Alexander Nguyen

Nguyen 1

Mrs. McDonald

English II

March 7, 2011

Legal Twilight

The famous poet Emma Lazarus of the 19th century once

wrote on the great Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your

poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/Send these, the

homeless, tempest-tossed to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden

door!” In recent times, the media has portrayed illegal immigration

in a negative view claiming that illegal immigrants harm the

United States’ economy. However, many people believe that illegal

immigration does not threaten the United States’ economy, but

actually helps it by raising its overall productivity. The poem above

describes a utopian America where people of all ethnicity and

creeds are welcomed. In face, the concept of illegal immigration

was not condemned back then, and most everybody was welcomed

with open arms; unfortunately, the political atmosphere has

changed drastically in the first decade of the 21st century. Illegal

immigration is a taboo subject in American media nowadays, with

pictures of desperate Hispanics climbing over the fences despite

being deported by the border guards. Deportations and drug seizure

across the Mexico-United States border increased since 2002

(Birds on Patrol). However, the United States is made up millions

of immigrants from all continents, both legal and illegal, and the

United States’ history clearly shows that it is a nation of

immigrants and that the United States situation with immigration

of Mexicans is almost identical to the Great Irish Famine spanning

between 1845 and 1852 at the time many Irish were strong, yet the

line between the truth about illegal

Nguyen immigration is blurry, and has fallen into the corrupted

hands of politics, but not into technical statistics that provide

realistic information.

In the past, the North American continent was the political

asylum for Europeans to escape from religious and tyrannical

prosecution. For example, from1870-1900, the United States

promised good wages for the average person who was willing to

take the risk of getting to America. Around the globe, people of

different cultures, races, and religious beliefs were welcomed to

America without any border restrictions. For example, in the

1850s, when China’s own population increased so rapidly that it

caused that country to go through mass famine and

unemployment (Appleby 496), some of the Chinese came over to

the United States for a temporary stay until the turmoil in their

country was subdued. Also, the Californian gold rush in 1848 and

the building of the cross-country railroad attracted many

Chinese immigrants to the United States. Also, around that time, in

the 1850s, the Taiping Rebellion took place with a death total

surmounting millions gave these people more of an incentive to

move to the United States. Being 95 percent male, Chinese

immigrants opted to provide labor and work for lower wages

compared to the average minimum wage offered to U.S. citizens.

Because of their different customs, the newcomers were plagued

by prejudice when Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act; a

law that jeopardized the Chinese’s attempt to gaining citizenship

(McPherson 468). Finally, in 1992, the Chinese Exclusion Act

was repealed due to the fact that China had joined the Allies

during World War II. The reasoning behind the act was to smooth
relations between the two countries, and by the 1980s immigrants

from China began to diversify the culture of the U.S. by creating

famous, iconic oriental areas now dubbed ‘Chinatowns’ (Chinese

Immigration to the U.S.). In a

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recent study conducted in 2002, 286,000 Chinese-owned firms are

located in the U.S. which employ at least 649,100 workers, and

totals to $105 billion in gross income. (Chinese Immigration to the

U.S.) This statistic shows that if given the opportunity, immigrants

can do well.

There are an estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants

currently residing in the United States today (Aversa). Immigration

has changed the economy for the better cause, according to some

statistics. For an example, in California, the immigrants’ labor

versus native labor is equal except immigrants’ wages are much

lower than native pay. In fact, the average illegal immigrants wage

is decreasing each year (McCarthy 30). California’s immigrants

generically have lower wages then any native group in the United
States (McCarthy 30). Not only that, but employers usually opt a

native worker over an immigrant due to their strong work ethic

(McCarthy 32). Despite an increasing demand of labor, California,

overall, has boosted its productivity advantage. California’s

employers have controlled their labor, which gives California’s

economy a country-wide edge while maintaining a productivity

advantage (McCarthy 32). Wages would have to rise tremendously

if all illegal workers were deported tomorrow and American

workers take their place (Aversa). Another story in New York

showed that the immigrant population on Long Island has played a

big role in the region’s economy. More than half of the immigrant

work-force plays an increasingly important role in the Long island

economy.

In addition to boosting the economy, children of immigrants

also contribute largely to the advancement of American society.

However, Congress recently rejected the “Dream Act” which

would have provided amnesty for the estimated 1.2 million

students who are illegal immigrants (Preston). Education is

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the key to our success; without it the nation cannot prevail.

President Obama

supports illegal immigrant students’ cause to better themselves as

human beings and work towards improving the economy, yet

everyday many lawmakers have

sworn alliance to weed out all illegal immigrant students (Preston).

Why shouldn’t illegal immigrants get a shot at redemption?

The United States offers a plethora of opportunities for those who

are willing to grasp them. For an example, Guillermo Bill Vidal,

mayor of Denver and a native of Cuba, was Denver’s first foreign-

born mayor elected. Vidal has had his fair share in life, buying

second hand clothing and often having barely enough to afford a

decent meal, but he graduated from the University of Colorado

majoring in civil engineering (Moreno). Mr. Vidal shows not only

his proficiency towards bettering his own life, but he also seeks to

help others. Another example is Erick De Leon, an undefeated

boxer for his weight classification in the United States. Wanting to

go to the 2012 Olympics to prove his ability to fight, Erick De

Leon faces trouble outside the ring. He has been in the U.S. since

he was seven, but he is haunted by his status of illegal immigrant

(Gregor). Non-citizens aren’t qualified to represent the United

State and compete nationally. De Leon now faces trouble applying

for citizenship and must be a citizen by the end of 2011 to have a

shot at the 2012 Olympics (Gregor). A renowned fighter, he claims

the Police Athletic League Championship in the 132-pound class,

and the national Golden Gloves titles in 2009 and 2010. In fact, he

is more than qualified for the Olympics. Last but not least is the

story of Van Tran, who recently moved from Vietnam, and was

given a scholarship to Harvard. (Richardson). “I didn’t have much

expectation, much ambition, to be painfully honest,” quoted Tran,

“I simply try my best to do any

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task given to me.” (Richardson). His passion for work gives him an
edge over most people; like other illegal immigrants, he has given

back to the country by proving himself to becoming successful and

can boast that he is part of the alumni. He has now achieved both

his long life goals: getting an education and majoring in Sociology,

and has a profitable job as a vice president of the hardware store he

worked in (Richardson). Overall, all immigrants, either legal or

illegal, can truly shine if given the opportunity. However, each

single human being is different than another.

In essence, the battle against immigration is a battle of

morals. Is the mass population of the United States comfortable

with the changes brought on each day, or does it face troubles

against changes brought on day by day? If, of course, illegal

immigrations are left unchecked, the problems will multiply. Yes,

the United States as a whole should be deporting illegal

immigrants with unclean legal slates, but the United States needs

to take in consideration and make an exception towards the cause

of bettering human society. Furthermore, on a world-wide scale,

China is moving up the economic ladder overcoming our once

powerful productivity. Consequently, the United States, as a whole,

needs to raise the bar and step up in the race for global

productivity; the whole immigration problem is another test of

whether America is the economical powerhouse. Illegal

immigration is a very real problem. How it is to be solved is

another very complicated problem.

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Works Cited

Appleby, Joyce, Brinkley, Alan, Broussard, Albert, Mcpherson

James, and Ritenie, Donald. The American Vision.

Colombus: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005.

Aversa, Jeemine. Experts: Illegal immigrants help economy.

Business Week,

Washington: April 4, 2006. Ferbruary 12, 2011.

<http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D

86PEU965>

Doward, Jamie. Immigrants’ contribution to entrepreneurialism

revealed. The Observer, London: June 13, 2010.

February 12, 2011.

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/13/immigration-

entreprenuerialism>

Gregor, Alison. Floating on the Edge of a Dream. The New York

 Times, New York: October 10, 2010. February 12, 2011.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/sports/11boxer.html?

ref=illegal

immigration>

GoldenVenture LLC. Chinese Immigration to the U.S. Tuesday,

March 6, 2011.

<http://www.goldenventuremovie.com/Chinese_Immigration.html>

Lazarus, Emma. The New Colossus. February 27, 2011.

<http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.html>

McCarthy, Kevin, and Geroges Vernes, Immigration In A Changing

Economy.

Santa Monica : RAND, 1998.

Moreno, Ivan. Cuban ‘Peter Pan’ immigration now Denver

mayor. The Miami Herald, Miami: February 11,

2010. February 12, 2011.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/11/u-

print/2061360/>

Preston, Julia. After a False Dawn Anxiety for Illegal Immigration

Students. The

New York Times. New York: February 8. 2011. February

12, 2011

<www.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/us/09immigration.html?

xp=18sq=AfterafalseDawn&st=cse>