Immigration as a Part of The American Dream

There is a strong debate in our society about whether immigration has a beneficial or a detrimental impact on the world today. Immigration refers to the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. Both illegal immigration and legal immigration have been challenging issues in the United States for a very long time. Immigration laws should be less strictly enforced because of their overall beneficial impact on society and the economy. Immigrants come to the United States to succeed and achieve the American dream, but people do not realize that immigrants do not solely come to the United States to cause harm. Immigration has both advantages and disadvantages, and I will endeavor to discuss these below.

Immigration as an Integral Element of the American Dream

Immigration has a beneficial impact on society because it is an essential part of American values and the "American Dream." Immigrants contribute creativity and determination to the United States economy. They bring business to more markets, improving the United States' capability to fund and trade successfully in the world economy. Immigrants help maintain the United States economy adaptable, allowing manufacturers to keep prices low and adapt to consumer needs. An authoritative 1997 study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded that immigration delivered a "significant positive gain" to the U.S. economy (Griswold, 1997). A study evaluated the increase of computer science employees on temporary H-1B visas from 1994 to 2001. It deduced that proficient immigration led to the creation of more IT firms in the United States and reduced the prices of IT merchandise by 1.9 percent to 2.4 percent.

Cultural Diversity and Economic Impact

Another reason immigration has a beneficial influence is that it contributes to America's "cultural melting pot" society, and diversity is a positive element of society. The United States is a very diverse country, with people immigrating from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The United States is largely composed of immigrants. A research conducted shows that about 4.4 million foreign-born persons resided in Australia as of the country’s 2006 Population and Housing Census. They accounted for 22.2 percent of the total country population of 19.9 million. The foreign-born share did not change between 2001 and 2006 (Migration Policy Institute, 2006). Many immigrants have come to the United States illegally via the Pacific Ocean, the Mexico border, and even underground tunnels.

Challenges of Illegal Immigration

Every day, thousands of undocumented immigrants cross the 2,500 miles of border with Mexico. According to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the total number of undocumented immigrants in America from this source increases by 275,000 annually. The United States already hosts an illegal population of 7 to 12 million, of whom the vast majority are Mexican or Hispanic in origin. These unauthorized and uninvited guests access jobs, education, welfare, and unemployment compensation. Many whose wages are paid under the table pay little or no taxes, and they are easy prey for unscrupulous employers and politicians (Hayes, 2000).

Demographic and Employment Effects

An expert in sociology concluded that "As of 2012, more than 40 million immigrants lived in the United States – but just 46 percent, or roughly 18 million, of these immigrants were Hispanic. While there were more Hispanic or Latino immigrants than any other racial or ethnic group, altogether non-Hispanic white, black, and Asian immigrants made up more of the non-native population of the U.S." Immigration can affect employment in many ways. The impact of immigration on employment relies on the economy. When the economy is not doing well and struggling to adapt, an increase in immigrants can result in fewer employment opportunities available to U.S. citizens, who are usually less educated than others. However, the economic efficiency of new immigrants can benefit many employees. This means that the new immigrants can actually improve employment opportunities in the United States.

Conclusion

With so much evidence in support of immigration, it is unrealistic to believe otherwise. Immigration remains a complex issue with both positive and negative aspects, but its role in enhancing economic growth and cultural diversity cannot be overlooked.

References

Griswold, D. (1997). Immigration and the U.S. Economy: A Positive Impact. National Academy of Sciences.

Hayes, T. (2000). The Impact of Illegal Immigration on the United States. U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Migration Policy Institute. (2006). Foreign-Born Population in Australia. Retrieved from [URL]