With the 2016 presidential election quickly approaching, there are many issues that candidates are addressing: healthcare reform, social security, the minimum wage, etc. However, there is one issue that particularly stands out to me, as well as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump- immigration.
The topic became a major news headline when Donald Trump proposed we deport all illegal aliens living in the United States, have them re-enter legally, and build a wall between the United States and Mexican border. If that sounds crazy, it's because it is. Forcing out millions of undocumented immigrants would be like re-living the Trail of Tears when the Jackson administration forced millions of Native Americans to relocate.
It is unconstitutional, to say the least; Trump's proposed legislation, if it were to go through, would be violating basic human rights. With so much negativity placed on immigration, I am here to shed a more positive light on immigration and why we need it.
1. The United States was founded on immigration!
Before the American Revolution, hundreds of thousands of the English emigrated to the then unknown United States in order to create a better life for themselves and to escape oppression. Once the United States was recognized as a sovereign country, we became known as "The Melting Pot", a place where poor and underprivileged immigrants could migrate to in order to achieve a better-living-standard, and to chase after "The American Dream". While immigration laws may need reform, if we were to follow Trump's proposed legislation, we would be going against everything the United States stands for!
2. Immigration promotes a profitable economy.
More immigrants mean a bigger need for an increase in jobs, which would lower inflation, and strengthen the economy. Immigrants bring assets to this country that may not be readily available here.
3. Immigration promotes tourism.
When individuals immigrate to the United States, that obviously means that their families and friends will be coming to visit! That means more money in the pockets of the tourism industry.
