Immigration United States

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Immigration and the United States Natashia Yeates English 102 Immigration into the United States carries a myriad of benefits and possibilities for those willing to spend the time, money, and effort to do so legally. Immigration is not an easy task, but one that can be accomplished given the will. Legal immigration may be a time-consuming process wrought with emotional and financial strain. However, the benefits of legal immigration far outweigh the risks of illegally immigrating into the U.S. These risks can be serious with unimaginable consequences. While many aspects of both forms of immigration are constantly changing, the ideas and the cost/benefit analysis remains the same between legal, and illegal immigration. These are evolving…show more content…
Long before the term “American immigrant” was inducted into the English vocabulary, the forefathers of America built this country on the idea of freedom from the restrictions of their countries of origin. They built this country on the idea that any one individual could obtain any goal set before them. This is a nation built by immigrants, for immigrants, long before legality came into play. While initial immigration came with relatively low numbers, the possibilities and freedoms offered with immigration into the U.S. changed those numbers quickly. The rapid growth began in the 1820s. “… through the 1880s, about 15 million immigrants made their way to the United States, many choosing agriculture in the Midwest and Northeast, while others flocked to cities like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore. “ (Diner, Hasia, 02/13/08, Immigration and US History, www.america.gov ) This was the beginning of legal immigration on the road to what it is…show more content…
With the current visa regulations and requirements, immigrating may seem daunting. There are fees, waiting periods, interviews, screening processes. All of which may turn individuals away from the idea of legal immigration. As an example, there is the popular “K-1” visa. This is the engagement to marriage visa. It is widely believed that marriage to an American citizen will automatically grant one a legal status in the United States. However, this is not the case. Unfortunately, many immigrants discover this fact far too late. Even the act of marriage between a U.S. Citizen and a foreign national is regulated by the government as an act of immigration. A fact that many immigrants have protested for decades,
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