Critical Thinking Paper: Integration of Immigrants

Maddy Merrill
CAP 9
April 23, 2016
Red Group

Immigration has been a prevalent issue throughout the history of the United States and
the world. Immigrants continue to enter our country every day, dispersing themselves throughout
the 50 states. Many immigrants have settled in the state of Maryland, including Montgomery
County. Some in the community object to the influx of newcomers to our country; both here
legally and illegally. Critics claim that too many immigrants are hurting Marylands
communities, taking jobs from locals and burdening the society. In many ways, however,
immigration helps our community grow and prosper. The state of Maryland should work to
welcome and integrate immigrants because it benefits the economy, diversifies the state and
improves the United States relations with other nations.
The issue of immigration has deep roots in our country. Going back to the 18th century, when
people first began arriving in America, there was a trend of discrimination against new settlers by
people who considered themselves to be natives. This form of discrimination is still a factor
today, despite past attempts to help immigrants find a home in our communities. The
Immigration Act of 1990 didnt address discrimination directly, but did help more immigrants
enter the country. This act increased immigration quotas and revised all grounds for exclusion
and deportation, authorized temporary protected status to aliens of designated countries, revised
and established new nonimmigrant admission categories, revised and extended the Visa Waiver
Pilot Program, and revised naturalization authority and requirements (Immigration Act of
1990). The Immigration Act of 1990 was a step in the right direction, but failed to find a way to
help them assimilate into the community or persuade states to provide social services and safety
nets.
Another proposal that has helped immigrant minors adjust and find success in Maryland
is the DREAM Act. This act has not been passed nationally, but Maryland's Development, Relief

and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was approved by voters in 2012. The concepts of
the DREAM Act were first introduced in the Student Adjustment Act of 2001, and allows
undocumented high-school graduates to gain a conditional lawful permanent resident status as
long as the student works, joins the military or goes to school (The DREAM Act). If this act
were to be passed nationally it would be one of the most significant ways the United States has
tried to help immigrant minors adjust to life. By granting these adolescents and young adults
visas in exchange for work or schooling, the DREAM Act helps people get an education, access
social services and learn the language without fear of being deported. This act doesnt solve all
the problems around immigrant assimilation in our communities, and it is limited in its reach
based on age. Convincing Maryland citizens of the importance of integration strategies is still a
challenge to be met. Theres a long way to go until this act or something similar is passed
nationally, as it has failed to gain passage in the United States Congress (The DREAM Act).
In the United States, helping immigrants integrate into communities is a big topic. The
common misconception is that only immigrants themselves are impacted by a failure to
assimilate. Yes, they are the group the most directly affected but in reality, the whole community,
state, and eventually country, can be hurt when immigrants are not welcomed into our societies.
About 14 percent, or 852,000, of the approximately six million people in Maryland are foreignborn (Maryland). Currently, Marylands graduation rate is at a historic high, with students
from nearly every background and minority group earning high school diplomas, but according
to an article in The Baltimore Sun, recent immigrants are falling behind (Bowie). The
graduation rate for students learning English as a second language has dropped from 54 percent
in 2014 to 49.3 percent last spring, state statistics show (Bowie). The article quotes a high
school principal saying that for many students, It is just a drastic shock, adapting to our culture

and way of life and then trying to learn English (Bowie). If immigrants are given access to high
quality education they can learn English faster and establish themselves with support, which can
ultimately lead to getting a good job, contributing economically and creating new relationships
with people around them. This problem may not seem pressing, but with a large population of
immigrants living in the Maryland community, helping them fit in could lead to improved
graduation rates and a stronger economy.
One way to strengthen the workforce and thus the economy would be to create a liaison
between the business and immigrant communities who would match immigrants and their skills
to open positions around the state. According to the American Immigration Council, Immigrants
comprised 18.2% of the [Maryland] workforce in 2013 and with more employed immigrants
our economy grows. These workers pay taxes which help to shore up our government services.
Immigrant households paid 18% (or $4.0 billion) of all taxes collected in Maryland in 2000,
according to a study by the Urban Institute (New Americans in Maryland). Think of all the
schools that could be built, the jobs that could be created and the roads that could be paved, with
$4 billion. In a community, there will always be lower income, less prestigious jobs that are
viewed as undesirable by some. But someone has to step up and take on these crucial positions,
that help our community run smoothly. These jobs are often filled by incoming immigrants who
are willing to work longer hours for lower pay, though its important that workers be paid a
living wage. When companies fill these positions, they are getting work that needs to be
accomplished at a minimal cost, a ratio that is a formula for economic growth. In conclusion,
immigration helps the economy by creating additional tax revenue, expansion of the low-cost
labor pool, and [allowing] increased money [to be] in circulation (Is Cultural Diversity a Great
Strength).

Immigration in Maryland also helps to diversify the state. Having a wide range of individuals
all living in the same area allows citizens to become more tolerant and open towards other ways
of thinking and other races. To do so community organizations should create programs that unite
the population in working to better the local area. In schools, districts should increase funding for
English as a Second Language programs. Effective student communication allows students to
work with all types of people and not just students similar to themselves, an important skill to
have when training for a diversified workplace. According to Eileen Kugler, an advocate for
diverse schools in the Washington, D.C. area, diverse schools offer the perfect environment for
teaching tolerance and respect. Students learn that their perceptions may not be the only reality
When students eyes are opened to new worlds, they open their minds to new approaches, new
ways of thinking. In fields of study that require new ideas and innovation, diversity is another
key to success. How do we come up with ideas? Do they just pop into our heads or are they
somehow formulated way back in the farthest corners of our minds? Many ideas are inspired by
experiences, so it may be challenging for a group with the same upbringing and culture to create
ground-breaking ideas. On the other hand, a group made up of heterogeneous individuals who all
bring different information, opinions and perspectives may have more success formulating
original concepts (Phillips). The world is a place filled with unique people and having a diverse
community in the state of Maryland will help create a more culturally aware population, inspire
new ideas, and help the next generation understand the importance of tolerance.
Increased integration will not only encourage tolerance, but will also improve foreign
relations, including preventing terrorist attacks and bolstering national security. The United
States should build bridges between cultures to promote understanding and prevent violence. As
our society becomes more diverse and U.S. citizens form bonds with immigrants as neighbors,

classmates and coworkers, we learn about each other's cultures and views. According to Paul
DeLespinasse, a professor of political science at Adrian College, having a good mix of people
born in all parts of the world, of all religious faiths and cultures, living in the United States can
be an excellent defense against terrorist attacks. Terrorist groups may be less inclined to attack
countries that are housing people of their own beliefs and nationalities. Immigration can also
help to improve national security. An example of this comes from World War II when a German
scientist, Albert Einstein, immigrated to the United States. Einstein played a key role by warning
the United States that a new kind of bomb, unlike any before, could be created. This atomic
bomb, developed in the United States, was a significant factor in ending the fight against Japan
and saving countless American lives. Today immigrants can bring new information and tactics to
help protect the U.S. and provide a security blanket when it comes to terrorist attacks.
Without a strategy to give immigrants the means to achieve and help them become integral
parts of the community while not facing discrimination, the community will face serious
repercussions. First, excluding immigrants from our communities can lead to increased poverty.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, 10.8 percent of people born and residing in
America live in poverty, while 18.2 percent of all immigrants and their U.S. born children live in
poverty. This higher poverty rate among immigrants starts with education. Without being
integrated properly into our communities it can be hard to receive a good education and succeed
throughout schooling. Later, this leads to trouble finding employment and low incomes. A failure
to address this issue may result in crime, racial tension and health-related concerns. Immigrants
may become frustrated with the difficulties they face in schools and the workforce. Finding jobs,
supporting their families and adapting to a new culture is by no means easy. Although studies
have shown no direct connection between immigrants and crime, there is a link between poverty

and crime ("Household Poverty and Nonfatal Violent Victimization). One of the last, but biggest
repercussions of this issue is the creation of negative racial stereotypes. Without diverse
communities and interactions between different races, tolerance will diminish and people will be
less accepting of other cultures. If we dont start to integrate immigrants there will be many costs
that will hurt us locally and nationally.
The United States of America is a country that was built on immigration and today we need to
continue to help our new immigrants adjust to our culture. Doing so, in individual states such as
Maryland, would have huge benefits, including economic growth, increased tolerance of cultures
and improved national security along with foreign relations. Today, immigrants are having
trouble integrating into our societies, falling behind in schools and facing discrimination. The
DREAM Act and the Immigration Act of 1990 have attempted to address this. Although these
pieces of legislation helped to minimize the issue it has yet to be fully solved. Some steps to help
immigrants find a foothold in the community include increased ESOL language program funds,
better links for immigrants with businesses and shared local projects. If this issue is left
unattended the repercussions could include crime, poverty, racial discrimination and stereotypes,
hurting the United States. The state of Maryland should work to welcome and integrate
immigrants into our community because it benefits the economy, diversifies the state and
improves the United States relations with other nations.

Works Cited

Benefits of Diverse Communities. ARicherLife.org. National Fair Housing Alliance, Web. 15

Feb. 2016. <http://aricherlife.org/benefits.html>.
Bowie, Liz. Maryland Sees Four-Year Increase in Graduation Rate. The Baltimore Sun. Web.
20 Mar. 2016. <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/md-graduationrate-increase>.
DeLespinasse, Paul. Does Illegal Immigration Pose a Threat to the United States? ProCon.org.
Web. 2 Mar. 2016. <http://immigration.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID>.
The DREAM Act. American Immigration Council. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/dream-act>.
Household Poverty and Nonfatal Violent Victimization, 20082012. Bureau of Justice
Statistics. Office of Justice Programs, Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdeta>.
Immigration Act of 1990. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Homeland Security,
Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <https://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary/immigration-act-1990>.
Is Cultural Diversity a Great Strength? Debate.org. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
<http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-cultural-diversity-a-great-strength>.
Maryland. Quick Facts. United States Census Bureau, Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/24>.
New Americans in Maryland. American Immigration Council. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/new-americans-maryland>.
Phillips, Katherine W. How Diversity Makes Us Smarter. Scientific American. Web. 17 Mar.
2016. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter>
Annotated Bibliography

Benefits of Diverse Communities. ARicherLife.org. National Fair Housing Alliance, Web. 15

Feb. 2016. <http://aricherlife.org/benefits.html>.
This web page was one of the most beneficial and informative sources that I have come across so
far in my research. It showed multiple opinions on the benefits of having diverse communities,
from schools to the economy to access to jobs. It also provided detailed information for each
benefit and used quotes to support the argument.
Bowie, Liz. Maryland Sees Four-Year Increase in Graduation Rate. The Baltimore Sun. Web.
20 Mar. 2016. <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/md-graduationrate-increase>.
I think that this article, written for the Baltimore Sun was very helpful to me. I had been
researching for a while on the Maryland high school graduation rate and I wanted to find the
percentage of immigrants that make up this rate. I was having some trouble finding these
statistics but this article finally helped me see that immigrants are making up a very low
percentage of this rate. Although the article is not fully focused on immigrants it still put the
situation in perspective for me and was great for my paper.
DeLespinasse, Paul. Does Illegal Immigration Pose a Threat to the United States? ProCon.org.
Web. 2 Mar. 2016. <http://immigration.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID>.
This source was helpful because it showed both a way that immigration could provoke terrorism
towards the United States but also refuted this claim, giving me multiple perspectives on the
topic. Also it provided me with opinions from many different well established people, along with
their reasoning.

Does Immigration Provide Overall Economic Gains to the Country? Debate.org. Web. 15 Feb.
2016. <http://www.debate.org/opinions/does-immigration-provide-overall-economicgains-to-the-country>.
I used Debate.org to learn about the ways refugees and immigrants in general help the economy.
This site was very helpful because it gives multiple informed and supported perspectives on
controversial topics such as immigration. It was interesting to read different arguments and see
what people agree and disagree on. Specifically, this source taught me about how immigrants
bring in new skills to communities and perform tasks that are important but no one wants to do.
The DREAM Act. American Immigration Council. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/dream-act>.
From this website I learned even more about what the DREAM Act would do if its legislation
was passed. I had already done some research on another site about this act, but the American
Immigration Council page about it was even more helpful. It gave precise descriptions of what
the act would do, who would benefit from it and what its economic benefits would be. It also
gave statistics on how many people the DREAM Act would help, which really put things into
perspective for me. Overall this site was extremely beneficial for furthering my knowledge about
the DREAM Act.
Franzblau, Kenneth J. Immigrations Impact on U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy. 1997.
Print.
This 48 page long research paper was dense with information and viewpoints. I only read the
beginning few pages but what I found was extremely useful information. Franzblau talks about
the ways that National Security is impacted by immigration and always makes sure to go into

both sides. He also includes information about how foreign policy is impacted by immigration
which was just what I was trying to find out.
Having More Low-Skilled Immigrants Would Help the U.S. Economy. PEW Research Center.
Web. 15 Feb. 2016. <http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/12/19/on-immigration-policydeportation-relief-seen-as-more-important-than-citizenship/ph-2013-12-immigration-0403/>.
I used Pew Research center where I looked at polls about immigrants and the economy which
showed me useful and precise statistics. Just like Debate.org, Pew gave me multiple perspectives
showing all sides of how immigrants and refugees impact the economy. This source did not
provide me with as much information as an article would, but it did provide me with a visual for
the poll and some interesting facts.
Household Poverty and Nonfatal Violent Victimization, 20082012. Bureau of Justice
Statistics. Office of Justice Programs, Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5137>.
This website was very helpful because it provided statistics about the link between poverty and
crime and showed what races are usually involved. This source was credible (was created by the
Office of Justice Programs) and helped to further my understanding on the effects of poverty in
our communities.
Immigration Act of 1990. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Homeland Security,
Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <https://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary/immigration-act-1990>.
This website was helpful because it gave me a general overview of what the 1990 Immigration
Act does. Also I knew this site was credible because its created by the Department of Homeland
Security.

Is Cultural Diversity a Great Strength? Debate.org. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.

<http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-cultural-diversit y-a-great-strength>.
This poll that I found on Debate.org was somewhat helpful. It did show me two points of view
but it didnt really provide me with any concrete evidence or useful ideas as to why diversity in
communities is a great strength. The most interesting thing that I learned from this poll was that
the majority of people believed that cultural diversity was not a great strength, which struck me
as surprising. Overall this source did not help me in my research that much.
Maryland. Quick Facts. United States Census Bureau, Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/24>.
I used this website to get some great statistics about the Maryland population. This website,
created by the United States Census Bureau, was very helpful because it showed me the
percentage of citizens in Maryland that are certain races, genders and of foreign origins. It also
showed statistics such as the median house income and the percentage of high school graduates.
Overall, this site was great because it helped me get reliable data to back up the claims that Im
making in my paper.
New Americans in Maryland. American Immigration Council. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/new-americans-maryland>.
This site was extremely helpful in furthering my knowledge on the positive effects that
immigrants have on the Maryland economy. It provided me with precise and helpful statistics,
from immigrant total tax revenue, to immigrant owned businesses. It was interesting to see the
actual amount of money that all immigrants in Maryland are contributing to the community, and
what a significant amount of money this is. This site was also credible and showed where it
received all the data displayed from.Phillips,

Overview of the Dream Act. Dream Act 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.dreamact2009.org/>.
I used this website to get some background knowledge on what the Dream Act is and what
effects it would have if put into place. I learned a lot from this site because before looking at it I
hadnt really had a great idea of what the act is. This website also showed a timeline of the
progress the Dream Act is making towards becoming a real act following it over the course of a
few years.
Phillips, Katherine W. How Diversity Makes Us Smarter. Scientific American. Web. 17 Mar.
2016. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter>.
I thought that this source was helpful in furthering my paper because it gave a claim, then went
on to refute this claim, and then came back to reasons why the claim is true. This article also
gave me a new idea as to why diversity in communities is important. It helped me realize that a
group cannot come up with new ideas if they have all had the same life experiences and
upbringings. It takes people from all over, working together, to come up with life changing and
ingenious ideas. The source also gave a scientific explanation as to how diversity provokes
thought which I found to be very interesting.
Poverty and Income. Center for Immigration Studies. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.cis.org/articles/2001/mexico/poverty.html>.
The article on poverty and income among immigrants on the Center for Immigration Studies was
very useful because it really illustrated this gap. The site showed how the poverty rate is much
higher for immigrants, especially of Mexican descent, compared to natives in the United States.
The only issue with this article is that it didnt explain why immigrants are oftentimes poorer

than natives, which is something that I was looking to find out. The site did provide me with
some good statistics but overall didnt answer my main questions.
Syrian Refugees Are Welcomed in Canada. Should the United States Be following This
Gesture? Debate.org. Web. 15 Feb. 2016. <http://www.debate.org/opinions/syrianrefugees-are-welcomed-in-canada-should-the-united-states-be-following-this-gesture>.
This debate gave me perspective on how the United States is in a way obligated to accept
immigrants and refugees. Although this specific poll talked about the Syrian refugee crisis, I was
able to learn the general sentiment of the American public. Many people believe that it is our
responsibility as a powerful nation to keep the peace, while others believe that terrorists could
easily enter with refugees and that the United States should focus on their own citizens.
What Are the Solutions to Illegal Immigration in America? ProCon.org. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
<http://immigration.procon.org/>.
ProCon.org is a cite that I found to be very helpful. It gives the reader both sides to every issue
which is beneficial if you wish to refute the other side of an argument. Also ProCon led me to
accurate statistics on my topic under their Did You Know? tab. This source corroborated with
an argument I found on Debate.org, talking about how immigrants and refugees usually take
positions that are important to the community but that most people dont want to do. The site
also talked about how more immigration means more consumers and money in circulation which
all my previous sources had also mentioned.