8350154 1

Immigrants and Refugees in the U.S.

“Over 40 million foreign-born representing 13% of the population resided in the United

States” (Dews). “13% of the U.S. population are foreigners“(Dews). A immigrant is a person

who comes to a country to take up permanent residence (merriam-webster.com). “A refugee is

one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or

persecution”(merriam-webster.com). A asylum seeker is a person who, from fear of persecution

for reasons of race, religion,social group, or political opinion, has crossed an international

frontier into a country in which he or she hopes to be granted refugee status (dictionary.com). “If

Donald Trump actually were to deport 3 million undocumented immigrants the U.S. will be

affected. 8% of construction will decline and 9% of agricultural production”(Ehrenfreund).

Although opponents claim foreigners are no good for America, the U.S. should lessen the

restrictions on foreigners coming to America because they do labor for less pay, they are

looking for a better future for their kids, and they make up a large part of the population

in the U.S.

Trying to deport unauthorized immigrants is not a good use of the nation’s resources.

Deporting immigrants would decline construction and agricultural production also hurting the

economy. ‘If all undocumented workers were immediately removed from the country, Edwards

and Ortega forecast a decline of 9 percent in agricultural production and declines of 8 percent in

construction, and leisure and hospitality over the long term’(Ehrenfreund).The work/production

would decline because many of the jobs that would be left behind by immigrant workers are jobs

that Americans are not willing to take.."When we think about unauthorized immigrants, we tend

to think about poor Mexican workers with low education in agriculture," Edwards said. In other

sectors, he added, "they're highly trained, highly paid professionals, so their removal has a pretty
 8350154 2

large effect”(Ehrenfreund). Deporting highly paid professionals because of their race would a

have a big effect being companies losing their more skilled workers.

Even though some Immigrants may be here illegally they still pay taxes just like

Americans do. “Edwards and Ortega estimate that undocumented workers are responsible for

about 3 percent of the U.S. economy overall”(Ehrenfreund)’’. “The 11 million-plus

undocumented immigrants living in the United States contribute an estimated $11.84 billion in

state and local taxes each year, according to a study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic

Policy’’.” This a clear example of why undocumented immigrants should not be deported they

make up for much of the taxes collected each year. “He calculates that undocumented

immigrants paid $13 billion into the retirement trust fund that year, and only got about $1 billion

in benefits”(Campbell). Undocumented immigrants pay so much into retirement trust funds to

only get a small percentage in benefits, The rest of the money going to the government or

Americans. As Figure 1 demonstrates, undocumented immigrants pay a higher percent of taxes

than the richest 1%. Undocumented immigrants pay 3.2% more taxes than the richest 1% this

meaning that immigrants who get payed less, pay more taxes than the richest 1% who get paid

more.
 8350154 3

Undocumented immigrants do not take jobs from Americans.”This means that

immigrants aren’t substitutes for American labor but, instead, free up American labor to do jobs

where it is more productive. That’s one reason economists don’t find that immigration depresses

the wages of the native-born”(Powell and Carden). Undocumented immigrants work the less

paying jobs leaving the more productive and higher-paying ones to Americans, therefore not

affecting American wages.”The fact that immigrants — and especially illegal immigrants — will

take those jobs is the very reason the wage levels will not rise enough to attract

American”.(Sowell). If undocumented immigrants were to be deported the jobs they would leave
 8350154 4

behind would not be high paying enough for Americans to get the job. Deporting undocumented

immigrants would be a bad idea considering they have give benefits to The U.S.

Immigrants not only come to America for work, but also for refuge. Refugees that come

to america are not terrorists. ‘’To become a refugee in the United States, you undergo a multi-

stage vetting process and only after receiving U.N. designation by trained officers in the field.

The U.S. can vet refugees prior to admission, which means we can weed out terrorists and those

most likely to become involved in terrorism, accepting only the most vulnerable’’(Bier).

Refugees aren’t necessarily terrorists they are picked out and selected, not everyone is approved

to be let into the U.S. The immigrants that are truly seeking refuge should be let in.”Since 1980,

the United States has invited in millions of refugees, including hundreds of thousands from the

Middle East. Not one has committed an act of terrorism in the United States”(Bier). For 27 years

not one single refugee has committed an act of terrorism, yet The U.S. finds them dangerous.

Refugees flee from their homeland because they fear terrorist groups or their

government.”Syrian refugees are not guerrilla fighters or terrorists. They are fleeing the

oppression of the Bashar al-Assad government or the brutality of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) or al-Qaeda.

The are the victims of America’s enemies”(Cole). Refugees have reasons to why they leave their

country, they leave so they can be safe and away from the terror in their homeland. “Ahmed

survived the disaster, but he can’t find a reason for his life any more. He lost eight members of

his family at sea, when on October 11, 2013 their boat sank shortly after it has left

Libya…”(Balogh). Refugees leave their country and lose family members in the process of

moving, if countries were to co-operate more their wouldn’t be these type of issues happening.

Refugees who leave their countries seek nothing but safety, refuge and better lives for

their families. ‘Hazam could no longer work, while his wife was pregnant with their fourth child.
 8350154 5

The airstrikes relentless and schools shuttered, he decided that it was far more treacherous to stay

in Syria than try and reach Europe”(Wells). Refugees make big decisions when migrating to

another country. For anybody keeping their family safe is a top priority. If The U.S. were to be in

the same situation, would they not do the same thing for their families. ‘For Hedye, her biggest

wish is to continue her studies in Germany so that one day she can become a dentist, a dream that

she didn’t feel she could realize back home. “I want to go to Germany for our future’’(Wells).

Kids are fleeing with their families to seek a better future. Kids want to accomplish goals that

they would not be able to in their country. Refugees should be allowed into other countries if all

they want is to get away from the bad in their homelands

Immigrants that come from around the world to America make America better. Many

ways immigrants help America be better.’’an undocumented alien can work at jobs the average

American will not be willing to take’’ (greengarageblog.org). Immigrants help fill in jobs that

Americans would not take being because of low wage, no-experience etc. “ Also they have to

open bank accounts and buy necessities like automobiles. The money and taxes they pay help the

U.S. economy”(greengarageblog.org). They help the economy by paying taxes which some

Americans do not.”This is why they are in favor of illegal immigration because these immigrants

bring in their culture and skills to the nation”(greengarageblog.org). Immigrants bring diversity

of religion and culture to America. Foods and spices that are from foreign countries are now in

America thanks to immigrants for establishing restaurants and businesses.

Refugees help America with the help they are given.”Working and learning English were

the key to refugee self-sufficiency – it can work for Syrians to ….Allow the refugees to come

here and work, immediately and without complicating regulations, to support themselves and

their families”(Nowrasteh). Helping refugees learn English will give them opportunities to help
 8350154 6

with filling up jobs and creating new jobs for others.”By fitting into our labor market,

complementing existing American workers, and not consuming welfare benefits, Syrian refugees

will help the economy grow”(Nowrasteh). Refugees don't necessarily need to take from our

economy they can help by working and not having to take welfare benefits.

The U.S are hurting undocumented immigrants and refugees when they could be helping

The U.S.”Our immigration restrictions are making a humanitarian catastrophe even worse by

preventing them from saving their own lives. Let’s get out of the way and let them do that while

empowering those among us to voluntarily lend a helping hand”(Nowresteh). The U.S. Is hurting

the very people that could be helping the U.S economy.”While paying someone with ties and a

history in the community, not only will their tax dollars go the U.S. government and be returned

to the economy through public assistance programs or government contracts, but their earnings

will go toward local businesses and help them thrive as well. This is the foundation of a

successful economy”(Hirby). There is no justification as to why The U.S. would deport

undocumented immigrants. When the immigrants they are deporting are the ones that are helping

their economy grow substantially. These are the reasons as to why The United States of America

would be better with immigrants and refugees.

Other sources, however, argue that illegal immigrants bring violence to the U.S. “Of the

61,529 criminal cases initiated by federal prosecutors in 2013, more than 40 percent were filed in

court districts neighboring the border. Nearly 22 percent were drug-related, 19.7 percent were

violent crimes, and 10.2 percent involved white-collar offenses”(Meyers). According to this

source illegal immigrants bring crime to the U.S. they point out percentages of crimes related to

immigrants. What this argument overlooks is “Remittances grew faster than the U.S. economy as
 8350154 7

a whole, with Mexicans alone accounting for some $23.6 billion in money sent back to family

last year”(Rogers). Immigrants come to the U.S. to provide for their families back in their home

country. Some immigrants may commit crimes but that should not account for everyone else that

comes to work.

Opponents also argue refugees should also not be allowed into the U.S. “We have also

learned that one of the terrorists responsible for this grotesque attack may have left Syria posing

as a migrant and was able to gain safe entry to France, Belgium and perhaps other central

European countries” (Carson). A terrorist was able to enter other countries with a fake Syrian

passport. What this argument fails to consider is “He did not receive refugee designation from

the United Nations or vetting from intelligence agencies. He was never approved for refugee

status in any country” (Bier). He was not approved as a refugee but was seen as migrant

following the flow of the others.

Further, opponents claim that illegal immigrants should not be granted citizenship. “I do

not support a special pathway to citizenship that rewards those who have broken our immigration

laws” (Goodlatte). This means illegal immigrants should not be allowed to get a citizenship

because they broke immigration laws. This view seems convincing at first, but if immigrants

were to get immigrants a bit faster there would be no need for the to come in illegally.

Deporting immigrants, let alone letting them not enter the U.S is worst ida the U.S. has

made. Immigrants who come to America are seen as terrorists, criminals and many other ways.

When in reality they should be seen as hard works and asylum seekers. Their intentions are good

not bad. As previously stated immigrants come to America to work, seek shelter, and find a

better future. They make America great. Immigrants from all around the world should be
 8350154 8

welcomed into the U.S. they should be given the help they need. If Americans were in their

situation would it be any different?

‘Works Cited’

"Ben Carson: The U.S. Must Not Accept Any Syrian Refugees." Time. Time, n.d. Web. 06 Apr.

2017.

Bier, David J. "6 Reasons to Welcome Refugees after Paris | David J. Bier." FEE. Foundation

for Economic Education, 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Campbell, Alexia Fernández. "The Truth About Undocumented Immigrants and Taxes." The

Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 12 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

 8350154 9

D'Amore, Joe. "The Benefits Of Accepting Syrian Refugees." BORGEN. N.p., 15 June 2016.

Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Dews, Fred. "What Percentage of U.S. Population Is Foreign Born? | Brookings Institution."

Brookings. Brookings, 29 July 2016. Web. 09 Mar. 2017.

Ehrenfreund, Max. "Studies: Trump's Deportation Plan Would Hurt Economy." Washington Post

2016 15 nov: A.11. Web. 5 Apr. 2017.

Greengarageblogadmin. "10 Critical Pros and Cons of Illegal Immigration." Green Garage. N.p.,

26 Aug. 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Hirby, J. "How Does Illegal Immigration Hurt The Economy?" The Law Dictionary. N.p., n.d.

Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

"Immigration and Storytelling: The Truth about Undocumented Workers." The Orotund

Opinion. N.p., 28 Aug. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

"Immigrants Do Jobs Natives Won’t Do." Open Borders: The Case. N.p., 30 Nov. 2014. Web.

05 Apr. 2017.

Juan Cole / Informed Comment. "10 Reasons Refusing Syrian Refugees Is Completely

Irrational." Alternet. N.p., 17 Nov. 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Mori, Futoshi. "Can EU Deal with Refugee Issue Humanely?" Japan News 2016 13 nov: n. pag.

Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Nowrasteh, Alex. "Syrian Refugees Could Help America. We Should Welcome Them."

Washington Post. Democracy Dies in Darkness, 09 Sept. 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Rogers, Tim. "11.3 Million Reasons Why Trump Is Wrong about Immigration." Fusion.

Fusion.net, 11 Aug. 2015. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.

 8350154 10

"16 Reasons Donald Trump Is Not Wrong on Immigration." Newsmax. N.p., 08 July 2015. Web.

06 Apr. 2017.

"Top 10 Pros & Cons - Illegal Immigration - ProCon.org." What Are the Solutions to Illegal

Immigration in America? N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.

Wells, Crystal. "Seeking Safety: Stories of Refugees on the Long Road through Europe." The

Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Mar. 2016. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.