Murphy still holds back valid information and reveals what he wants the community to hear
and believe in. At this point, Republicans and Democrats will do anything that can do to keep
their position in order to be reelected in the future. Rick Murphy displays no interest what so
ever in helping the illegal immigration issue in our nation. His solution to the problem is to send
every illegal immigrant back to where they came from. As he also states, that "7 billion dollars
is a drop in the bucket," he finds it easy to say when in reality the majority of that money was
earned from hard labor that no American wishes to do. Illegal immigrants come to America to
improve their life's and have no other option but to produce their money by doing hard labor. If
all illegal immigrants had a chance to be legal in our nation, they would attempt to improve their
life's, and stop working in fields or ware houses.
As Arizona already took actions into their own hands my passing the law SB 1070,
allowing deputies to stop any suspicion of undocumented individuals and ask for identification.
As already mention in the article "If every single illegal immigrant is removed from the state, it
will cost them 26.4 billion in economic activity, 11.7 billion in gross state product, and 144,024
jobs." (Immigration Debate by Greenblatt. A) Arizona governor Jan Brewer states "she is
protecting all Arizona citizens from illegal immigrants." (Immigration Debate by Greenblatt)
Arizona state law gives illegal immigrants no choice but to move to another state. Governor
Brewer SB 1070 law is going to affect her state economically and jobs are going to be in need of
workers. Arizona is known by having the majority of illegal immigrants and once they start to
move to another secure state industries will suffer a tremendous loss of workers who were
willing to do the hard labor. Farm growers will have to seek for help somewhere else just like
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Washington farm growers did. They faced a tough harvest season last fall in 2011 and Arizona
will face the same situation that Washington is facing in today's society. Governor Brewer also
mentions she is protecting all Arizona citizens from illegal immigrants, but my question is how?
How is she protecting Arizona citizens if in reality she is harming them by not having workers.
Illegal immigrants will not move back to Mexico, but instead move somewhere else where they
can feel safe.
When Barack Obama was elected as president in 2008, he assured Hispanics that he
would better their illegal status. Recently, in Barack Obama's State of the Union, he informed the
public of decreasing illegal immigration crossing the border. He stated "more boots on the
border" (Obama 2012 State of the Union Address in 2012) He has double border patrol agents to
10.000 in 2004 to 21,444 in 2011. He also states to the public: "give me a law that gives them a
chance to earn a citizen ship to sign right away." Barack Obama has said enough. He promised
and reassured Hispanics that he will better their illegal status. The years he has been president, he
hasn't moved one finger to help illegal immigrants. He has made promises, but no action has
been taken. Barack Obama, just like Republicans and Democrats, make promises they can't keep,
just to keep votes on their favor when re election occurs. The fact is that illegal immigrants issue
is not important and is on the bottom of ever Republican, Democrats or our President's agenda.
Although illegal Hispanics is an important issue in the U.S, illegal immigrants can apply
to all types of race and ethnics around our country. As Noel Ignatiev talks about the U.S Census
asking the reader: "why do we count people by race at all?" while also informing the reader,
"much of our concept of race is both social and cultural, which means it can be re imagined, in
the process making American a truly democratic nation." (Immigrants and whites by Noel
Ignatiev) Ignatiev seems right because the U.S Census has nothing to do with illegal
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immigration facing today's humanity. U.S Census race count display the increase of each type of
race throughout every ten years. Social and cultural issues happen in every race ethnics around
our country mainly targeting Hispanics. As years go by, the illegal immigration issue has been
getting worse with no one stepping in to resolve the illegal immigrant issue in the United States.
Our president Barack Obama must make a change or find a away illegal immigrants can make a
living in the United States.
Overall illegal immigration is a reality people are facing in today's economy. Many
illegal immigrants are forced to leave their home that they been living for the past ten years to
another state. They move to another state with less pay than their previous work, and start from
point A to built themselves up again. Illegal immigrants don't want to live in fear of deportation
each year. They want to be here just as mech as any other U.S Citizen living here. As already
mentioned Arizona took action in their own hands by reducing illegal immigrants living in their
state and our president Barack Obama making promises that he himself can't keep. Mostly every
American wants illegal immigrants to leave back to Mexico, but is that really the solution to our
problems? It's not because our country will suffer economically and jobs will remain open to
those who don't wish to work at a certain position. Illegal immigrants are shouting for help and
all they want is a chance to prove to society that they do belong here. Illegal Hispanics will be
facing more tough times while continuing living in the United States.
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Work Cited
CNN (2010, July 29). CNN: Even illegal immigrants pay taxes. Youtube.com, Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76RlWyPhSlY&feature=relmfu
Greenblatt, A. (2008, February 1). Immigration debate. CQ Researcher, 18, 97-120. Retrieved
from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2008020100
Ignatiev, Noel. "Immigrants and Whites." From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Green Stuart and
Lidinsky April, eds. Boston: New York Publisher, 1990 Print.
Katel, P. (2005, May 6). Illegal immigration. CQ Researcher, 15, 393-420. Retrieved from
http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/2005050600
Turnbull, L. (2011, October 30). Washington apple growers scrambling to find workers. Seattle
Times, Retrieved from
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016652587_farmlabor31m.html#.Tq9
BiH0hoUx.facebook
Whitehouse online (2012, January 24) Obama 2012 State of the Union Address. Youtube.com
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tlp9Gx4lfo