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Cayla Curry

English 112

Aristotelian Essay

05 March 2017

Should Immigration be allowed?

All throughout history, America, is known to be one of the worlds largest and oldest

melting pot. A country in which there are a variety of races, cultures, and individuals assimilated

into a cohesive whole (Melting Pot). The United States is home to about roughly 40.7 million

immigrants (Team) who came from different backgrounds and motives. For some immigrants its

for economic prosperity, a shot for a better education, an escape haven from civil wars and

persecution, to be reunited with friends and family, and for many other reasons. Over the years

immigration has been a very controversial problem. Many U.S citizens believe that these foreign

aliens do nothing but terrorize and harm the country, overpopulate and take away jobs from the

American people. In fact, legal immigrants help positively bring prosperity politically,

economically, and culturally to America and the American people.

Politics in the United States have changed dramatically since the U.S. opened its borders

to immigrants. With opening U.S borders, many political officials and U.S citizens have

emphasized that with allowing legal immigrants to permanently reside in America causes an

increased risk that U.S. citizens will be prone to terrorist attacks, particularly from Muslims.

Significant terrorist attacks like 9/11 attacks of the Twin World Trade towers, Boston Marathon

bombings, Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting, New York and New Jersey explosions, and San

Bernardino attacks have the U.S and the American people traumatized and scarred (Levenson).

According to President Trump in which he states,

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I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of

terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to

end these threats.In every terrorist attack listed above was plotted and carried out by a

radical individual who were known to be from a Muslim country of the Middle East.

(Valverde)

As a result from the past and recent terrorist attacks carried out by radical Muslims, President

Trump enforced an executive action which suspended and banned immigrants coming to the

United States from a list of countries that were hot spots where most terrorists came from in

order to protect America. Many Americans agree with President Trump that with suspending and

banning immigrants from coming into America is the best option to prevent many more people

from losing their lives due to terrorist attacks but, according to CATO Institute , one American

out of 358 is killed by domestic violence in comparison to one American out of 45,508 is killed

by a foreign born terrorist (Alex). American citizens have a lower chance of getting killed by a

foreign terrorist attack but with more access to guns Americans have a higher chance of getting

killed or injured due to domestic violence carried out by fellow Americans. Most cases of

domestic attacks on the American people include the Sandy Hook shooting , Columbine

shooting, Virginia Tech attacks, and the Charleston church shooting in South Carolina are

examples of domestic terrorism carried out by U.S citizens. Hence, many acknowledge that

innocent lives of loved ones, friends, and family are taken away by Americans than it is by

immigrants coming to America in hopes of looking for a better life. Besides facing political

opposition immigrants claim to harm the United States economy.

Immigrants who flee to the United States in hope of achieving economic prosperity face

the opposition that they disrupt the economy and take away American jobs. Many Americans
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according to Frank Morris argue that immigration disproportionately affects American

workers (Morris). Morris and others assume that immigrants who permanently or temporarily

reside in the U.S take away job opportunities that couldve been filled by minorities like African

Americans which negatively affects the economy. Individuals that migrate to the U.S do fill in

certain job positions that American citizens could have filled but, it does not justify the

assumption that immigrants negatively affect the economy. Many immigrants help boost the

American economy by opening their own businesses (Oakford). According to the Center for

American Progress, research shows that with the opening of businesses there is an increase in the

need for labor which means more job opportunities for both immigrants and American citizens.

Also to support the claim that immigration helps improve the economy according to the Journal

of Cultural Geography, Immigrants tend to complement (not substitute for) natives, raising

natives productivity and income. Instead of taking away jobs immigrants get absorbed into the

labor market with negatively affecting American workers and the economy and contribute to the

federal budget. On the whole immigration does not negatively affect American workers by taking

away possible job opportunities and disturb the economy. Not only do immigrants face

opposition politically and economically, many Americans oppose the assimilation of immigrants.

Many white supremacists argue that the United States needs to return to its original roots

and deny assimilation of immigrants and their culture. According to William Branigin,

American ways and American values became increasingly difficult to quantify as the country

expanded through the twentieth century. Branigin meant that over the years with the

assimilation of immigration the true American culture has disappeared due to the diversity of

cultures from the incoming immigrants. White supremacist, Tom Metzger supported the idea that

races should be separated and only the Caucasian race should be superior. To refute the idea that
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American culture is vanishing and that there should be a superior race immigration has done the

opposite effect. Immigration has enhanced American culture. American citizens are exposed to

different types foods, music, and religions. The youth of America have been exposed to a broad

variety of the different type of ethnicities and races. Many of American citizens appreciate and

take interest into incorporating different cultures into the American way of life. For example,

many Americans are learning Spanish now that many citizens are either hispanic or of hispanic

descent. With the simulation of different culture from immigrants American culture has not

disappeared but improved.

The United States overall has benefited from immigration. Immigration brings prosperity

to the economy and American culture. Not all immigrants come to America to stir up trouble or

cause harm, they came to America to start a better life. With immigration the United States

continues to be one of the worlds melting pot.

Works Cited

Alex Nowrasteh September 13, 2016, and PDF (568.46 KB) EPUB (217.07 KB) MOBI (759.7 KB).

"Terrorism and Immigration: A Risk Analysis." Cato Institute. Cato Institute, 13 Sept. 2016. Web. 22 Feb.

2017.

"Immigrants Shunning the Idea of Assimilation." Family in Society: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K.

Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 429-434.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Mar. 2017.

Levenson, Eric. "How Many Fatal Terror Attacks Have Refugees Carried out in the US? None." CNN.

Cable News Network, 29 Jan. 2017. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

"Melting Pot." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, 2017. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

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Morris, Frank. "Immigration Harms African American Workers." Immigration. Ed. David M. Haugen,

Susan Musser, and Kacy Lovelace. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from

"American Immigration and African American Interests." Testimony before Committee on the Judiciary.

1999. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

Oakford, Adriana Kugler and Patrick. "Immigration Helps American Workers' Wages and Job

Opportunities." Center for American Progress. Center for American Progress, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 22

Feb. 2017.

Schuch, Johanna Claire, and Qingfang Wang. "Immigrant Businesses, Place-making, and Community

Development: A Case from an Emerging Immigrant Gateway."Journal of Cultural Geography 32.2

(2015): 214-41. Web.

Team, The CAP Immigration. "The Facts on Immigration Today." Center for American Progress. CAP

Immigration Team, 23 Oct. 2014. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

"The Effects of Immigration on the United States' Economy." Penn Wharton Budget Model. University of

Pennsylvania, 27 June 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

Valverde, Miriam. "TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TEMPORARILY BANNING

IMMIGRANTS FROM SEVEN COUNTRIES." Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL] 30 Jan. 2017.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 FEb. 2017.