Divided United States of America

When the issue of immigration comes up, I have very conflicting feelings. My parents are immigrants from the Philippines. They came here legally. My mother came here to be a chemist (though she started out VERY low on the totem pole) while my father proudly served 20 years in the U.S. Navy (again, low on the totem pole). My aunt has now been a legal citizen of the U.S. for over 10 years. She came here and petitioned for her family to join her. After over a decade, they will be here within the next year. Hopefully. She works hard (at a job where I would say most Americans would not consider) to send a majority of her paycheck back to the Philippines to support her family. She’s doing things the “right” way. I can’t help but feel so much compassion (and admiration) for all the sacrifices she has made to do things the “right” way. It’s certainly not the easy road and one that might be less traveled. It’s practically heartbreaking, but she’s trying to do the right thing.

However, not everyone’s story is like my parents or my aunt’s.We have illegal immigrants who come into this country, utilize our resources, and yet do not contribute to our government like regular citizens. BUT they will work the jobs that no one else wants to. We have to admit, it is their backs and shoulders that we stand on. I don’t think our economy (agriculture, building, etc.) could really thrive without them. In fact, that was the case when Arizona’s economy started booming in the past decade. There was a construction and farming boom that needed cheap labor. So illegal immigrants were good enough to come and do the dirty sweaty work. But now that times are tough, we really need to get rid of them? Is it me or is there something wrong with this picture?

It seems like I am not the only one with opposing views. Recent polls conducted by USA Today/Gallup and New York Times/CBS paint a similar picture. Here are some highlights.

USA Today/Gallup

• 68% say it is extremely important or very important to halt the flow of illegal immigrants into the country.
• 74% are somewhat or very concerned that tougher immigration laws would lead to harassment of Hispanics
• 80% of all respondents are very or somewhat concerned that allowing illegal immigrants to stay in the USA might encourage others to move here illegally.
• 77% are concerned that stricter laws would mean illegal immigrants and their families who have lived productively in the USA for years would be forced to leave.

New York Times/CBS

• 51% said the Arizona law was “about right” in its approach to the problem
• 36% said it went too far
• 9% said it did not go far enough

A major argument in favor of the newly passed Arizona law, which allows law enforcement to request proof of immigration upon suspicious behavior, is that it will combat the brutal crimes that illegal immigrants from Mexico are bringing into the state. However, according to the LA Times, the decrease of crime in Arizona has plummeted 45% since 1995, compared with the 30% nationwide average. Also, both sides of the debate, agree that immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans. A large portion of illegal immigrants are seeking a quiet life and fleeing the violence in Mexico. But on the other hand 10% of Pheonix’s arrests are illegal immigrants with its county jail housing illegal immigrants that number as high as 20%. Fifteen percent is the state average for illegal immigrant inmates. So it is evident that they are taking a toll on funding and taxpayers wallets without contributing themselves.

I’m not in favor of illegal immigration because I know the sacrifices of those who came here legally. However, I don’t think Arizona’s law is the right way to combat this issue. I do believe it will lead to racial profiling. I’ve been a victim of both racism and sexism and this law reeks of an open door that will allow those types of discrimination. This is an issue that is here to stay. We do have illegal immigration and we have to find effective ways to address it.