immigration essay free

Immigration - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

Immigration refers to the movement of individuals from one country to another, often in search of better opportunities or to escape adversities. Essays on immigration could delve into the various causes of immigration, its impact on host and origin countries, and the policies governing immigration. Additionally, discussions might extend to the experiences of immigrants, and the global debates surrounding immigration and asylum. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Immigration you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

The Effects of Illegal Immigration

Introduction Immigrants from all over look to the United States' as a possible new home in hopes at a chance at a better life. The United States is seen as a chance for economic prosperity and as an escape from a life of many disappointments and fears, so many immigrants will do whatever it takes to get themselves and their families here, even if it does include breaking the law. The United States' population includes approximately 43.7 million immigrants, which […]

Cons of Illegal Immigration

Millions of immigrants come to the United States. Illegal immigration has been an ongoing issue for many years. They may come here for a better life, job opportunities, better life, and many more reasons. These undocumented immigrants leave everything they have at home to come here. They risk a lot. They come for the better for themselves and their families. These immigrants come here for a purpose whether financial issues or the better. Many come for better education and job […]

Prejudice Towards Illegal Immigrants

Thesis: The Illegal immigrant are sometimes judged as harmful people who come to America and destroy this country. However, most of them are very hardworking people looking for a better life to support their families. Illegal immigrants come to the United States to keep their families safety Immigrants contribute to the United States workforce About 90 percent of undocumented immigrants in the nation work 2. If employers can keep wages down by hiring illegal immigrants, then these savings are presumably […]

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Illegal Immigration and its Effects on Society

Illegal immigration is a growing problem in the United States which causes many issues for citizens, such as job loss and higher taxes. It is undoubtedly an issue that needs to be addressed[1]. Illegal immigration leads to the drug trade in the United States and takes away many jobs from legal citizens[2]. Welfare is also something to consider when discussing illegal immigrants, considering that they can't legally be paid, so they are granted welfare, which also costs taxpayers more money[3]. […]

Illegal Immigration: Search of a Good Life

Illegal immigration to the United States is thriving due to the support of people needing to find a better life for themselves and families. The movement of immigration can be a positive impact on the politics and culture and economy wise. Yes it is more people coming into our country, but not all of its bad as everyone thinks it is. People of immigration bring new perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the communities. Immigrants start businesses, also earn income, and […]

Illegal Immigrants Deserve Civil Rights

Citizenship in the United States comes with a very significant and powerful advantage; civil rights. Under these rights, your freedom is protected from several infringements by the government. Many individuals are entitled to these rights, such as those born in the United States, while many individuals may not be granted all of these rights, such as illegal immigrants. There is a huge controversial debate surrounding illegal immigrants and whether they should have civil rights and liberties, and this debate is […]

What are the Effects of Illegal Immigration?

The United States of America is facing many challenges in regards to illegal immigration. By draining public funds, creating unfair competition for jobs (thereby lowering wages and working conditions), and by imposing unwanted strains on services designed to provide assistance to Americans, illegal immigration causes harm to legal residents. We are one of the only countries in the world where, in your stay, you retain many benefits, and are taken care of while you're here. Countless amount of people believe […]

Immigration Reform

Immigration reforms have been very controversial in United States of America. Way back in 1965, the United States made a law on issues of immigration which was aimed at allowing immigrants into United States. It was, however, stated that immigrants with possible skills to bring United States economy more benefits would be highly considered. With time even so, more immigrants began to come to United States with family chains being the main issue of concern. Once an individual is able […]

Illegal Immigrants: Huge Controversial in the United States

Year after year, numerous news stories emerge about illegal immigrants. The first prominent case involved two illegal immigrants who were arrested for speeding by two sheriff's deputies. The deputies ended up severely beating them, even though the arrested individuals were unarmed. ("Who does not like Immigrants?", n.d.) Many people empathized with them, while others showed no sympathy due to their illegal entry into the U.S. ("Who does not like Immigrants?", n.d.) This marked the beginning of escalating tensions. A significant […]

Managing Illegal Immigration to the United States

Basically, the goal to protect the country and its people has not changed and still lives on within the modern policies. As in the late 1800s, almost any given foreigner has the ability to become a legal resident, or a person (who lawfully lives in a country, state, etc.) of the United States. However, the process by which an individual can become a legal resident is much more complicated than it has been in years prior. In order to become […]

Illegal Immigration: Economy’s Boost

Many of us know that America is known as a great country because of its diversity. The cause of this diversity is the fact that America allowed immigrants to move to this country from their home countries which had an influence on our economy. However, not everyone in America is a legal immigrant. In October 1996, there were about five million illegal immigrants living in the United States, and the population of those immigrants was growing by about two hundred […]

Illegal Immigrant Population of the United States

As of 2018, according to FactCheck.org there are 12.5 million illegal immigrants living in the US. Immigration is not bad for a country if the country can support the people. Diversity lets us experience different cultures and be more open to different views. However, the problem with immigration is illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is a tough problem because finding the right solution for it can be so hard. Dealing with immigration is hard because you want to help the people […]

Illegal Immigration and President Donald Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy

Illegal immigration, according to the Unites States of America is defined as when people who are foreigners and or immigrants try to enter the United States without the proper documentation needed to enter. During the summer of 2018, illegal immigration reached an all-time high due to President Donald Trump's zero tolerance policy. This crisis and the collapse of the border policy caused the Trump Administration to be very frustrated because this was an issue that was not going to be […]

Analyzing the Definition of Illegal Immigration and how Immigration has Affected American Value

Values The focus of our group for this project is illegal immigration and how it has shaped the mindset of people in America today. Our research question following the topic is, "To what extent has immigration affected American values and how do people define immigration?" For the purpose of this paper, this definition will serve as a guideline: Immigration is the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. Embedded in this definition is the questionable interpretation of […]

Immigration Policy of Donald Trump

On the 17th January 2017, at a campaign rally in Miami, President Donald Trump stated that A Trump administration will stop illegal immigration, deport all criminal aliens, and save American lives (poltifact.com). The president and his administration will do actions to keep the US clear and safe. Trump tried to deport about 11 million undocumented immigrants (Wessler). This is just so cruel to destroy people live by sending them back to totally strange country, to separate their family, and to […]

American Population and Illegal Immigration

America has always been known as the country who invites those less fortunate in, but at what cost? At what point will there be an end? There have been millions of people coming to the United States every year, fleeing from war torn countries and poverty, and the United States lets them in. They are supposed to be the country of freedom, but at a certain point it will need to stop. That point is now, the U.S. can no […]

Massive Influx of Illegal Immigrants in USA

There have been a large number of illegal immigrants entering the United States for many years. For the last few years in particular, there has been a massive influx of illegal immigrants crossing the Mexican border. Illegal immigration needs to be stopped because it places a huge burden on the economy od the United States. One reason is the illegal immigrants receive many free benefits. Another reason is the illegal immigrants work practices are causing wages in certain areas to […]

Termination of Racism and American Perception of Immigration Today

Robert F. Kennedy is deemed as an unusual rebel of the sorts. Kennedy came from a wealthy, politically oriented family and was strongly influenced by the administrative occupations held by his father Joe and brother Jack. Kennedy worked as the attorney general and senator for New York. He had a vast empathy for minorities. While running for President Kennedy was popular among the public as he perceived all people as human beings and had a family-man aura. Unfortunately, Kennedy's life […]

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Illegal immigration has been occurring for many centuries and continues to take place today. When people cross the border without being authorized, this can lead to grave danger. There have been many incidents with illegal immigrants who were involved in identity theft and identity loans. Most importantly, it violates the IRCA (1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act). Although, illegal immigration might be beneficial to people crossing the border; it should not be tolerated at all. In this essay, I will […]

Is Illegal Immigration Good for our Country?

Illegal immigration is good because some immigrants are trying to give their children a better future than will have in the country that they came from. Some are immigrants might drug traffic. For example, mexico drug dealers bring drugs to the United States and sell them for possibly money, coke, ammo, or marijuana. Some other Immigrants who don't drug traffic to the United States of America are here to give them and their children a opportunity to succeed in their […]

Does Illegal Immigration Impact Texas?

How Illegal Immigration Impacts Texas Vincent M Messana Geography 1303 Lone Star College - Tomball Abstract This paper explores the impact of illegal immigration in the great state of Texas, the main topics will focus on the effects on the economy, why illegal immigrants come here/ why not come legally, are the illegal immigrants bringing crime, how are illegal immigrants affecting Texas culture how are there so many illegal immigrants still living in Texas and what is being done to […]

Are Immigrants Good for the Americans?

Illegal immigration is not beneficial to our country and we should not protect it. Legal immigration is alright but we should focus more on enforcing our laws rather than offer blanket forgiveness to those who have broken them. People coming to our country bring many issues along with them. While they are in search of better opportunities in this country, most of them come here illegally even though we have a system that they can apply for and enter legally. […]

Illegal Immigration and Crime

The United States border is always a topic when the subject is the illegal entry ( entering into a country ) in the United States. Some people defend that building a wall will reduce the criminal activities in the country, while others defend that to stop illegal entry, ( entering into a country) could lapse the United States economy (the process of people making, selling, and buying things). To state that whether criminal activities increases by illegal ( entering into […]

A Look into our Natio’s Criminal Justice System and Immigration Laws

Abstract This paper will take a look at how the criminal justice system, race, and immigration all relate to each other, and the outcomes of each, with examples from the films 13th and Documented. It will analyze mass incarceration within the criminal justice system and discuss why there are so many people locked up, and some locked up for crimes they did not even commit. It will then elaborate on race in the criminal justice system, and talk about the […]

International and U.S Helping IIlegal Immigration

The International and U.S aid are agencies that help out civilian foreign aid especially those countries who are considered 3rd world countries. Which have less than a 1st world country has, such as more job opportunities, money, education and overall less crime. The overall issue for 3rd world countries is that the crime rate is very high as well as the homicide rate. And as of now it is increasing. The U.S aid is part of the government, and helps […]

Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking

Human trafficking comes in many different forms such as sex trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sex exploitation is based on the interaction between a trafficker selling an individual, victim being smuggled to customers for sexual services. Labor trafficking includes situations of debt bondage, forced labor, and involuntary child labor. Labor trafficking uses violence, threats, lies, and other forms of coercion to force people to work against their will in which most cases have no knowledge on the activities […]

Biggest Problem in the United States of America is Illegal Immigrants

One of the biggest problems that is being discussed in the United States of America is illegal immigrants. An illegal immigrant is someone who lives or works in another country when they do not have the legal right to do so, this is according to the Cambridge dictionary. Now you made wonder why someone would just want to get up and leave their country to just work and live? Or why is this such a big issue in the United […]

Positive Effects of Immigration

In the past few years, the topic of immigration has been a cause for much conversation and debate. While many people have discussed the morals of immigration, many have also assessed how exactly immigration affects the United States at both smaller and larger levels. Currently, there is much debate among scholars, politicians, economists and citizens regarding immigration and the economic effects that arise from it. Immigration has been discussed at great lengths for the past few years, and based off […]

Benefits of Immigration Essay

Combined picture of five years Syrian boy Omran injured during the airstrike in Aleppo and unbreathing body, faced down of three years old Alan Kurdi founded drowned in Mediterranean sea become a symbol of emigrant crisis1. This artwork of Syrian artist Rehman Siddiq very spectacularly and emotionally illustrated dilemma of every immigrant - stay or run. Immigration crisis become a social phenomenon that keep spreading all over the world. From mass media we can hear basically about two main streams […]

Mexican Immigration

At the wake of 1930, the Great Depression hit the United States hard. There was a serious job crisis as well as food shortages that affected the Mexican immigrants as well as all American dwellers. During this time, most of the Mexican immigrants and the Mexicans Americans were subjected to additional threats and hostility as the American migrants believed the Mexicans were taking their jobs (Gratton & Merchant, 2013). The American government came up strongly with deportation threats and they […]

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How To Write an Essay About Immigration

Understanding the intricacies of immigration.

Writing an essay on how to write an essay about immigration requires a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of immigration itself. Immigration is a complex topic, encompassing legal, economic, cultural, and humanitarian aspects. It’s essential to recognize that essays about immigration should address its diverse implications – from the challenges faced by immigrants to the impacts on host countries. This foundational understanding is crucial for guiding the exploration of how to approach various narratives, policies, and theories related to immigration. Consider including aspects such as the reasons behind immigration, the experiences of immigrants, the policies of different countries, and the societal reactions to immigration.

Structuring the Immigration Essay

The structure of your essay about writing an essay on immigration is key. Start with a compelling introduction that highlights the importance of accurately and empathetically discussing immigration. The thesis statement here should reflect the purpose of your guidance – whether to inform, argue, or analyze different aspects of immigration. The body of your essay should then be divided into coherent sections, each focusing on a key aspect of writing about immigration. Discuss how to construct an argument, the importance of using reliable data and sources, and the need for presenting a balanced view that considers both the challenges and contributions of immigrants. Ensure each part of the essay seamlessly connects to create a cohesive guide.

Addressing Challenges and Offering Strategies

In this part of the essay, focus on the challenges writers may face when crafting an essay on immigration and propose strategies to overcome these. One major challenge is the politicization of immigration, requiring a careful and unbiased approach. Another is the sensitivity of the topic, as it often involves vulnerable populations. Offer advice on maintaining objectivity while being empathetic, and stress the importance of cultural sensitivity. Suggest methods for thorough research and analysis, emphasizing the need to understand immigration laws and policies, as well as the socio-economic factors involved. Discuss the importance of acknowledging diverse perspectives and experiences in the essay to provide a comprehensive view of immigration.

Concluding with Purpose

The conclusion of your essay should do more than summarize the main points about writing an essay on immigration. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the importance of understanding and discussing immigration in a responsible and informed manner. Emphasize the role of such essays in shaping public opinion and policy. Encourage writers to approach the topic of immigration with a commitment to fairness, accuracy, and empathy. A strong conclusion will not only wrap up your essay effectively but also inspire and guide future writers to approach the topic of immigration with the depth and respect it deserves.

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Apr 10, 2023

How To Write Essays About Immigration (With Examples)

Immigrants bring diverse perspectives and skills that can enrich our societies and economies. If you want to gain insight into the impact of immigration on society and culture, keep reading!

Immigration, a subject deeply woven into the fabric of global discussions, touches on political, economic, and social nuances. As globalization propels many to seek new horizons, understanding the multifaceted impacts of migration is crucial. Crafting a compelling essay on such a vast topic requires more than just research; it demands the delicate weaving of insights into a coherent narrative. For those keen on delivering a polished essay on immigration, considering assistance from a reliable essay writing tool can be a game-changer. This tool not only refines the craft of writing but ensures your perspectives on immigration are articulated with clarity and precision.

Here are our Top 5 Essay Examples and Ideas about Immigration:

The economic impact of immigration on host countries, introduction.

In many nations, immigration has been a hotly debated issue, with supporters and opponents disputing how it would affect the home nation. The economic impact of immigration on host countries is one of the essential components of this discussion. Immigration's economic effects may be favorable or harmful, depending on many circumstances.

This article will examine the economic effects of immigration on the receiving nations, examining both the advantages and disadvantages that immigration may have. You will better know how immigration impacts a nation's economy and the variables that influence it after this article.

Immigration's effects on labor markets

An essential component of the total economic impact of immigration is how it affects labor markets. Immigration may affect labor markets, including shifting labor supply and demand, opening new job possibilities, and perhaps affecting local employees' earnings and prospects. This section will examine how immigration affects labor markets in receiving nations.

The shift in the labor supply is one of immigration's most apparent effects on labor markets. When more employees are available in the host nation due to immigration, there may be more competition for open positions. In fields that serve immigrant populations, such as ethnic food shops or language schools, immigrants can also generate new jobs.

Another significant impact of immigration on labor markets is its effect on wages and income distribution. Some studies have suggested that immigration can reduce wages for native workers, particularly those who are less educated or have lower skill levels. 

Immigrants can also contribute to economic growth and innovation, which can positively impact labor markets. Immigrants often have unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that can help drive innovation and create new job opportunities in the host country. Furthermore, immigrants are often more entrepreneurial and more likely to start businesses, which can generate new jobs and contribute to economic growth.

The effect of immigration on wages and income distribution

The effect of immigration on wages and income distribution is a crucial area of concern in the overall economic impact of immigration. Immigration can affect wages and income distribution in various ways, which can have significant implications for both native workers and immigrants. In this section, we will explore the effect of immigration on wages and income distribution in host countries.

One of the primary ways that immigration can impact wages and income distribution is by changing the supply and demand of labor. With an influx of immigrants, the labor supply increases, which can lead to increased competition for jobs. Some studies suggest that immigration harms wages for native workers, while others offer no significant effect.

Another way that immigration can impact wages and income distribution is through its effect on the composition of the workforce. Immigrants often fill low-skilled jobs in industries such as agriculture, construction, and hospitality, which tend to pay lower wages. 

Immigration can also impact income distribution by contributing to the overall level of economic inequality in a host country. While immigration can lead to lower wages for some native workers, it can also lead to higher wages and increased economic mobility for some immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants may face various barriers to upward mobility, such as discrimination or lack of access to education and training. This can lead to increased income inequality between native and immigrant workers.

The contribution of immigrants to economic growth and innovation

Immigrants have historically played a significant role in driving economic growth and innovation in host countries. In this section, we will explore the contribution of immigrants to economic growth and innovation and the factors that enable them to do so.

One of the primary ways that immigrants contribute to economic growth is through their entrepreneurial activities. Immigrants are often more likely to start their businesses than native-born individuals, and these businesses can create jobs and drive economic growth. Immigrant entrepreneurs have contributed to developing industries such as technology, healthcare, and hospitality. Additionally, immigrants are often overrepresented in STEM fields, which is critical to driving innovation and economic growth.

Another way that immigrants contribute to economic growth is through their impact on the labor force. Immigrants tend to be more mobile than native-born individuals, which can lead to a more flexible and adaptable workforce. Immigrants also tend to fill critical roles in industries such as healthcare and agriculture, which are essential to maintaining the functioning of the economy. By filling these roles, immigrants contribute to the overall productivity and growth of the economy.

The costs and benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants

The issue of social welfare programs for immigrants has been a controversial topic in many host countries. In this section, we will explore the costs and benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants and the policy implications.

One of the primary benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants is that they can help reduce poverty and promote social inclusion. Immigrants often face significant barriers to economic mobility, such as language barriers and discrimination. Social welfare programs can help provide a safety net for those struggling to make ends meet and promote social cohesion by reducing inequalities.

However, social welfare programs for immigrants also come with costs. One concern is that these programs may attract immigrants primarily seeking to access social welfare benefits rather than contributing to the economy. This can strain public finances and create resentment among native-born individuals who feel their tax dollars are being used to support immigrants.

Another concern is that social welfare programs may create disincentives for immigrants to work and contribute to the economy. If the benefits of social welfare programs are too generous, some immigrants may choose to rely on them rather than seek employment. This can create long-term dependence and reduce overall economic productivity.

The impact of immigration on public finances and fiscal policies

The effect of immigration on public finances and fiscal policies is a topic of significant interest and debate. This section will explore how immigration affects public finances and how host countries can implement budgetary policies to manage the impact.

One way that immigration can impact public finances is through taxes. Immigrants who are employed and pay taxes can contribute to the tax base of the host country, which can provide additional revenue for public services and infrastructure. However, immigrants who are not employed or earn low wages may contribute fewer taxes, which can strain public finances. 

Fiscal policies can be used to manage the impact of immigration on public finances. One guideline is to increase taxes on immigrants to offset the costs of public services they use. However, this can create a disincentive for highly skilled and educated immigrants to migrate to the host country. Another policy is to increase spending on public services to accommodate the needs of immigrants. However, this can strain public finances and lead to resentment among native-born individuals who feel their tax dollars are being used to support immigrants.

In conclusion, the economic impact of immigration is a complex issue with both costs and benefits for host countries. Immigration can impact labor markets, wages and income distribution, economic growth and innovation, social welfare programs, public finances, and fiscal policies. 

The social and cultural implications of immigration

Immigration has social and cultural implications that affect both immigrants and host countries. The movement of people from one place to another can result in a blending of cultures, traditions, and ideas. At the same time, immigration can also result in social and cultural tensions as different groups struggle to integrate and adjust to new environments. 

The social and cultural implications of immigration have become increasingly important in today's globalized world as the movement of people across borders has become more common. In this article, we will explore the various social and cultural implications of immigration and how they impact immigrants and host communities.

The impact of immigration on social cohesion and integration

Immigration has a significant impact on social cohesion and integration in host countries. Social cohesion refers to the degree to which members of a society feel connected and share a sense of belonging. In contrast, integration refers to the process by which immigrants become a part of the host society. Immigration can either enhance or hinder social cohesion and integration, depending on how it is managed and perceived by the host society.

Another factor that can impact social cohesion and integration is the level of diversity within the host society. Increased diversity can lead to greater cultural exchange and understanding but also social tensions and the formation of segregated communities. Promoting social interaction and cooperation among diverse groups can help mitigate these tensions and promote social cohesion.

The perception of immigrants by the host society also plays a significant role in social cohesion and integration. Negative stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes can hinder integration and create barriers to social cohesion. On the other hand, positive attitudes towards immigrants and their contributions to society can facilitate integration and promote social cohesion.

The role of language and communication in the integration of immigrants

Language and communication play a crucial role in integrating immigrants into host societies. Immigrants may need the ability to communicate effectively with others to overcome significant barriers to social and economic integration. Language and communication skills are essential for accessing education, finding employment, and participating in civic life.

Language is one of the primary barriers immigrants face when integrating into a new society. Without proficiency in the host country's language, immigrants may struggle to understand instructions, participate in conversations, and access essential services. This can lead to social isolation and hinder economic opportunities.

Language training programs are one way to address this issue. Effective language training programs can help immigrants learn the host country's language and develop the communication skills necessary for successful integration. These programs can also give immigrants the cultural knowledge and understanding essential to navigate the host society.

The effect of immigration on cultural diversity and identity

Immigration can significantly impact the cultural diversity and identity of both host societies and immigrant communities. The cultural exchange resulting from immigration can enrich societies and provide opportunities for learning and growth. However, immigration can also pose challenges to preserving cultural identities and maintaining social cohesion.

One of the primary ways in which immigration affects cultural diversity and identity is through the introduction of new customs, traditions, and beliefs. Immigrant communities often bring unique cultural practices, such as food, music, and art, that can enhance the cultural landscape of the host society. Exposure to new cultures can broaden the perspectives of individuals and communities, leading to greater tolerance and understanding.

The challenges and benefits of multiculturalism in host countries

Multiculturalism refers to the coexistence of different cultural groups within a society. It is a concept that has become increasingly important in modern societies characterized by race, ethnicity, religion, and language diversity. 

Multiculturalism is often promoted to promote tolerance, social cohesion, and the celebration of diversity. 

Challenges of multiculturalism

Multiculturalism presents a range of challenges that can impact host societies. These challenges include social division, discrimination, language barriers, and cultural clashes. For example, when immigrants share different values or traditions than the host society, this can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Similarly, language barriers can limit communication and make it difficult for immigrants to integrate into the host society.

Benefits of multiculturalism

Multiculturalism can also bring a range of benefits to host societies. These benefits include increased cultural awareness and sensitivity, economic growth, and exchanging ideas and perspectives. For example, cultural diversity can provide opportunities for host societies to learn from different cultural practices and approaches to problem-solving. This can lead to innovation and growth.

Social cohesion

Social cohesion refers to the ability of a society to function harmoniously despite differences in culture, ethnicity, religion, and language. Multiculturalism can pose a challenge to social cohesion, but it can also promote it. Host societies can foster social cohesion by promoting the acceptance and understanding of different cultural groups. This can be achieved through policies and programs that promote intercultural dialogue, education, and community-building.

Discrimination and prejudice

Multiculturalism can also increase the risk of discrimination and prejudice. Discrimination can take many forms, including racial, religious, and cultural bias. Host societies can combat discrimination by implementing anti-discrimination laws and policies and promoting diversity and inclusion.

Economic benefits

Multiculturalism can also bring economic benefits to host societies. The presence of a diverse range of skills and talents can lead to innovation and economic growth. Immigrants can also get various skills and experiences contributing to the host society's economic development.

In conclusion, immigration has significant social and cultural implications for both host countries and immigrants. It affects social cohesion, integration, cultural diversity, and identity. Host countries face challenges and benefits of multiculturalism, including economic growth, innovation, and social change.

The role of immigration in shaping national identity

Immigration has always been a significant driver of cultural and social change, with immigrants often bringing their unique identities, values, and traditions to their new homes. As a result, immigration can play a crucial role in shaping national identity, as it challenges existing cultural norms and values and introduces new ideas and perspectives. 

In this article, we will explore the role of immigration in shaping national identity, including its effects on cultural diversity, social cohesion, and political discourse. We will also discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by immigration to national identity and the importance of embracing a diverse and inclusive national identity in today's globalized world.

Immigration and the evolution of national identity

The relationship between immigration and national identity is complex, as immigration can challenge and reinforce existing national identities. As immigrants bring new cultural practices and values, they challenge the existing norms and values of the host society, prompting a re-evaluation of what it means to be part of that society. This can create a more inclusive and diverse national identity as different cultural traditions and practices are recognized and celebrated.

At the same time, the influx of new immigrants can also create a sense of fear and anxiety among some members of the host society, who may view the changes brought about by immigration as a threat to their cultural identity. This can lead to calls for stricter immigration policies and a more limited definition of national identity, which can exclude or marginalize certain groups.

The role of immigrants in shaping cultural diversity

Immigrants have played a significant role in shaping cultural diversity in many countries. Their arrival in a new land brings their customs, traditions, beliefs, and practices, which contribute to society's richness and vibrancy. 

One of the key ways in which immigrants have shaped cultural diversity is through their contributions to the local community. Immigrants bring a wealth of knowledge, skills, and talents that can benefit the societies they move to. For example, they may introduce new cuisines, music, art, and literature that add to the cultural landscape of their new home. This can create a more diverse and inclusive society where different cultures are celebrated and appreciated.

Another important aspect of cultural diversity is the challenges immigrants face when adapting to a new culture. Moving to a new country can be a daunting experience, especially if the culture is vastly different from one's own. Immigrants may struggle with language barriers, cultural norms, and social customs that are unfamiliar to them. This can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion, which can negatively impact their mental health and well-being.

The challenges of maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity

Strengthening social cohesion amidst diversity is a complex challenge many societies face today. Cultural, ethnic, religious, and language diversity can lead to tensions and conflicts if managed poorly. 

One of the main challenges of maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity is the need to balance the interests of different groups. This involves recognizing and respecting the cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity of society while also promoting a sense of shared identity and common values. This can be particularly challenging in contexts with competing interests and power imbalances between different groups.

Another challenge is the need to address discrimination and prejudice. Discrimination can take many forms, including unequal access to education, employment, housing, hate speech, and violence. Prejudice and stereotypes can also lead to social exclusion and marginalization of certain groups. Addressing these issues requires a concerted effort from the government, civil society, and individuals to promote tolerance and respect for diversity.

Promoting inclusive policies is another crucial factor in maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity. This includes policies promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of background. This can involve affirmative action programs, targeted social policies, and support for minority groups. Inclusive policies can also create a sense of belonging and ownership among different groups, which helps foster social cohesion.

In conclusion, immigration profoundly influences the formation of national identity. As individuals from various backgrounds merge into a new country, they not only introduce their distinct cultural and ethnic traits but also embark on a journey of personal growth and adaptation. This process mirrors the development of key skills such as leadership, character, and community service, essential for thriving in diverse environments. These attributes are not only vital for immigrants as they integrate into society but are also exemplified in successful National Honor Society essays , where personal growth and societal contribution are celebrated. Thus, the experiences of immigrants significantly enrich the societal tapestry, reflecting in our collective values, beliefs, and practices.

To sum it all up:

To recapitulate writing a five-paragraph essay about immigration can be challenging, but with the right approach and resources, it can be a rewarding experience. Throughout this article, we have discussed the various aspects of immigration that one can explore in such an essay, including the economic impact, social and cultural implications, and the evolution of national identity. 

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Eight brilliant student essays on immigration and unjust assumptions.

Read winning essays from our winter 2019 “Border (In)Security” student writing contest.

For the winter 2019 student writing competition, “Border (In)Security,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the “Constitution-Free Zone” by Lornet Turnbull and respond with an up-to-700-word essay. 

Students had a choice between two writing prompts for this contest on immigration policies at the border and in the “Constitution-free zone,” a 100-mile perimeter from land and sea borders where U.S. Border Patrol can search any vehicle, bus, or vessel without a warrant. They could state their positions on the impact of immigration policies on our country’s security and how we determine who is welcome to live here. Or they could write about a time when someone made an unfair assumption about them, just as Border Patrol agents have made warrantless searches of Greyhound passengers based simply on race and clothing.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these eight were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners and the literary gems that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: Alessandra Serafini

High School Winner: Cain Trevino

High School Winner: Ethan Peter

University Winner: Daniel Fries

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Hernandez-Sanchez

Powerful Voice Winner: Tiara Lewis

Powerful Voice Winner: Hailee Park

Powerful Voice Winner: Aminata Toure

From the Author Lornet Turnbull

Literary Gems

Middle school winner.

Alessandra Serafini

Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

Broken Promises

“…Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

These words were written by Emma Lazarus and are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. And yet, the very door they talk about is no longer available to those who need it the most. The door has been shut, chained, and guarded. It no longer shines like gold. Those seeking asylum are being turned away. Families are being split up; children are being stranded. The promise America made to those in need is broken.

Not only is the promise to asylum seekers broken, but the promises made to some 200 million people already residing within the U.S. are broken, too. Anyone within 100 miles of the United States border lives in the “Constitution-free zone” and can be searched with “reasonable suspicion,” a suspicion that is determined by Border Patrol officers. The zone encompasses major cities, such as Seattle and New York City, and it even covers entire states, such as Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. I live in the Seattle area, and it is unsettling that I can be searched and interrogated without the usual warrant. In these areas, there has been an abuse of power; people have been unlawfully searched and interrogated because of assumed race or religion.

The ACLU obtained data from the Customs and Border Protection Agency that demonstrate this reprehensible profiling. The data found that “82 percent of foreign citizens stopped by agents in that state are Latino, and almost 1 in 3 of those processed are, in fact, U.S. citizens.” These warrantless searches impede the trust-building process and communication between the local population and law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, this lack of trust makes campaigns, such as Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something,” ineffective due to the actions of the department’s own members and officers. Worst of all, profiling ostracizes entire communities and makes them feel unsafe in their own country.

Ironically, asylum seekers come to America in search of safety. However, the thin veil of safety has been drawn back, and, behind it, our tarnished colors are visible. We need to welcome people in their darkest hours rather than destroy their last bit of hope by slamming the door in their faces. The immigration process is currently in shambles, and an effective process is essential for both those already in the country and those outside of it. Many asylum seekers are running from war, poverty, hunger, and death. Their countries’ instability has hijacked every aspect of their lives, made them vagabonds, and the possibility of death, a cruel and unforgiving death, is real. They see no future for their children, and they are desperate for the perceived promise of America—a promise of opportunity, freedom, and a safe future. An effective process would determine who actually needs help and then grant them passage into America. Why should everyone be turned away? My grandmother immigrated to America from Scotland in 1955. I exist because she had a chance that others are now being denied.

Emma Lazarus named Lady Liberty the “Mother of Exiles.” Why are we denying her the happiness of children? Because we cannot decide which ones? America has an inexplicable area where our constitution has been spurned and forgotten. Additionally, there is a rancorous movement to close our southern border because of a deep-rooted fear of immigrants and what they represent. For too many Americans, they represent the end of established power and white supremacy, which is their worst nightmare. In fact, immigrants do represent change—healthy change—with new ideas and new energy that will help make this country stronger. Governmental agreement on a humane security plan is critical to ensure that America reaches its full potential. We can help. We can help people in unimaginably terrifying situations, and that should be our America.

Alessandra Serafini plays on a national soccer team for Seattle United and is learning American Sign Language outside of school. Her goal is to spread awareness about issues such as climate change, poverty, and large-scale political conflict through writing and public speaking.

  High School Winner

Cain Trevino

North Side High School, Fort Worth, Texas

Xenophobia and the Constitution-Free Zone

In August of 2017, U.S. Border Patrol agents boarded a Greyhound bus that had just arrived at the White River Junction station from Boston. According to Danielle Bonadona, a Lebanon resident and a bus passenger, “They wouldn’t let us get off. They boarded the bus and told us they needed to see our IDs or papers.” Bonadona, a 29-year-old American citizen, said that the agents spent around 20 minutes on the bus and “only checked the IDs of people who had accents or were not white.” Bonadona said she was aware of the 100-mile rule, but the experience of being stopped and searched felt “pretty unconstitutional.”

In the YES! article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’” by Lornet Turnbull, the author references the ACLU’s argument that “the 100-mile zone violates Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.” However, the Supreme Court upholds the use of immigration checkpoints for inquiries on citizenship status. In my view, the ACLU makes a reasonable argument. The laws of the 100-mile zone are blurred, and, too often, officials give arbitrary reasons to conduct a search. Xenophobia and fear of immigrants burgeons in cities within these areas. People of color and those with accents or who are non-English speakers are profiled by law enforcement agencies that enforce anti-immigrant policies. The “Constitution-free zone” is portrayed as an effective barrier to secure our borders. However, this anti-immigrant zone does not make our country any safer. In fact, it does the opposite.

As a former student from the Houston area, I can tell you that the Constitution-free zone makes immigrants and citizens alike feel on edge. The Department of Homeland Security’s white SUVs patrol our streets. Even students feel the weight of anti-immigrant laws. Dennis Rivera Sarmiento, an undocumented student who attended Austin High School in Houston, was held by school police in February 2018 for a minor altercation and was handed over to county police. He was later picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and held in a detention center. It is unfair that kids like Dennis face much harsher consequences for minor incidents than other students with citizenship.

These instances are a direct result of anti-immigrant laws. For example, the 287(g) program gives local and state police the authority to share individuals’ information with ICE after an arrest. This means that immigrants can be deported for committing misdemeanors as minor as running a red light. Other laws like Senate Bill 4, passed by the Texas Legislature, allow police to ask people about their immigration status after they are detained. These policies make immigrants and people of color feel like they’re always under surveillance and that, at any moment, they may be pulled over to be questioned and detained.

During Hurricane Harvey, the immigrant community was hesitant to go to the shelters because images of immigration authorities patrolling the area began to surface online. It made them feel like their own city was against them at a time when they needed them most. Constitution-free zones create communities of fear. For many immigrants, the danger of being questioned about immigration status prevents them from reporting crimes, even when they are the victim. Unreported crime only places more groups of people at risk and, overall, makes communities less safe.

In order to create a humane immigration process, citizens and non-citizens must hold policymakers accountable and get rid of discriminatory laws like 287(g) and Senate Bill 4. Abolishing the Constitution-free zone will also require pressure from the public and many organizations. For a more streamlined legal process, the League of United Latin American Citizens suggests background checks and a small application fee for incoming immigrants, as well as permanent resident status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients. Other organizations propose expanding the green card lottery and asylum for immigrants escaping the dangers of their home countries.

Immigrants who come to the U.S. are only looking for an opportunity to provide for their families and themselves; so, the question of deciding who gets inside the border and who doesn’t is the same as trying to prove some people are worth more than others. The narratives created by anti-immigrant media plant the false idea that immigrants bring nothing but crime and terrorism. Increased funding for the border and enforcing laws like 287(g) empower anti-immigrant groups to vilify immigrants and promote a witch hunt that targets innocent people. This hatred and xenophobia allow law enforcement to ask any person of color or non-native English speaker about their citizenship or to detain a teenager for a minor incident. Getting rid of the 100-mile zone means standing up for justice and freedom because nobody, regardless of citizenship, should have to live under laws created from fear and hatred.

Cain Trevino is a sophomore. Cain is proud of his Mexican and Salvadorian descent and is an advocate for the implementation of Ethnic Studies in Texas. He enjoys basketball, playing the violin, and studying c omputer science. Cain plans to pursue a career in engineering at Stanford University and later earn a PhD.  

High School Winner

Ethan Peter

Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

I’m an expert on bussing. For the past couple of months, I’ve been a busser at a pizza restaurant near my house. It may not be the most glamorous job, but it pays all right, and, I’ll admit, I’m in it for the money.

I arrive at 5 p.m. and inspect the restaurant to ensure it is in pristine condition for the 6 p.m. wave of guests. As customers come and go, I pick up their dirty dishes, wash off their tables, and reset them for the next guests. For the first hour of my shift, the work is fairly straightforward.

I met another expert on bussing while crossing the border in a church van two years ago. Our van arrived at the border checkpoint, and an agent stopped us. She read our passports, let us through, and moved on to her next vehicle. The Border Patrol agent’s job seemed fairly straightforward.

At the restaurant, 6 p.m. means a rush of customers. It’s the end of the workday, and these folks are hungry for our pizzas and salads. My job is no longer straightforward.

Throughout the frenzy, the TVs in the restaurant buzz about waves of people coming to the U.S. border. The peaceful ebb and flow enjoyed by Border agents is disrupted by intense surges of immigrants who seek to enter the U.S. Outside forces push immigrants to the United States: wars break out in the Middle East, gangs terrorize parts of Central and South America, and economic downturns force foreigners to look to the U.S., drawn by the promise of opportunity. Refugees and migrant caravans arrive, and suddenly, a Border Patrol agent’s job is no longer straightforward.

I turn from the TVs in anticipation of a crisis exploding inside the restaurant: crowds that arrive together will leave together. I’ve learned that when a table looks finished with their dishes, I need to proactively ask to take those dishes, otherwise, I will fall behind, and the tables won’t be ready for the next customers. The challenge is judging who is finished eating. I’m forced to read clues and use my discretion.

Interpreting clues is part of a Border Patrol agent’s job, too. Lornet Turnbull states, “For example, CBP data obtained by ACLU in Michigan shows that 82 percent of foreign citizens stopped by agents in that state are Latino, and almost 1 in 3 of those processed is, in fact, a U.S. citizen.” While I try to spot customers done with their meals so I can clear their part of the table, the Border Patrol officer uses clues to detect undocumented immigrants. We both sometimes guess incorrectly, but our intentions are to do our jobs to the best of our abilities.

These situations are uncomfortable. I certainly do not enjoy interrupting a conversation to get someone’s dishes, and I doubt Border Patrol agents enjoy interrogating someone about their immigration status. In both situations, the people we mistakenly ask lose time and are subjected to awkward and uncomfortable situations. However, here’s where the busser and the Border Patrol officer’s situations are different: If I make a mistake, the customer faces a minor inconvenience. The stakes for a Border Patrol agent are much higher. Mistakenly asking for documentation and searching someone can lead to embarrassment or fear—it can even be life-changing. Thus, Border Patrol agents must be fairly certain that someone’s immigration status is questionable before they begin their interrogation.

To avoid these situations altogether, the U.S. must make the path to citizenship for immigrants easier. This is particularly true for immigrants fleeing violence. Many people object to this by saying these immigrants will bring violence with them, but data does not support this view. In 1939, a ship of Jewish refugees from Germany was turned away from the U.S.—a decision viewed negatively through the lens of history. Today, many people advocate restricting immigration for refugees from violent countries; they refuse to learn the lessons from 1939. The sad thing is that many of these immigrants are seen as just as violent as the people they are fleeing. We should not confuse the oppressed with the oppressor.

My restaurant appreciates customers because they bring us money, just as we should appreciate immigrants because they bring us unique perspectives. Equally important, immigrants provide this country with a variety of expert ideas and cultures, which builds better human connections and strengthens our society.

Ethan Peter is a junior. Ethan writes for his school newspaper, The Kirkwood Call, and plays volleyball for his high school and a club team. He hopes to continue to grow as a writer in the future. 

University Winner

Daniel Fries

Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

Detained on the Road to Equality

The United States is a nation of immigrants. There are currently 43 million foreign-born people living in the U.S. Millions of them are naturalized American citizens, and 23 million, or 7.2 percent of the population, are living here without documentation (US Census, 2016). One in seven residents of the United States was not born here. Multiculturalism is, and always has been, a key part of the American experience. However, romantic notions of finding a better life in the United States for immigrants and refugees don’t reflect reality. In modern history, America is a country that systematically treats immigrants—documented or not—and non-white Americans in a way that is fundamentally different than what is considered right by the majority.

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment states,“No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” When a suspected undocumented immigrant is detained, their basic human rights are violated. Warrantless raids on Greyhound buses within 100 miles of the border (an area referred to by some as the “Constitution-free zone”) are clear violations of human rights. These violations are not due to the current state of politics; they are the symptom of blatant racism in the United States and a system that denigrates and abuses people least able to defend themselves.

It is not surprising that some of the mechanisms that drive modern American racism are political in nature. Human beings are predisposed to dislike and distrust individuals that do not conform to the norms of their social group (Mountz, Allison). Some politicians appeal to this suspicion and wrongly attribute high crime rates to non-white immigrants. The truth is that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans. In fact, people born in the United States are convicted of crimes at a rate twice that of undocumented non-natives (Cato Institute, 2018).

The majority of immigrants take high risks to seek a better life, giving them incentive to obey the laws of their new country. In many states, any contact with law enforcement may ultimately result in deportation and separation from family. While immigrants commit far fewer crimes, fear of violent crime by much of the U.S. population outweighs the truth. For some politicians, it is easier to sell a border wall to a scared population than it is to explain the need for reformed immigration policy. It’s easier to say that immigrants are taking people’s jobs than explain a changing global economy and its effect on employment. The only crime committed in this instance is discrimination.

Human rights are violated when an undocumented immigrant—or someone perceived as an undocumented immigrant—who has not committed a crime is detained on a Greyhound bus. When a United States citizen is detained on the same bus, constitutional rights are being violated. The fact that this happens every day and that we debate its morality makes it abundantly clear that racism is deeply ingrained in this country. Many Americans who have never experienced this type of oppression lack the capacity to understand its lasting effect. Most Americans don’t know what it’s like to be late to work because they were wrongfully detained, were pulled over by the police for the third time that month for no legal reason, or had to coordinate legal representation for their U.S. citizen grandmother because she was taken off a bus for being a suspected undocumented immigrant. This oppression is cruel and unnecessary.

America doesn’t need a wall to keep out undocumented immigrants; it needs to seriously address how to deal with immigration. It is possible to reform the current system in such a way that anyone can become a member of American society, instead of existing outside of it. If a person wants to live in the United States and agrees to follow its laws and pay its taxes, a path to citizenship should be available.

People come to the U.S. from all over the world for many reasons. Some have no other choice. There are ongoing humanitarian crises in Syria, Yemen, and South America that are responsible for the influx of immigrants and asylum seekers at our borders. If the United States wants to address the current situation, it must acknowledge the global factors affecting the immigrants at the center of this debate and make fact-informed decisions. There is a way to maintain the security of America while treating migrants and refugees compassionately, to let those who wish to contribute to our society do so, and to offer a hand up instead of building a wall.

Daniel Fries studies computer science. Daniel has served as a wildland firefighter in Oregon, California, and Alaska. He is passionate about science, nature, and the ways that technology contributes to making the world a better, more empathetic, and safer place.

Powerful Voice Winner

Emma Hernandez-Sanchez

Wellness, Business and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore.

An Emotion an Immigrant Knows Too Well

Before Donald Trump’s campaign, I was oblivious to my race and the idea of racism. As far as I knew, I was the same as everyone else. I didn’t stop to think about our different-colored skins. I lived in a house with a family and attended school five days a week just like everyone else. So, what made me different?

Seventh grade was a very stressful year—the year that race and racism made an appearance in my life. It was as if a cold splash of water woke me up and finally opened my eyes to what the world was saying. It was this year that Donald Trump started initiating change about who got the right to live in this country and who didn’t. There was a lot of talk about deportation, specifically for Mexicans, and it sparked commotion and fear in me.

I remember being afraid and nervous to go out. At home, the anxiety was there but always at the far back of my mind because I felt safe inside. My fear began as a small whisper, but every time I stepped out of my house, it got louder. I would have dreams about the deportation police coming to my school; when I went to places like the library, the park, the store, or the mall, I would pay attention to everyone and to my surroundings. In my head, I would always ask myself, “Did they give us nasty looks?,” “Why does it seem quieter?” “Was that a cop I just saw?” I would notice little things, like how there were only a few Mexicans out or how empty a store was. When my mom went grocery shopping, I would pray that she would be safe. I was born in America, and both my parents were legally documented. My mom was basically raised here. Still, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

I knew I shouldn’t have been afraid, but with one look, agents could have automatically thought my family and I were undocumented. Even when the deportation police would figure out that we weren’t undocumented, they’d still figure out a way to deport us—at least that was what was going through my head. It got so bad that I didn’t even want to do the simplest things like go grocery shopping because there was a rumor that the week before a person was taken from Walmart.

I felt scared and nervous, and I wasn’t even undocumented. I can’t even imagine how people who are undocumented must have felt, how they feel. All I can think is that it’s probably ten times worse than what I was feeling. Always worrying about being deported and separated from your family must be hard. I was living in fear, and I didn’t even have it that bad. My heart goes out to families that get separated from each other. It’s because of those fears that I detest the “Constitution-free zone.”

Legally documented and undocumented people who live in the Constitution-free zone are in constant fear of being deported. People shouldn’t have to live this way. In fact, there have been arguments that the 100-mile zone violates the Fourth Amendment, which gives people the right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures of property by the government. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently upheld these practices.

One question that Lornet Turnbull asks in her YES! article “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’” is, “How should we decide who is welcome in the U.S and who is not?” Instead of focusing on immigrants, how about we focus on the people who shoot up schools, rape girls, exploit women for human sex trafficking, and sell drugs? These are the people who make our country unsafe; they are the ones who shouldn’t be accepted. Even if they are citizens and have the legal right to live here, they still shouldn’t be included. If they are the ones making this country unsafe, then what gives them the right to live here?

I don’t think that the Constitution-free zone is an effective and justifiable way to make this country more “secure.” If someone isn’t causing any trouble in the United States and is just simply living their life, then they should be welcomed here. We shouldn’t have to live in fear that our rights will be taken away. I believe that it’s unfair for people to automatically think that it’s the Hispanics that make this country unsafe. Sure, get all the undocumented people out of the United States, but it’s not going to make this country any safer. It is a society that promotes violence that makes us unsafe, not a race.

Emma Hernandez-Sanchez is a freshman who is passionate about literature and her education. Emma wan ts to inspire others to be creative and try their best. She enjoys reading and creating stories that spark imagination. 

  Powerful Voice Winner

Tiara Lewis

Columbus City Preparatory Schools for Girls,

Columbus, Ohio

Hold Your Head High and Keep Those Fists Down

How would you feel if you walked into a store and salespeople were staring at you? Making you feel like you didn’t belong. Judging you. Assuming that you were going to take something, even though you might have $1,000 on you to spend. Sometimes it doesn’t matter. This is because people will always judge you. It might not be because of your race but for random reasons, like because your hair is black instead of dirty blonde. Or because your hair is short and not long. Or just because they are having a bad day. People will always find ways to bring you down and accuse you of something, but that doesn’t mean you have to go along with it.

Every time I entered a store, I would change my entire personality. I would change the way I talked and the way I walked. I always saw myself as needing to fit in. If a store was all pink, like the store Justice, I would act like a girly girl. If I was shopping in a darker store, like Hot Topic, I would hum to the heavy metal songs and act more goth. I had no idea that I was feeding into stereotypes.

When I was 11, I walked into Claire’s, a well-known store at the mall. That day was my sister’s birthday. Both of us were really happy and had money to spend. As soon as we walked into the store, two employees stared me and my sister down, giving us cold looks. When we went to the cashier to buy some earrings, we thought everything was fine. However, when we walked out of the store, there was a policeman and security guards waiting. At that moment, my sister and I looked at one another, and I said, in a scared little girl voice, “I wonder what happened? Why are they here?”

Then, they stopped us. We didn’t know what was going on. The same employee that cashed us out was screaming as her eyes got big, “What did you steal?” I was starting to get numb. Me and my sister looked at each other and told the truth: “We didn’t steal anything. You can check us.” They rudely ripped through our bags and caused a big scene. My heart was pounding like a drum. I felt violated and scared. Then, the policeman said, “Come with us. We need to call your parents.” While this was happening, the employees were talking to each other, smiling. We got checked again. The police said that they were going to check the cameras, but after they were done searching us, they realized that we didn’t do anything wrong and let us go about our day.

Walking in the mall was embarrassing—everybody staring, looking, and whispering as we left the security office. This made me feel like I did something wrong while knowing I didn’t. We went back to the store to get our shopping bags. The employees sneered, “Don’t you niggers ever come in this store again. You people always take stuff. This time you just got lucky.” Their faces were red and frightening. It was almost like they were in a scary 3D movie, screaming, and coming right at us. I felt hurt and disappointed that someone had the power within them to say something so harsh and wrong to another person. Those employees’ exact words will forever be engraved in my memory.

In the article, “Two-Thirds of Americans Live in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’,” Lornet Turnbull states, “In January, they stopped a man in Indio, California, as he was boarding a Los Angeles-bound bus. While questioning this man about his immigration status, agents told him his ‘shoes looked suspicious,’ like those of someone who had recently crossed the border.” They literally judged him by his shoes. They had no proof of anything. If a man is judged by his shoes, who else and what else are being judged in the world?

In the novel  To Kill a Mockingbird , a character named Atticus states, “You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let’em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.” No matter how much you might try to change yourself, your hairstyle, and your clothes, people will always make assumptions about you. However, you never need to change yourself to make a point or to feel like you fit in. Be yourself. Don’t let those stereotypes turn into facts.

Tiara Lewis is in the eighth grade. Tiara plays the clarinet and is trying to change the world— one essay at a time. She is most often found curled up on her bed, “Divergent” in one hand and a cream-filled doughnut in the other.

Hailee Park

 Wielding My Swords

If I were a swordsman, my weapons would be my identities. I would wield one sword in my left hand and another in my right. People expect me to use both fluently, but I’m not naturally ambidextrous. Even though I am a right-handed swordsman, wielding my dominant sword with ease, I must also carry a sword in my left, the heirloom of my family heritage. Although I try to live up to others’ expectations by using both swords, I may appear inexperienced while attempting to use my left. In some instances, my heirloom is mistaken for representing different families’ since the embellishments look similar.

Many assumptions are made about my heirloom sword based on its appearance, just as many assumptions are made about me based on my physical looks. “Are you Chinese?” When I respond with ‘no,’ they stare at me blankly in confusion. There is a multitude of Asian cultures in the United States, of which I am one. Despite what many others may assume, I am not Chinese; I am an American-born Korean.

“Then… are you Japanese?” Instead of asking a broader question, like “What is your ethnicity?,” they choose to ask a direct question. I reply that I am Korean. I like to think that this answers their question sufficiently; however, they think otherwise. Instead, I take this as their invitation to a duel.

They attack me with another question: “Are you from North Korea or South Korea?” I don’t know how to respond because I’m not from either of those countries; I was born in America. I respond with “South Korea,” where my parents are from because I assume that they’re asking me about my ethnicity. I’m not offended by this situation because I get asked these questions frequently. From this experience, I realize that people don’t know how to politely ask questions about identity to those unlike them. Instead of asking “What is your family’s ethnicity?,” many people use rude alternatives, such as “Where are you from?,” or “What language do you speak?”

When people ask these questions, they make assumptions based on someone’s appearance. In my case, people make inferences like:

“She must be really good at speaking Korean.”

“She’s Asian; therefore, she must be born in Asia.”

“She’s probably Chinese.”

These thoughts may appear in their heads because making assumptions is natural. However, there are instances when assumptions can be taken too far. Some U.S. Border Patrol agents in the “Constitution-free zone” have made similar assumptions based on skin color and clothing. For example, agents marked someone as an undocumented immigrant because “his shoes looked suspicious, like those of someone who had recently crossed the border.”

Another instance was when a Jamaican grandmother was forced off a bus when she was visiting her granddaughter. The impetus was her accent and the color of her skin. Government officials chose to act on their assumptions, even though they had no solid proof that the grandmother was an undocumented immigrant. These situations just touch the surface of the issue of racial injustice in America.

When someone makes unfair assumptions about me, they are pointing their sword and challenging me to a duel; I cannot refuse because I am already involved. It is not appropriate for anyone, including Border Patrol agents, to make unjustified assumptions or to act on those assumptions. Border Patrol agents have no right to confiscate the swords of the innocent solely based on their conjectures. The next time I’m faced with a situation where racially ignorant assumptions are made about me, I will refuse to surrender my sword, point it back at them, and triumphantly fight their ignorance with my cultural pride.

Hailee Park is an eighth grader who enjoys reading many genres. While reading, Hailee recognized the racial injustices against immigrants in America, which inspired her essay. Hailee plays violin in her school’s orchestra and listens to and composes music. 

Aminata Toure

East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

We Are Still Dreaming

As a young Muslim American woman, I have been labeled things I am not: a terrorist, oppressed, and an ISIS supporter. I have been accused of planning 9/11, an event that happened before I was born. Lately, in the media, Muslims have been portrayed as supporters of a malevolent cause, terrorizing others just because they do not have the same beliefs. I often scoff at news reports that portray Muslims in such a light, just as I scoff at all names I’ve been labeled. They are words that do not define me. 

In a land where labels have stripped immigrants of their personalities, they are now being stripped of something that makes them human: their rights. The situation described in Lornet Turnbull’s article, “Two-Thirds of Americans are Living in the ‘Constitution-Free Zone’,” goes directly against the Constitution, the soul of this country, something that asserts that we are all equal before the law. If immigrants do not have protection from the Constitution, is there any way to feel safe?

Although most insults are easy to shrug off, they are still threatening. I am ashamed when I feel afraid to go to the mosque. Friday is an extremely special day when we gather together to pray, but lately, I haven’t been going to the mosque for Jummah prayers. I have realized that I can never feel safe when in a large group of Muslims because of the widespread hatred of Muslims in the United States, commonly referred to as Islamophobia. Police surround our mosque, and there are posters warning us about dangerous people who might attack our place of worship because we have been identified as terrorists.

I wish I could tune out every news report that blasts out the headline “Terrorist Attack!” because I know that I will be judged based on the actions of someone else. Despite this anti-Muslim racism, what I have learned from these insults is that I am proud of my faith. I am a Muslim, but being Muslim doesn’t define me. I am a writer, a student, a dreamer, a friend, a New Yorker, a helper, and an American. I am unapologetically me, a Muslim, and so much more. I definitely think everyone should get to know a Muslim. They would see that some of us are also Harry Potter fans, not just people planning to bomb the White House.

Labels are unjustly placed on us because of the way we speak, the color of our skin, and what we believe in—not for who we are as individuals. Instead, we should all take more time to get to know one another. As Martin Luther King Jr. said in his “I Have a Dream” speech, we should be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. To me, it seems Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is a dream that should be a reality. But, for now, we are dreaming.

Aminata Toure is a Guinean American Muslim student. Aminata loves spoken-word poetry and performs in front of hundreds of people at her school’s annual poetry slam. She loves writing, language, history, and West African food and culture. Aminata wants to work at the United Nations when she grows up.

From the Author 

Dear Alessandra, Cain, Daniel, Tiara, Emma, Hailee, Aminata and Ethan,

I am moved and inspired by the thought each of you put into your responses to my story about this so-called “Constitution-free zone.” Whether we realize it or not, immigration in this country impacts all of us— either because we are immigrants ourselves, have neighbors, friends, and family who are, or because we depend on immigrants for many aspects of our lives—from the food we put on our tables to the technology that bewitches us. It is true that immigrants enrich our society in so many important ways, as many of you point out.

And while the federal statute that permits U.S. Border Patrol officers to stop and search at will any of the 200 million of us in this 100-mile shadow border, immigrants have been their biggest targets. In your essays, you highlight how unjust the law is—nothing short of racial profiling. It is heartening to see each of you, in your own way, speaking out against the unfairness of this practice.

Alessandra, you are correct, the immigration system in this country is in shambles. You make a powerful argument about how profiling ostracizes entire communities and how the warrantless searches allowed by this statute impede trust-building between law enforcement and the people they are called on to serve.

And Cain, you point out how this 100-mile zone, along with other laws in the state of Texas where you attended school, make people feel like they’re “always under surveillance, and that, at any moment, you may be pulled over to be questioned and detained.” It seems unimaginable that people live their lives this way, yet millions in this country do.

You, Emma, for example, speak of living in a kind of silent fear since Donald Trump took office, even though you were born in this country and your parents are here legally. You are right, “We shouldn’t have to live in fear that our rights will be taken away.”

And Aminata, you write of being constantly judged and labeled because you’re a Muslim American. How unfortunate and sad that in a country that generations of people fled to search for religious freedom, you are ashamed at times to practice your own. The Constitution-free zone, you write, “goes directly against the Constitution, the soul of this country, something that asserts that we are all equal before the law.”

Tiara, I could personally relate to your gripping account of being racially profiled and humiliated in a store. You were appalled that the Greyhound passenger in California was targeted by Border Patrol because they claimed his shoes looked like those of someone who had walked across the border: “If a man is judged by his shoes,” you ask, “who else and what else are getting judged in the world?”

Hailee, you write about the incorrect assumptions people make about you, an American born of Korean descent, based solely on your appearance and compared it to the assumptions Border Patrol agents make about those they detain in this zone.

Daniel, you speak of the role of political fearmongering in immigration. It’s not new, but under the current administration, turning immigrants into boogiemen for political gain is currency. You write that “For some politicians, it is easier to sell a border wall to a scared population than it is to explain the need for reformed immigration policy.”

And Ethan, you recognize the contributions immigrants make to this country through the connections we all make with them and the strength they bring to our society.

Keep speaking your truth. Use your words and status to call out injustice wherever and whenever you see it. Untold numbers of people spoke out against this practice by Border Patrol and brought pressure on Greyhound to change. In December, the company began offering passengers written guidance—in both Spanish and English—so they understand what their rights are when officers board their bus. Small steps, yes, but progress nonetheless, brought about by people just like you, speaking up for those who sometimes lack a voice to speak up for themselves.

With sincere gratitude,

Lornet Turnbull

Lornet Turnbull is an editor for YES! and a Seattle-based freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter  @TurnbullL .

We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

After my parents argued with the woman, they told me if you can fight with fists, you prove the other person’s point, but when you fight with the power of your words, you can have a much bigger impact. I also learned that I should never be ashamed of where I am from. —Fernando Flores, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

Just because we were born here and are privileged to the freedom of our country, we do not have the right to deprive others of a chance at success. —Avalyn Cox, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

Maybe, rather than a wall, a better solution to our immigration problem would be a bridge. —Sean Dwyer, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

If anything, what I’ve learned is that I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to change our world. I don’t know how to make a difference, how to make my voice heard. But I have learned the importance of one word, a simple two-letter word that’s taught to the youngest of us, a word we all know but never recognize: the significance of ‘we.’ —Enna Chiu, Highland Park High School, Highland Park, N.J.

Not to say the Border Patrol should not have authorization to search people within the border, but I am saying it should be near the border, more like one mile, not 100. —Cooper Tarbuck, Maranacook Middle School, Manchester, Maine.

My caramel color, my feminism, my Spanish and English language, my Mexican culture, and my young Latina self gives me the confidence to believe in myself, but it can also teach others that making wrong assumptions about someone because of their skin color, identity, culture, looks or gender can make them look and be weaker. —Ana Hernandez, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

We don’t need to change who we are to fit these stereotypes like someone going on a diet to fit into a new pair of pants. —Kaylee Meyers, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

If a human being with no criminal background whatsoever has trouble entering the country because of the way he or she dresses or speaks, border protection degenerates into arbitrariness. —Jonas Schumacher, Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg, Germany

I believe that you should be able to travel freely throughout your own country without the constant fear of needing to prove that you belong here . —MacKenzie Morgan, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Mich.

America is known as “the Land of Opportunity,” but this label is quickly disappearing. If we keep stopping those striving for a better life, then what will become of this country? —Ennyn Chiu, Highland Park Middle School, Highland Park, N.J.

The fact that two-thirds of the people in the U.S. are living in an area called the “Constitution-free zone” is appalling. Our Constitution was made to protect our rights as citizens, no matter where we are in the country. These systems that we are using to “secure” our country are failing, and we need to find a way to change them. —Isis Liaw, Brier Terrace Middle School, Brier, Wash.

I won’t let anyone, especially a man, tell me what I can do, because I am a strong Latina. I will represent where I come from, and I am proud to be Mexican. I will show others that looks can be deceiving. I will show others that even the weakest animal, a beautiful butterfly, is tough, and it will cross any border, no matter how challenging the journey may be. —Brittany Leal, The East Harlem School, New York City, N.Y.

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Essays on Immigration

Faq about immigration.

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Argumentative essays about Immigration

Immigration is another social issue that affects millions of people across the globe. The migration crisis worsens with undocumented immigrants pursuing a better life for themselves. The United States fights a constant battle trying to address the problem and relieve the negative effects on its residents.

American citizenship is one of the most craved worldwide. That’s why authorities try to reform the law to meet the demand of their people. And since the benefits and implications are multiple, there are many angles you can take in your argumentative essay about immigration. Popular immigration essay examples and topics include the reasons for immigration, a unique experience of a migrant, or the consequences of the issue.

Above all, you must draft a thesis statement followed by an outline, introduction, and conclusion. Moreover, every speech and persuasive essay on immigration must showcase your opinion supported by arguments and evidence. Finally, your paper should be cohesive and free of typos and grammar errors.

If you feel perplexed about how to start a research paper on immigration, try SupremeStudy. This writing platform abounds with papers about immigration issues. All samples are written from scratch and can be the perfect basis for your next masterpiece.

Your heart beats against your chest as you clutched your little sister’s small hand. The smoke filled your lungs as the two of you ran through the devastated town you used to live in. You both witnessed the cruel death of your parents. Where do you go now? Home is not an option; there is nothing left of it. Your parents spoke of the United States where war is nonexistent. The journey will be long and difficult, but you know it will be worth it. This story represents the struggle many immigrants encountered before coming to the United States. As a result, America does not need tougher immigration laws. Immigration allows for people from war bound countries to escape, it allows for an expansion of skills on a society that is proudly ethnically diverse, and it provides protection for individuals who were wrongly accused or expatriated.

First, immigration allows for people to escape war bound countries, Many people in the United States do not realize how lucky they are to not be constantly in war with another state. Some of us are lucky to not worry about where our next meal will come from, or whether if we will eat at all. We do not have to worry about when and where the next terrorist attack will be. Although access to the US does not guarantee financial stability, immigrants will be much safer than they were in their home countries. I know that neither us could stand watching a child no older than six fight for their own.

Next, immigration allows for an expansion of diverse skills on a society that is proudly ethnically diverse. Our nation is built upon various cultures from across the globe. We are even called a “nation of immigrants’ to many other countries. Recognize the words café? It is borrowed from the French language as a ‘coffeehouse’ or ‘coffee.’ Many living in the US has a connection to family living abroad. Culture to them is as important as life itself. They value what makes them stand out without being worried of punishment from the government. Instead, we embrace distinct cultures through holidays, celebrations, events, performances and many other ways. Also, you know those jobs which no one likes to do? Slaughterhouse workers, coal miners, farm workers and fishing workers are just a few to point out. Most immigrants are suck with these jobs. They will be forced to take these jobs to pay for their families’ while being away from home for weeks or even months. This should not be the ‘American life’ many dream of. The skills immigrants have should be used in jobs they excel in and could inspire others as well.

Lastly, immigration provides protection for individuals who were wrongly accused in their home country. Imagine being imprisoned because you fought for what you believe in. In the United States, this is unthinkable. Many countries do not have this luxury we take for granted. Also in our country, we are protected from false accusations that are not proven by law. This is not the case in many third world countries, especially when an individual is of a higher social class. Being stripped away from your family because of a false accusation is something we do not honor here. Giving them a proper life in the United States will potentially save thousands of lives.

On the other hand, loose immigration laws may increase the chance of terrorism in the US. Terrorism tends to occur from mostly Muslim countries not only in the United States but in European countries as well. Although some of these facts are true, tougher immigration laws will not prevent all forms of terrorism in the United States. There is research proven that most terrorist attacks in our country are due to American-born citizens. With that in mind, more Americans cause terrorist attacks than immigrants. If we think solely of terrorism in our country, we are not providing the help we have available for others in need.

In conclusion, America does not need tougher immigration laws. Instead, we need to focus on in-state issues such as gun violence and food deserts. Immigrations allows for citizens of other countries to escape violence. Here, we are lucky to not worry of war or waking up to see your parents slaughtered for defying the government. Immigration also brings unique cultures and expertise to the United States. It improves the diversity of occupations in the country and exposes innovative ways of thinking to children. It also provides protection for those who do not deserve to be imprisoned. Although many are afraid of possible terrorist threats, the danger is simply not present. Our children will be safe if we protect ourselves from the inside first. The same person who has lost almost everything in another country has an opportunity in ours. Before you assume the worst of someone, think about what they may have gone through to breathe the same air you do.

18 Essays About The Immigrant Experience You Need To Read

These stories illuminate what it takes, and what it means, to uproot your life in one country and begin it again in a new one.

BuzzFeed Staff

Growing Up American In Gaza Taught Me What We Owe To Refugees — Rebecca Peterson Zeccola

"In Palestine, we could so easily have been treated as the enemy, but we were welcomed like family."

I’m Not OK With Being One Of The Lucky Muslims — Romaissaa Benzizoune

"This weekend’s immigration order doesn’t apply to me or my family; I’ll be fine. But so many others I know and love will not."

I Grew Up In The Rust Belt, But I'm Not In Any Of The Stories About It — Alia Hanna Habib

"It’s strange to see the media turn its attention to places like my hometown in coal-country Pennsylvania and find that my experience there, as part of the non -white working class, is still invisible."

Here’s What I’m Telling My Brown Son About Trump’s America — Mira Jacob

"Sometimes I wish I could ask America when, exactly, it made its mind up about us. The myth, of course, is that it hasn’t, that there is still a chance to mollify those who dictate the terms of our experience here, and then be allowed to chase success unfettered by their paranoia. To live, as it’s more commonly known, the American dream."

There’s No Recipe For Growing Up — Scaachi Koul

"My mom’s Kashmiri cooking has always tethered me to home. So it’s no wonder she won’t give me (all) the secrets to doing it myself."

How I Learned That Beauty Doesn’t Have To Hurt — Sonya Chung

"Growing up in a Korean American family, I absorbed the idea that any feeling of pleasure comes at a cost. But as I get older, I’m realizing it doesn’t have to work that way."

Why Brexit Has Broken My Heart — Bim Adewunmi

"As a child of immigrants, I am deeply ashamed that this is who we are."

I Found A Home In Clubs Like Pulse, In Cities Like Orlando — Rigoberto González

"I cherish the time I have spent in clubs like Pulse in cities like Orlando, where gay Latinos — the immigrants, the undocumented, and the first-generation Americans alike — gravitate because we love men and we love our homelands, and that’s one of the places our worlds converge."

Making Great Pho Is Hard, But Making A Life From Scratch Is Harder — Nicole Nguyen

"After fleeing Vietnam, my parents turned to food to teach us about what it means to be Vietnamese."

When Home Is Between Different Countries And Genders — Meredith Talusan

"I moved to the U.S. from the Philippines when I was 15, where I had been raised as a boy. About a decade later, I started to live as a woman and eventually transitioned. I think of migration and transition as two examples of the same process – moving from one home, one reality, to another."

I Found The House My Grandparents Abandoned in 1947 — Ahmed Ali Akbar

"So many Americans go to India to find themselves. But I went to find the history my family lost in the subcontinent’s Partition."

How I Became A Southern-Fried Nigerian — Israel Daramola

"I once felt torn between Nigeria and Florida, between jollof rice and fried alligator, but there is no real me without both."

Learning To Mourn In My Father's Country — Reggie Ugwu

"After my brother died and my father was partially paralyzed, my family traveled 7,000 miles in search of an old home, a new house, and the things we’d lost on the road in between."

How To Get Your Green Card In America — Sarah Mathews

"When you perform the act of audacity that is consolidating an entire life into a couple of suitcases and striking out to make your way, what is not American about that? When you leave the old country so that your daughters can have a good education and walk down their streets without fear, what is not American about that? When you flee violence and poverty to come to a land of plenty, when you are willing to learn new languages, to haul ass, to do twice as much work, what is not American about that?"

A Childhood Spent Inside A Chinese Restaurant — Susan Cheng

"Being one of the few Asians in my school was hard enough. Working at my parents’ Chinese restaurant didn’t make it any easier."

How I Learned To Celebrate Eid Al Adha In America — Zainab Shah

"I bent over backward to explain myself. 'From Pakistan,' I would say. 'Not a terrorist,' I almost added. But I didn’t — the joke would only be funny if racial profiling didn’t exist."

Texts From My Parents: What It Was Like To Leave Vietnam — Nicole Nguyen

"They did it for us, and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make the most of it."

What It’s Like Speaking A Different Language From Your Parents — Zakia Uddin

"My parents and I communicate in an incomplete mash-up of Bengali and English. I sometimes wonder what we are missing."

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Immigration Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Immigration , Migration , Economics , World , Nation , Population , Economy , Social Issues

Published: 07/06/2021

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Immigration is the whole process of movement of human traffic from into a country from any other country. The whole process has two sides; movement of persons from one nation and movement into the other nation. Therefore, at any point, immigration is a process that would always involve more than one country. The other term that relates to immigration ids emigration. When a person immigrates to one country, it means that he/she has emigrated from the other country. Reasons for immigration would be many; education, employment, settlement and tourism among other. One of the main questions regarding the immigration revolves around its benefits cum the cost in the economy (Roemer 311). There have been a lot of fears that immigration would bring forth a number of adverse effects, not only to the country’s economy, but also to the social sector of the nation.

Immigration is a mighty force in the global platform. According to the statistics, about 175 million of people, translating to 3 % of the global population moved into a country that is not theirs (UN 8). In Europe, about 27 million foreign nationals immigrated into the EU nations in 2007, translating to 7 percent of the Europe’s population (Kehrberg 269). The evidence of the fact that immigration does depress the wages of the country’s economy while leading in large cases of unemployment is a mixed reaction. But by the virtue of reality, should there be immigration, the wage responses would not be evenly distributed amongst the residential wages. It will pronounce more on the parts of the distribution with which the immigrants offer stiff competition for the native manpower.

There are many possible mechanisms by which immigration might impact on the wage distribution in the affected country. Although some of the early literature believe that a nation's labor consist of both the immigrants and the natives, some of the sources tend to disagree with this. It has seemed quite difficult to argue out on the feasibility of this issue, however. There are a lot when it comes to fiscal contribution and immigration into a nation. When a case of immigration that involves the highly skilled laborers is reported, chances are that the fiscal contribution will grow immensely. On the other hand, the unskilled laborers are unlikely to help grow up the economy. However, the unskilled immigrants normally form the main net contributors in the long run. Most of the studies indicate that the fiscal contribution of the immigrants is negligible.

In America, immigration has been the sole cause of population growth as early as 1790, bringing the population from 4 million to 270 million in 2000 (Jacobsen 312). Beyond the obvious population’s growth, the most outstanding impact of immigration has broadened to include the social and cultural setup of America. The first group of immigrants to be received by the America in the process of immigration was the African slave who was taken in the triangular trade to offer cheap labor in plantations. Later on, the Indians were the second largest group of immigrants to storm the American soil in the offer of cheap labor.

In conclusion, immigration is normally considered as a developmental issue. Brought as a result of pursuit of education, settlement, newer job opportunities and tourism, immigration has led to a lot of developments; economic growth, international relations, cultural exchange and promotion of the global peace and coexistence among others. The same way it has been a constructive tool is the same way it has also brought about a lot of negative implications in most of the global nations; terrorism which is the main issue right now; unemployment among the natives of the affected nations and low GDP in some countries among others.

Works Cited

Jacobsen, J. P. "Immigration Economics." Choice 52.2 (2014): 312. ProQuest. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Kehrberg, Jason E. "Public Opinion on Immigration in Western Europe: Economics, Tolerance, and Exposure." Comparative European Politics 5.3 (2007): 264-81. ProQuest. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Roemer, John E. "The Global Welfare Economics of Immigration." Social Choice and Welfare 27.2 (2006): 311. ProQuest. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

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Immigration and the United States Essay

Gelatt, Julia et al. “Navigating the Future of Work: The Role of Immigrant-Origin Workers in the Changing U.S. Economy”. Migration Policy Institute , 2020, Web.

The report illustrates the role immigrants play in the evolving U.S economy. The authors begin the text by indicating that the foreign nationals were responsible for the 83% country’s labor force growth between 2010 and 2018. The document projects that the group is crucial to the developments in the working-age population through 2035. The strength of the information lies in its in-depth analysis of immigrants’ racial and ethnic challenges and their effect on the country’s future workforce. The authors are policy analysts at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and, therefore, make the contents credible.

MPI. “Amid U.S. Demand for Higher Skills and Education, Credentialing Immigrant-Origin Adult Workers Could Be Key” . 2019, Web.

The press release by MPI attempts to explain the increasing importance of adult immigrants in the United States’ workforce. The document predicts that the country will be short of about 8 million workers by 2027 because the current native employees are aging. On the other hand, the approximated number of immigrants in the region is 58 million, and the group is projected to be the main source of the future labor force. Unfortunately, more than half of this population lacks post-secondary education, which is crucial for an effective workforce. The source is essential to the study because it gives statistical evidence of the need for education among immigrants to improve their contribution to America’s human resource.

Sherman, Arloc et al. “Immigrants Contribute Greatly to U.S. Economy, Despite Administration’s “Public Charge” Rule Rationale” . Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , 2019, Web.

The “Public Charge” rule was developed to deny immigrants who have the potential of being a liability to the county from gaining entry. This law assumes that most foreigners are poor and are likely to cause financial constraints for the government. However, it does not consider the positive contributions the foreign nationals make to the country. Consequently, the report evaluates the impacts they have on the economy. The authors illustrate that immigrants work at higher rates than the natives and occupy close to two-thirds of most industries. The authors are professionals in immigration services and policies, and therefore are classified as credible sources.

According to Gelatt et al., the United States is ranked as the largest hub for immigrants globally. However, even though it is faster and easier for foreigners to assimilate in the U.S, the immigration policy has become a matter of debate in the region. Most of the arguments revolve around the cultural and financial implications of the movement. However, economic analysts argue that there is little evidence to show that the increase in foreign labor has reduced the number of jobs in the country. On the contrary, immigration has more positive impacts as it leads to better occupational specialization. However, most foreign nationals have insufficient education and find it hard to maximize their potential in America’s workforce. Therefore, the federal government needs to integrate learning opportunities into immigrant policies to equip them fully.

The primary objective of education is to give individuals the required knowledge to help them contribute effectively to a country’s economy. Consequently, highly educated immigrants are assets in the United States’ labor force. According to Gelatt et al., foreign employees are the future of the U.S. human resources because they work at higher rates and represent the highest number of staff members in most industries. Consequently, placing them at the same educational level as the native population will improve their efficiency and create a reliable workforce. Similarly, MPI’s report suggests a link between degree and non-degree credentials and the economic results among adult immigrants. Workers who are not of American origin will improve their skills with the attainment of the right education.

Conversely, immigrants with low or no educational qualifications are a liability to the American economy. One of the greatest challenges among U.S residents is communication because the inhabitants are from various parts of the world, yet the official and national language is English. According to Gelatt et al., most food restaurants and hotels are run by foreigners, particularly Latina. Unfortunately, the lack of education makes it difficult for these individuals to speak eloquently, slowing down businesses. MPI agrees with concern and indicates that English proficiency is another hindrance to obtaining credentials among immigrants besides legal status. Lack of education makes it difficult for foreign nationals to survive in America, which further affects their contributions to the economy.

Consequently, there is a need for sustainable solutions that will empower immigrants with regard to education. Gelatt et al. acknowledge that the future of American jobs will require middle and high-skilled individuals and, therefore, suggest affordable vocational schooling for minority families. This strategy will ensure all immigrants get a chance to take their children through schools comfortably. The press release by MPI, on the other hand, indicates that 16.7 million immigrant adults lack proficiency in English because they have not attained post-secondary education. The institution suggests that employers offer skills training that focuses on the English language. Creating affordable learning programs and training immigrant employees positively impacts the U.S. workforce.

From the report and press release by the MPI, it is clear that the future of the job market will be more demanding, affecting immigrants in the workforce. Gelatt et al. state that industries are bound to embrace automation, reducing low-skilled jobs. Unfortunately, Sherman et al. indicate that the birth rate among Native Americans is low, which means that the country’s future economy is in the hands of foreign nationals. Consequently, the government must develop strategies to ensure the immigrants gain middle and high-level job skills.

Immigrants do not have to go to public and private universities to be profitable in the U.S. economy. MPI suggests that non-degree credentials are enough to make positive labor returns. Additionally, according to Sherman et al., foreign nationals with licenses and certifications in occupations, including chefs and barbers, demonstrate higher labor force involvement levels. The immigrant federal department is responsible for ensuring the members acquire the credentials they require to participate in the nation’s economic developments.

The hard work among foreign nationals in America is seen in the increased competition level among them and Native Americans in the job market. Gelatt et al. attribute this development to the increased equal learning opportunities in academic institutions. Research indicates that immigrants’ children are attaining more education and even earning more than their parents (Sherman et al.). Second-generation foreign nationals are the future of the United States’ economy, and the government must ensure they are presented with equal opportunities in schools and the job market.

The American government has the responsibility to ensure immigrants have sufficient learning experiences to equip them for America’s future economy. Highly educated foreigners have proven to be competitive occupying the same positions as natives in the job industry. On the other hand, those who have not attained post-secondary education struggle to survive because they lack English proficiency and cannot express themselves well in the workplace. The future of the U.S. economy appears to be bright, but this dream’s actualization highly depends on empowering and educating immigrants.

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IvyPanda. (2022, February 25). Immigration and the United States. https://ivypanda.com/essays/immigration-and-the-united-states/

"Immigration and the United States." IvyPanda , 25 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/immigration-and-the-united-states/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Immigration and the United States'. 25 February.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Immigration and the United States." February 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/immigration-and-the-united-states/.

1. IvyPanda . "Immigration and the United States." February 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/immigration-and-the-united-states/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Immigration and the United States." February 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/immigration-and-the-united-states/.

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Free American Immigration Essay Example, with Outline

Published by gudwriter on May 25, 2018 May 25, 2018

Immigration in America – here is an immigration essay that discusses the misconception about immigrants and the reasons they enter into the U.S. without proper documentation. If you are interested in such kind of essays, request “ write my history essay for me ” and let our professional history writers take care of your academic success!

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Immigration Essay Outline

Introduction.

• The issue of immigrants in the US is a huge problem that has continued to face the nation for many years.
• In this essay, there is a discussion on the topic of immigration with a special focus on the misconception surrounding immigrants and the reasons they enter into the US without proper documentation.
• Illegal immigration emanates from a combination of factors in many different domains. 
• The government has been one of the largest opponents in the immigration debate.
• The travel ban issued by Donald Trump in 2017 restricting the travel of Muslims to the United States.
• There is a general misconception among some American nationals that immigrants are the major cause of high crime rates in the US.
• Refugees from the Middle East are terrorists and a ticking time bomb who can jeopardize the peaceful nature of America.
• Immigrants and refugees move into the US for welfare benefits.
• Children of undocumented immigrants should not receive any form of free public education.
• There exists no line for the many individuals across the world to get into.
• There is no clear way of correcting undocumented status.
• Restating the problem of immigration in the US.
• Summarizing the paper.

Free Immigration Essay Sample

Misconception on immigrants and the reasons for illegal immigration.

The issue of immigration in the United States is a huge problem that has continued to face the country for many years. It has become a significant problem to American policymakers because some individuals who move into the country do so without following the laid out policies and procedures, thereby becoming illegal immigrants. In this essay, there is a discussion on the topic of immigration with a particular focus on the misconception surrounding illegal immigrants and the reasons they enter the U.S. without proper documentation.

Illegal immigration emanates from a combination of factors in many different domains. Among the major domains in this respect is “push factors,” which are pressures that compel people into leaving their mother countries in search of asylum or better life in foreign countries. They include economic, security, political, and professional factors (Rezouni, 2010). The United States continues to experience significant illegal influx of foreign nationals due to the world being characterized by shifting national and international policies, new threats to artificial borders, and emergence of globalization . It is an environment in which the factors that are responsible for illegal immigration thrive or are encouraged.

The debate surrounding the issue of immigration has two sides. On one hand, there exists a group of people who argue that refugees and immigrants across different parts of the world should be allowed into the United States. On the other hand, there is a second group that maintains that immigrants and refugees should not be allowed into the American soil. Undoubtedly, there are different reasons offered by these two opposing sides for their stances. In 2017, President Trump issued a temporary travel ban on immigrants from eight Muslim countries. During his campaigns, Trump vehemently vowed to enforce a travel ban on Muslims to the United States (Siddiqui, 2017). He also stood firmly against accepting refugees from Syria arguing that some of the refugees moving from that country could be Isis agents intending to run away from their war-torn nation. Therefore, it is essential to look at some of the misconceptions that people have concerning refugees or immigrants who move into the U.S. annually.

There is a general misconception among some American nationals that immigrants are the primary cause of high crime rates in the U.S. The fact however is, according to a 2015 report filed by the American Immigration Council, immigrants are less likely to be incarcerated compared to native-born Americans (Haines, 2015). On the same note, incarceration rates among young immigrant men are low especially for immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, and Salvador who are notorious for illegal immigration. The council made an exciting finding that indeed high rates of immigration lead to low crime rates. Another misconception is that refugees from the Middle East are terrorists and a ticking time bomb who can jeopardize the peaceful nature of America. However, it is crucial to note that most immigrants are highly vetted before getting into the U.S. by different government organizations including the FBI, Homeland security, and the Department of State where the process takes at least two years. According to Mascarenaz (2017), out of more than 700,000 refugees who migrate into the U.S., only three individuals have been arrested so far due to connections with terrorism from the time of the September 11, 2001 attack. In the same vein it is noted by Newland (2015) that refugees are considered as a non-threat to the peace of the United States.

There further exists the misconception that immigrants and refugees move into the U.S. for welfare benefits. However, according to the laws and policies of the U.S. government, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for any federal benefits programs. That means such immigrants are not legible to receive benefits until they have lived in the U.S. for at least five years or more irrespective of how much they earn. However, it is not the same case when it comes to a group of refugees that are supported using Federal and State funds as soon as they get into the U.S. Defined, a refugee is an individual who flees his or her country due to such compelling circumstances as war, prosecution, or natural disasters. Most of the time, such refugees enter the U.S. without adequate resources and ability to survive. Therefore, they are often taken by the U.S. government as visitors who require humanitarian aid and thus receive benefits.

Undoubtedly, every child has a right to education as stipulated in the American Constitution. However, there is a misconception and argument that children of undocumented immigrants should not receive any form of free public education. However, as earlier mentioned, every child in the U.S. between the ages of five and 21 has a legal right to be in school no matter the status of their documentation. In fact, in 1982, the Supreme Court was clear through the case of Pyeler v. Doe , where it ruled that states have no legal right to deny a student the right to free education because of their immigration status (Yeager, 2018). Therefore, educators are left with a crucial role in teaching learners on what information is right or wrong concerning immigrants.

It is clear that there are many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Therefore, it is essential to answer the question or consider the fact why many individuals get into the U.S. without proper documentation. In a news article by the American Voices, the answer to the question is from a logistical standpoint. That is, many immigrants get into the U.S. without proper documentation because there exists no line for the many individuals across the world to get into and the primary argument that there is no clear way of correcting undocumented status (America’s Voice, 2017). The process that leads to legal permanency in the U.S. is not an option for many people as there are only three options where an individual can immigrate. These are employer-based immigration, family-based immigration, and asylum. Therefore, just a few options are left for the many people who would love to get permanent residency in the U.S., leading to illegal or undocumented immigration.

The issue of undocumented immigration is a massive problem in the U.S., and one that is most likely to continue. Although the debate on immigration has two sides, one side of the discussion lays down its facts based on misconceptions and ill-presented facts. There are enough evidence and statistical facts that show immigrants are not as bad as people consider them to be. On the same note, although every individual who moves into the U.S. would love to do so through proper channels, the few options left for them are not enough.

Haines, D. W. (2015, November 25). “ Learning from our past: the refugee experience in the United States”. American Immigration Council . Retrieved June 29, 2020 from https://americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/refugee-experience-united-states

Mascareñaz, L. (2017). “ What do I say to students about immigration orders?”. Tolerance. Retrieved June 29, 2020 from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/what-do-i-say-to-students-about-immigration-orders

Newland, K. (2015). “ The U.S. record shows refugees are not a threat”. Migration Policy . Retrieved June 29, 2020 from https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/us-record-shows-refugees-are-not-threat

Rezouni, S. (2010). Illegal immigration: causes, consequences, and national security implication? . Carlisle, PA: U.S. Army War College. Retrieved from https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a522095.pdf .  

Siddiqui, S. (2017). “ Trump ends refugee ban with order to review program for 11 countries”. The Guardian . Retrieved June 29, 2020 from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/24/trump-refugee-ban-end-immigration-executive-order

Voice, A. (2017). “ Immigration 101: why can’t immigrants just “get legal”, “get in line” and get their papers?”. America’s Voice . Retrieved June 29, 2020 from https://americasvoice.org/blog/immigration-101-why-immigrants-cant-just-get-legal/

Yeager, T. (2018).  Institutions, transition economies, and economic development . New York, NY: Routledge.

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Paul Krugman

Are immigrants the secret to america’s economic success.

By Paul Krugman

Opinion Columnist

When we accuse a politician of dehumanizing some ethnic group, we’re usually being metaphorical. The other day, however, Donald Trump said it straight out : Some migrants are “not people, in my opinion.”

Well, in my opinion, they are people. I’d still say that even if the migrant crime wave Trump and his allies harp on were real, and not a figment of their imagination (violent crime has in fact been plummeting in many cities). And I’d say it even if there weren’t growing evidence that immigration is helping the U.S. economy — indeed, that it may be a major reason for our surprising economic success.

But as it happens, there is a lot of evidence to that effect.

Some background here: When Covid struck, there were widespread concerns that it might lead to long-term economic “ scarring .” Millions of workers were laid off; how many of them would either depart the labor force permanently or lose valuable skills? Investment and new business formation fell. It seemed plausible that even after the worst of the pandemic was behind us, America would have a smaller, less productive work force than previously expected.

None of that happened. If we compare the current state of the U.S. economy with Congressional Budget Office projections made just before the pandemic, we find that real G.D.P. has risen by about a percentage point more than expected, while employment exceeds its projected level by 2.9 million workers.

How did we do that? American workers and businesses turned out to be more resilient and adaptable than they were given credit for. Also, our policymakers didn’t make the mistakes that followed the 2008 financial crisis, when an underpowered fiscal stimulus was followed by a premature turn to austerity that delayed a full recovery for many years. Instead, the Biden administration went big on spending, probably contributing to a temporary burst of inflation but also helping to ensure rapid recovery — and at this point the inflation has largely faded away while the recovery remains.

Beyond that, the very surge in immigration that has nativists so upset has played a big role in increasing the economy’s potential.

The budget office recently upgraded its medium-term economic projections, largely because it believes that increased immigration will add to the work force. It estimates that the immigration surge will add about 2 percent to real G.D.P. by 2034.

But are immigrants taking jobs away from native-born Americans? No. A recent analysis by Goldman Sachs contains this really interesting chart:

In case you’re wondering, “SA by GS” refers to the fact that official data aren’t adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, so Goldman Sachs has done its own seasonal adjustment.

This chart shows no rise in native-born unemployment during the immigration surge. It does show a rise in foreign-born unemployment, which I’ll come back to. But for now let’s just note that there is no good evidence that immigrants are taking away jobs from workers born in America.

Still, doesn’t immigration put downward pressure on wages? That sounds as if it could be true — in particular, you might think that immigrants with relatively little formal education compete with less educated native-born workers. I used to believe this myself.

But many (although not all) academic studies find that immigration has little effect on the wages of native-born workers, even when those workers have similar education levels. Instead of being substitutes for native-born workers, immigrants often seem to complement them, bringing different skills and concentrating in different occupations.

In some ways the current immigration surge, probably consisting mainly of less educated workers (especially among the undocumented), is a test case. Have wages for lower-wage workers declined? On the contrary, what we’ve seen recently is a surprising move toward wage equality, with big gains at the bottom :

Overall, then, immigration appears to have been a big plus for U.S. economic growth, among other things expanding our productive capacity in a way that reduced the inflationary impact of Biden’s spending programs.

It’s also important to realize that immigration, if it continues (and if a future Trump administration doesn’t round up millions of people for deportation), will help pay for Social Security and Medicare. C.B.O. expects 91 percent of adult immigrants between 2022 and 2034 to be under 55, compared with 62 percent for the overall population. That means a substantial number of additional workers paying into the system without collecting retirement benefits for many years.

Finally, let me return to that Goldman Sachs chart on unemployment rates, which shows no rise in unemployment among the native-born but a significant rise among the foreign-born. Believe it or not, that’s probably good news.

Goldman argues that the rise in foreign-born unemployment reflects a longstanding tendency for recent immigrants to have relatively high unemployment, presumably because it takes some time for many of them to get settled into sustained employment; unemployment is much lower among immigrants who have been here three years or more.

Why is this probably good news? The overall U.S. unemployment rate has crept up recently — not enough to trigger the Sahm rule , which links rising unemployment to recessions, but enough to make me and others a bit nervous .

Goldman argues, however, that this time is different. All of the rise in unemployment is among foreign-born workers — and this, they suggest, means that we aren’t seeing the kind of weakening in demand for labor that presages recessions. What we’re seeing instead, they argue, is an increase in labor supply, with many of the new workers taking some time to find their feet. If so, the Sahm rule, which has been spectacularly successful in the past, may currently be misleading.

I hope they’re right.

The bottom line is that while America’s immigration system is dysfunctional and really needs more resources — resources it would be getting if Republicans, pushed by Trump, hadn’t turned their backs on a bill they helped devise — the recent surge in immigration has actually been good for the economy so far, and gives us reason to be more optimistic about the future.

A summary of that Goldman Sachs study.

Another time dark-skinned immigrants (that is, Italians) were accused of fostering violent crime .

There are more bad economists — in the sense of being bad people — than I would ever have suspected.

New business creation is surging .

Facing the Music

“Dune: Part Two” is terrific, but I wanted more Sardaukar chanting .

Paul Krugman has been an Opinion columnist since 2000 and is also a distinguished professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He won the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on international trade and economic geography. @ PaulKrugman

Morning Rundown: Aid group pauses Gaza operations after workers killed, flood watch as storms head east, lawmakers allude to 'chemtrails' conspiracy

Supreme Court allows Texas to enforce immigration law

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to enforce for now a contentious new law  that gives local police the power to arrest migrants.

The conservative-majority court, with three liberal justices dissenting, rejected an emergency request by the Biden administration, which said states have no authority to legislate on immigration , an issue the federal government has sole authority over.

That means the law can go into effect while litigation continues in lower courts. It could be blocked at a later date.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, hailed the court order , calling it "clearly a positive development," though he acknowledged that the legal battle is not over.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the law "will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border."

“The court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos,” liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion. Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson also objected to the decision.

The majority did not explain its reasoning, but one of the conservative justices, Amy Coney Barrett, wrote separately to note that an appeals court has yet to weigh in on the issue.

"If a decision does not issue soon, the applicants may return to this court," she wrote. Her opinion was joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority.

In response to the Supreme Court order, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals fast-tracked oral arguments on the Biden administration’s effort to block the law. Arguments are set to take place Wednesday morning, meaning a decision could come quickly.

The law in question, known as SB4, allows police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the border from Mexico and imposes criminal penalties. It would also empower state judges to order people to be deported to Mexico.

A top Mexico official said Tuesday in a statement on X that the country will not accept deportations from Texas.

According to a spokesperson for the Texas Department for Public Safety, there is no start date yet for enforcement of the law. Lt. Chris Olivarez said that state officials have been planning for its implementation for months, but they’re still discussing some practical details.

In Val Verde County on the U.S.-Mexico border, Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez said his small force, with three deputies on duty around the clock for a 3,145 square mile county of 47,586 people, will not start arresting migrants until he receives guidance from the state.

“I think that we all are in uncharted waters,” he said Tuesday.

He said not only is he not sure how and when to initiate enforcement of the state law, but that he will likely need more deputies and jail space if tasked with the new enforcement initiative. The county jail has a daily capacity of 94, Martinez said.“Right now we’re not equipped to handle that,” he said.

The dispute is the latest clash between the Biden administration and Texas over immigration enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a separate opinion, Kagan wrote that the Texas law appears to conflict with federal law, noting that "the subject of immigration generally, and the entry and removal of noncitizens particularly, are matters long thought the special province of the federal government."

A federal judge blocked the law after the Biden administration sued, but the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a brief order that it could go into effect March 10 if the Supreme Court declined to intervene. The appeals court has not yet decided whether to grant the federal government's request to block the law.

On March 4, Justice Samuel Alito issued a temporary freeze on the law to give the Supreme Court time to consider the federal government’s request.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said in court papers that the law is “flatly inconsistent” with Supreme Court precedent dating back 100 years.

“Those decisions recognize that the authority to admit and remove noncitizens is a core responsibility of the national government, and that where Congress has enacted a law addressing those issues, state law is preempted,” she wrote.

The appeals court, Prelogar added, did not explain its reasoning for allowing the law to go into effect.

She dismissed Texas’ argument that its law can be defended on the basis that the state is effectively battling an invasion at the border under the State War Clause of the Constitution. The provision says states cannot “engage in war, unless actually invaded” or in imminent danger.

“A surge of unauthorized immigration plainly is not an invasion within the meaning of the State War Clause,” Prelogar wrote.

Defending the law, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in court papers that the measure complements federal law and the state should be allowed to enforce it.

The Constitution “recognizes that Texas has the sovereign right to defend itself from violent transnational cartels that flood the state with fentanyl, weapons, and all manner of brutality,” he added.

Texas is “the nation’s first-line defense against transnational violence and has been forced to deal with the deadly consequences of the federal government’s inability or unwillingness to protect the border,” Paxton said.

The city of El Paso and two immigrant rights groups, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and American Gateways, have also challenged the law and filed their own emergency request at the Supreme Court.

In 2012, the Supreme Court invalidated provisions of a tough immigration law enacted in Arizona. Only two of the justices who were in the majority in that case are still on the court: Chief Justice John Roberts and Sotomayor.

Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News.

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Migrants in parole program do not receive free flights to the US

If your time is short.

• In 2023, the Biden administration let in about 327,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela through a parole program. 
• People granted parole do not receive free flights to the U.S. They buy their own plane tickets. 
• An app available to people in the parole program lets them check on their cases and get travel authorization. The app is not used to apply for or be granted parole.
• How does PolitiFact decide our ratings?  Learn more here.

Recent social media posts claimed that migrants can use an app to get free flights to the U.S. 

"Let’s see what is actually doing better under Biden?" the caption on a March 7 Instagram post says. The caption then lists several things, including, "300,000 illegal immigrants were able to use a simple app to get a free flight to our country along with the millions that were allowed to enter at our southern border!"

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta , which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

Entrepreneur Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump amplified similar claims in a social media post on X and a speech , respectively. 

The claims appear to be based on a March 4 report by the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that advocates for reduced immigration and opposes a Biden administration parole program for migrants from certain countries.

The report says that the parole flights are creating security vulnerabilities at airports. But it doesn’t say migrants are receiving "free flights." 

The report’s author, Todd Bensman, said in a published follow-up statement that "re-reportings incorrectly said the government itself was ‘flying’ immigrants in, as though taxpayers were picking up the tab. As far as I know, that’s not true, nor have I ever reported anything other than that the program requires the migrants to pick up the tab."  

Bensman’s report says 320,000 people arrived in the U.S. through December 2023 through the parole program, which allows certain immigrants from four countries to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years. Official Customs and Border Protection data says that 327,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans arrived in the U.S. from January 2023 through December 2023.

The Instagram post’s claim is wrong, though, saying that they used a "simple app to get a free flight" to the U.S. 

Applicants complete a process that requires a security and background check, a U.S. sponsor and does not involve an app. People granted parole status through this program have temporary legal status in the U.S. They also do not receive free flights to the country; rather, they buy their own plane tickets, Nicole Hallet, a University of Chicago Law School professor, told PolitiFact.

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And an app called CBP One is not used to apply for or receive parole. Program participants use the app to access information about their cases, get travel authorization and to complete a travel pre-screening to verify their identities.

In January 2023, the U.S. began accepting 30,000 people each month, collectively, from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, through a parole program. It lets people legally enter, live and work in the U.S. for two years. To qualify, migrants need a U.S. sponsor. 

Although people paroled in are authorized to be in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security has the discretion to terminate their parole if they violate U.S. laws. People who overstay a parole period also can be deported. 

Through Jan. 31, 2024 , more than 357,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans arrived lawfully and were granted parole. Haiti had the most program participants, with 138,000 people arriving from that country, followed by 86,000 Venezuelans, 74,000 Cubans and 58,000 Nicaraguans. The U.S. grants parole based on "significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons."

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick , policy director at the American Immigration Council, posted March 11 on X that people who enter the U.S. through the parole program "are not ‘illegal aliens.’ They enter legally and have official permission to be here." He was responding to a March 11 X post from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who called the program’s participants "illegal aliens." 

Texas Republican officials sued the Biden administration claiming that the federal initiative is illegal. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit without ruling.

An Instagram post said that "300,000 illegal immigrants were able to use a simple app to get a free flight to our country." 

A Biden administration parole program allowed 327,000 migrants to legally enter the U.S. from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela from January 2023 through December 2023. They came in legally and are temporarily authorized to be in the country.

The app they use to track their case is not used to apply for or receive parole. Applying for the program requires a U.S. sponsor and background and security checks.

Once approved for the parole program, participants must pay for their own flights to the U.S.

We rate this claim False. 

PolitiFact Staff Writer Maria Ramirez Uribe contributed to this report.

Our Sources

Instagram, Post , Mar. 8, 2024

Snopes, Did Biden Secretly Fly 320K Unvetted Migrants to American Airports in 2023? , Mar. 7, 2024

ABC News, Fact Focus: Claims Biden administration is secretly flying migrants into the country are unfounded , Mar. 6, 2024

The Associated Press, Program that allows 30,000 migrants from 4 countries into the US each month upheld by judge , Mar. 8, 2024

The Daily Mail, Biden administration ADMITS flying 320,000 migrants secretly into the U.S. to reduce the number of crossings at the border has national security 'vulnerabilities' , Mar. 4, 2024

The New York Times, Trump’s Super Tuesday Speech: Assessing 10 False and Misleading Claims , Mar. 6, 2024

PolitiFact, Claims that Biden is ‘secretly’ flying immigrants into U.S. cities ignore key facts , Mar. 16, 2022

X post, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick , Mar. 11, 2024

X post, Ted Cruz , Mar. 11, 2024

X post, Michelle Hackman , Mar. 11, 2024

The Wall Street Journal, What Is Humanitarian Parole? How an Obscure Biden Immigration Policy Became So Controversial , Mar. 11, 2024

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Fact Sheet: Data From First Six Months of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans Shows That Lawful Pathways Work , Jul. 25, 2023

PolitiFact, Is the Center for Immigration Studies a hate group, as the Southern Poverty Law Center says? , Mar. 22, 2017

Center for Immigration Studies, Government Admission: Biden Parole Flights Create Security ‘Vulnerabilities’ at U.S. Airports , Mar. 4, 2024

PolitiFact, US hasn’t announced plans to expand immigration humanitarian parole program , May 19, 2023

USCIS, Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans , accessed Mar. 13, 2024

American Immigration Council, CBP One: An Overview , Jun. 2023

Center for Immigration Studies, Fact Checking the Fact Check: CIS Reporting Stands , Mar. 7, 2024

PolitiFact, What's going on at the US-Mexico border, and what are asylum and parole? , Feb. 16, 2024

Interview with Ira Kurzban , immigration lawyer, Mar. 12, 2024

Interview with Nicole Hallet , Clinical Professor of Law, Director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Mar. 12, 2024

Interview with Mark Krikorian , Executive Director at the Center for Immigration Studies Mar. 12, 2024

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Immigration Reform — Argumentative Essay On Immigration

Argumentative Essay on Immigration

• Categories: Immigration Reform

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

Words: 638 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Andrew Giles faces years of litigation as he fights to prevent another disastrous defeat on immigration

The immigration minister has a reputation as the most sued person in Australia. This year the legal terrain got even rockier

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Andrew Giles has a reputation as the most sued person in Australia.

A conscientious man in a controversial portfolio, for the immigration minister being the respondent to literally hundreds of cases a year just comes with the territory.

When the high court ruled in the NZYQ decision that indefinite detention is unlawful if it is not possible to deport the person, overturning a two-decade-old precedent, the legal terrain got even rockier.

The Albanese government concedes it is facing three years of litigation to determine the bounds of when a person has “no real prospect” of their removal from Australia “becoming practicable in the reasonably foreseeable future”.

The rushed legislation imposing ankle bracelets and curfews, and criminal penalties for breach of visa conditions, is also under challenge.

This is the pipeline of cases the government is facing and, in some cases, aggressively managing, to prevent another disastrous defeat.

‘Uncooperative’ detainees

On 17 April the high court will hear the case of ASF17 , an Iranian man detained for more than a decade who refuses to meet Iranian authorities because he fears for his life if he is removed to Iran because he is bisexual.

The case will test whether people in immigration detention must be released if their refusal to cooperate has prevented them being deported.

Leaked internal documents reveal the government believes more than 170 people might have to be released if it loses the case.

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In public and in private the government is confident of victory. Nevertheless it is attempting to legislate powers to require people to cooperate in their deportation, a tool it can use to remove people from Australia if it loses.

Ned Kelly Emeralds, a former detainee freed by the federal court known by the pseudonym AZC20, has applied to intervene in the case. He is represented by barristers led by Craig Lenehan SC, who won the NZYQ case – a dream team that could become a nightmare for the government.

People owed protection

Lawyer Zia Zarifi told Guardian Australia that NZYQ meant that if the government was going to keep people in immigration detention “the sole reason must be deportation” or their application for a protection visa was still being considered.

But the government has kept some people who have already been found by the administrative appeals tribunal to be owed protection in detention.

One such person is JPPS, a man who faces the death penalty in Lebanon over terrorism accusations, which he denies. The government has kept him in detention while it appeals against the finding he is owed protection.

Some plaintiffs in this category have been granted protection visas and released from detention but Zarifi said the claim for a declaration that their detention was unlawful could continue.

Compensation claims inevitable

In November the solicitor general, Stephen Donaghue, told the high court claims for compensation would be “inevitable” if it ruled indefinite detention was unlawful and “undefendable” in cases where it conceded the people had been detained while it was impossible to deport them.

In January a stateless Kurdish man, known as DVU18, released from immigration detention filed in the high court seeking “aggravated” and “compensatory” damages for alleged false imprisonment. The claim has been remitted to the federal court.

Guardian Australia is aware of similar cases in the federal court seeking compensation, even though the government thought indefinite detention was lawful due to 2004’s Al-Kateb high court decision.

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Ankle bracelets and curfews

In addition to compensation for detention, DVU18 was also challenging the legality of the ankle bracelet and curfew conditions – but the conditions were lifted off him, resulting in him withdrawing this part of the claim.

Guardian Australia revealed in December that Giles was quietly removing the ankle bracelets and curfew conditions from people challenging them in court. This resulted in cases being withdrawn – five in total by February, according to home affairs officials in Senate estimates.

Legal practitioners believe the government is aggressively managing the caseload to delay a ruling striking down the visa conditions, or at least to pick its preferred plaintiff and legal team to face off against.

When questioned, Giles has said conditions are determined on the advice of the community protection board. On Wednesday officials revealed that 73 of the 152 people released as a result of NZYQ no longer need ankle bracelets – so it is not just those bringing legal challenges who are having them removed.

A stateless refugee born in Eritrea known as YBFZ is also challenging the ankle bracelets and curfews. The case is going ahead with negotiations to agree facts.

In December and January YBFZ was charged with offences related to failing to observe curfew and charge his ankle monitor but these have been dropped.

Invalid bridging visas

In March the Albanese government admitted that the bridging visas granted to those released from detention after NZYQ were invalid due to a technicality. Some 10 people had already been charged with breaching visa conditions and these charges were dropped.

Guardian Australia understands that the Human Rights Law Centre believes that a case for compensation for imposition of unlawful visa conditions before the technicality was corrected is “readily available” if and when former detainees want to bring a case.

A class action is being considered and is anticipated by the government, although it is unlikely to be launched until after the high court rules on validity of ankle bracelets and curfews generally.

Hannah Dickinson, principal solicitor at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said it is “appropriate that people have redress for the unlawful imposition of invasive” conditions.

Aggregate sentences bill

In December 2022 the commonwealth lost the Pearson case in the full federal court. The court ruled aggregate sentences do not trigger automatic visa cancellation, prompting the release of more than 100 people who had previously served aggregate sentences of 12 months or more in prison.

Labor and the Coalition teamed up to pass laws retrospectively authorising the cancellation of visas of people who had been released.

The legality of these laws has been upheld twice in the case of JZQQ , a man who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for offences of intentionally causing injury and threats to kill; and Kingston Tapiki , a New Zealander sentenced to an aggregate term of 12 months’ imprisonment for offences of affray and assault.

Both are now appealing to the high court, which has agreed to hear the cases.

• Australian immigration and asylum
• Australian politics
• Andrew Giles
• Law (Australia)

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