| ca is a nation of immigrants. From the Pilgrims straight | | | | problem. In recent years there have been instances |
| through to the millions of Hispanics that are entering | | | | where terrorists and criminals have entered or have |
| the United States, nearly all of us came from | | | | stayed in the U.S. illegally. Mexican drug cartels |
| somewhere else. My own ancestors entered the | | | | operate along the border importing illegal drugs into |
| country in 1848 from Germany, becoming naturalized | | | | the United States. Incidents of violent crime have |
| citizens before migrating to Ohio to become apple | | | | also increased along the border. |
| farmers. Throughout U.S. history we have always | | | | Illegal immigration also causes significant economic |
| welcomed immigrants but have also enforced | | | | problems in the United States. Most illegal immigrants |
| immigration laws. Our ancestors had to work hard to | | | | today are poorly educated in comparison to previous |
| become U.S. citizens and faced great struggles even | | | | groups of immigrants. As a result, the poverty level |
| after gaining citizenship. Today, the U.S. Government | | | | among immigrants is very high and stays high even |
| seems willing to grant amnesty to millions of illegal | | | | among the first generation born in the United States. |
| immigrants allowing them to become citizens without | | | | Illegal immigrants are often paid sub-standard wages, |
| having to work hard for it as our ancestors did. | | | | are treated differently by employers, and cannot |
| President Obama has refused to strengthen border | | | | receive benefits such as health insurance. Illegal |
| security and has in fact reversed a number of | | | | immigrants also do not pay income taxes but cost |
| enforcement measures aimed at employers. He has | | | | the government billions in welfare, incarceration |
| also proposed a form of amnesty for the 10-12 million | | | | expenses, public services, and other expenses. Finally, |
| people that are in the country illegally. These policies | | | | the addition of millions of workers to the labor force |
| are detrimental to our national interests and to the | | | | contributes to unemployment by creating greater |
| concept of the rule of law. | | | | competition for a limited number of positions. |
| To grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants is | | | | Permitting illegal immigration and granting amnesty |
| fundamentally unfair. It is unfair to the millions of | | | | also erodes the rule of law in the United States. The |
| people who entered the country legally and became | | | | importance of the rule of law is a core principle of |
| U.S. citizens through the proper channels. In 2009 | | | | Restore America’s Legacy. It is dangerous to |
| over 700,000 foreign nationals became U.S. citizens, | | | | allow politicians to decide what laws they will enforce |
| including 111,000 from Mexico. The total number of | | | | and what laws they won’t. This makes the |
| naturalized citizens over four years would equal the | | | | law more arbitrary and flexible or, in other words, |
| population of Chicago. Those that were naturalized | | | | meaningless. |
| legally went through a difficult process including | | | | In 1986 the U.S. Government granted amnesty to |
| learning the English language, learning U.S. history, and | | | | millions of illegal immigrants. The policy backfired, |
| submitting to a background check. It is not easy | | | | emboldening millions more to cross into the United |
| becoming an American, nor should it be. | | | | States illegally. The lax enforcement of immigration |
| Amnesty is also unfair because it disproportionately | | | | law since has only further eroded respect for U.S. |
| benefits Mexican immigrants over other immigrants. | | | | law. Every sovereign nation on Earth has immigration |
| There are millions of people in Africa and Asia that | | | | and naturalization laws in order to control who comes |
| want to come to the U.S. but it is physically | | | | into their borders and to document who is there. The |
| impossible. In contrast, those in Mexico and Central | | | | United States has every right as a sovereign nation |
| America need only cross a poorly monitored desert | | | | to enforce immigration laws. Criticisms by foreign |
| border or cross the shallow Rio Grande. Why should | | | | leaders, including the President of Mexico, are |
| the U.S. show favor to immigrants of one country | | | | baseless and in many cases hypocritical. For example, |
| over another? | | | | it is a felony to be in Mexico illegally while in the U.S. it |
| Illegal immigration is also a profound national security | | | | is a misdemeanor that is rarely prosecuted. |