Legalize Immigration

1198 Words5 Pages
The United States has had a proud history of accepting all people with the desire to better themselves and fulfill the American Dream. The most often used argument against illegal immigration is that it is detrimental to the overall economic feasibility of the United States. Although many illegal immigrants pay taxes and improve local economies, it is much better in the long term for US immigrants to be of legal status, as this would eliminate many problems currently faced by them. For example, if the current system legalized all immigrants, it may be even better for the economy as well as for their human rights, because there would be no more black-market smuggling economy. This move would also allow, “immigrants to have higher productivity…show more content…
First of all, illegal immigrants may or may not choose to file personal taxes, but they certainly pay sales taxes. These taxes increase the overall economic situation of many local communities. The smaller the community, the more positive effect an influx of illegal immigrants is going to have on the economy, as they spend money and therefore spend sales tax. They also stimulate the economy by providing stimulation of the workforce. However, illegal immigrants are subject to institutional and societal prejudice for several reasons. First of all, they are perceived as taking jobs from citizens, as well as making use of educational and health services for which many people and the media accuse them of not paying taxes (although, as mentioned, they do). Davidson asserts that, “Illegal immigrants use very little in the way of public programs and contribute to economic microcosms through sales taxes received by local municipalities. If we were to legalize all workers, we could then pull from their income taxes as well. Problem solved.”(Davidson). Legalizing all immigrants would only serve to increase the amount of tax revenue…show more content…
They are also subject to more inhumane treatment in their working conditions, as mentioned, having little access to any form of regress, and no health insurance. In some cases, however, the line is crossed and illegal immigrants are actually abused in inhumane ways on the job. “In some particularly egregious cases of violence and abuse, farmworkers have been held under armed guard, beaten and pistol-whipped, and even shot by labor camp bosses. One camp boss in Southwest Florida received a three-year federal prison sentence in 1997 for holding some thirty men and women in captivity in an isolated labor camp” (Ramey). Although in this case, the camp boss was punished, in other cases, the perpetrators of injustice go
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