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Do Latino Immigrants Deserve to Stay in the United States?

Many say Latino immigrant come to steal jobs, come to sell drugs, come to be criminals,

etc. But what is the reality of them coming here to America? What are their purposes and

dreams? Many fear for their lives when coming here to America. Latino immigrants risk

themselves to make and create a better living not only for them but also for their families. They

seek for equal opportunities and acceptance. I am a daughter of two hard working immigrant

parents and a sister of an intelligent and bright girl, who both seek for a better life for great

opportunities and economic purposes just like any other latino immigrant. ​Immigrants who are

in the country illegally should be allowed to stay in the U.S because they come to chase

dreams, they help the economy grow and come to make a better living to themselves and

their families.

Latino immigrants should be allowed to stay in the country because, they come to chase

dreams, not just dreams but the American Dream. America was once based on the idea of

immigrants here in the United States. According to Lisa Miller, in The Daily Star, America's

uniqueness comes from a nation of immigrants. For immigrants, America was once this country

with so many opportunities to a great life. Lisa Miller stated, “a fundamental thing that makes

America unique: a status as a nation of immigrants (Miller, 2010).” Diversity rounds us, the main

thing that basically makes this nation are the immigrants coming over and seeking acceptance

and opportunity. So many immigrants seek for a better life. This country is built of immigrants

full of opportunities and hard work.

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Immigrants identify the promise land as a country full of freedom, acceptance, and opportunities

they didn’t have back home. According to Tara Zahra in The New York Times, America is the

representation of the promised land of freedom. Many immigrants before coming believe this is

or was the promised land of freedom with so many advantages for them. Zahra stated, “Before

leaving home, immigrants weighed the prospect of opportunity against reports of ruination

(Zahra, 2015).” Many want assurance before leaving, majority risk their lives to seek

opportunities for better lives than just being stuck and regretting things they could have done but

never did because they were “too scared”, this is the thing about these immigrant they are

selfless, they think of the advantages and the great opportunities their family could have. They

risk their lives to come here and give them something better. America was based on the land of

freedom, acceptance, and opportunity for everyone, immigrants see the advantages and

opportunities they could have and much more to make their lives great.

At last, so many opportunities given to these immigrants which is what they have always

wanted and searched for, which is why i believe they should stay because they are give an

opportunity and so much more. According to Daniela Grava in Immigrant Connect Chicago, if

hard work is done then you’ve achieved success which leads to so many economic opportunities.

Many immigrants come to this country for economic opportunities that their homeland never

would have provided for them. As Daniela stated, “Emphasis economic opportunities for the

children.. Of immigrants.” All immigrants come for better lives but most importantly they come

for a better life for their kids, so that once they grow up they could have much more

opportunities than they had once they came here. Immigrants risk their lives for their kids and

family, they tend to focus more on their kids and what their kids could have once they have
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grown up unlike them they had nothing, but now they can see a bright future for them here in the

United States, they come for economic purposes they also come for a better life just like any

other immigrant comes to search for.

As latino immigrants come to chase dreams such as the american dream, they also come

to the United States for economy purposes. Many have realized the impact these immigrants

have made to the economy of this country. Latino immigrants need a chance of staying here, they

help increase the income of this country as many think they come here to steal jobs and don't

even pay taxes like everyone else. Matter of fact they do. According to Misha Hill on ITEP,

immigrants are taxpayers too. Many americans think that immigrants don't pay taxes what's so

ever, how it's not fair and how they come to the united states to steal jobs from them and so

much more, but in reality they do so much more than just pay taxes. As Hill stated, “Most state

and local taxes are collected from people regardless of citizenship status. Undocumented

immigrants, like everyone else pay sales and excise taxes (Hill, 2017).” So many americans think

and choose to believe that immigrants get away with paying taxes, etc. like stated on the quote, it

doesn't matter whether you have a status or not taxes are being collected and that's what's being

done, immigrants pay so much more taxes than rich people do, according to Misha, immigrants

pay 8% of taxes and rich people only pay 1% (Hill, 2017). So many classes that people are being

considered as or being labeled depending on their economic level and yet others are having to

pay more and others less due to their economic levels. But we’re the ones not paying taxes right?
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This graph above shows how much undocumented immigrants pay taxes here in the

United States. When so many say they don't pay taxes, etc. well here is a bit of proof to realize

how much these undocumented immigrants invest in the economy. Each section shows what

each undocumented immigrants taxes comes from and goes to. The graph as a whole represents

the sections of taxes these undocumented immigrants pay for, Personal Income Taxes, Property

Taxes, and Sales/Excise Taxes. According to McCarthy from Forbes Magazine, “Out of that

$11.64 billion total, undocumented immigrants pay $6.9 billion in sales and excise taxes, $3.6

billion in property taxes and about $1.1 billion in personal income taxes. ITEP estimated that if

America's 11 million undocumented immigrants were granted citizenship allowing them to work

legally, current state and tax contributions would be boosted by over $2.1 billion a year.”
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(McCarthy, 2016) immigrants contribute a lot in the economy even though they don't get the

benefits that comes from taxes.

Americans choose the easy way to earn money and put aside the riskful jobs that could

hurt them, that is why immigrants choose to do the hard work, they gain experience from it and

with things they learn they start up businesses which helps the economy grow even more.

According to Ben Casselman in Real terms, immigrants are the reason for the United States high

rate compared to the rich countries. So many say we come as stealers, they come chasing a

dream, they come to give their kids a much better life, they come because they need a chance to

a better future, they work jobs that no american would ever think of working, they work for

people that don't care about them, they work jobs that could get them killed or harmed but still

choose to work those jobs because it's the only solution for them to get money and get away

from poverty. As Bill stated, “immigrants help economy in other ways too: they are more likely

than native-born americans to start businesses (Casselman, 2016).” The majority think we come

to steal other people's jobs. Immigrants come to seek acceptance and opportunities and chances,

with skills and learnings they start businesses from scratch and gain ideas to be able to get

money from somewhere, anywhere just like any other latino immigrants also struggling to find

where to get money, many with riskful skills they use those to start somewhere, just like business

that americans wouldn't think of starting, but then they sacrifice their lives and health just to go

out and help their families out and teach their kids how we can ever give up, just like americans

don't give up and try so hard to get what they want, we as immigrants we have to not give up and

try twice as harder as them, that's what make us unique and strong.
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How will the economy grow without immigrants? Immigrants is a huge part of the united

states especially if they are the ones impacting the economic growth of the U.S. According to

Ted Henson in The Atlantic, immigrants are creating businesses and boosting the workforce in

the U.S. Many say they come here to destroy the country with all the kinds of stereotypes they

throw at them and how they are criminals and stealers, but they choose not to see what's really

happening and how much they work hard and yet having to pay the things that need to get paid

with the little bit they get paid each week or every two weeks, so they start building businesses to

contribute to the society and also help others also struggling. As Henson stated, “immigrants tend

to contribute more to the economy once they've learned english and become citizens (Henson,

2015).” Immigrants assimilate to seek acceptance from those who throw hate at them, they try to

learn their traditions and meet their requirements. So they start learning and start businesses to

be able to communicate with others. These immigrants try everything and give it their all to learn

and be accepted by those who think wrong of them and those who are not able or not wanting to

understand them and their perspective they are coming from they don't see the hard work they

put everyday just so their family can be in a good stable home just like everyone else they help

the economy grow with businesses they contribute with other immigrants seeking the same thing

every immigrants wishes they could have or gain, acceptance.

The main reason why immigrants ever think of crossing to the United States are for their

families and the great opportunities they could all have, and the great things their kids could be

when growing up. Nobody chooses where to be born at or choose from where they come from,
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many kids that come from different countries envy other kids because of what their status

identifies them, and the advantages they have that they don't have. Dreamers fight for a better

life just like their parents did for them and seek equal opportunities like the rest. According to

Ted Henson, in June 2012 the Obama Administration began DACA (The Deferred Action for

Children Arrivals), that helped millions of immigrants teens. This was a chance for dreamers to

have some of the opportunities that natural born citizens have, these teens work twice as hard as

everyone else, giving up isn't a choice for them, they have a opportunity whether if it's a big one

or a small they are glad because being able to keep studying and have a decent job is enough for

them to become something bigger, and show their parents that they came here for a reason and

are not giving up. As Tom stated, “DACA Program offered dreamers a reprieve from deportation

and a chance to have a work permit (Henson, 2015).” This program gave teens and their parents

a relief from getting deported, even tho most parents only care for the future and safety of their

kids and the kind of people they could be growing up, and a chance to work legally and study in

the U.S. after high school immigrant teens try and work hard to get scholarships because of

economic problems and because they're not legally born here, they don't see a future ahead but

still not give up for want they want and deserve. Dreamers fight for a better life and for equal

opportunities, they seek to be something big once growing up, they tend to show their parents

that their reasons for coming here are being completed and not just a dream, they tend to have

futures just like everyone else even tho they don't have the equal opportunities like others do.

All immigrants want to get away from back home is the poverty and the struggle they are

living through, most of Latin America lives under poverty which is why they choose to come to

the U.S. Latin American countries live under extreme poverty, which is why they choose to cross
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over, for better opportunities and a better life, according to A.P, “extreme poverty is defined in

Latin America as having less than $2.50 a day (A.P, 2014).” Latino immigrants opt for

immigrating to the us to look for a better life for their families and for themselves. Latinos come

to the us because of poverty occurring in their homelands, they seek an outlet for a better life and

opportunities.

To give their kids a better life and great opportunities for life, they tend to work hard and

they're all just for their kids, their #1 priority, to have a decent and great lifestyle. According to

Juliana Jimenez in Univision, immigrant parents escape from violence from their countries just

do their kids won't have to face what they had to face when they were back in their countries.

Majority of immigrant parents reason for crossing to the United States is to just give their kids a

better life and much better lifestyle, it's all they think about, their kids. According to Jimenez,

“They didn't just come to survive, instead they did for a better life and a better education for their

kids (Glickhouse, 2016), .” the main priority for parents crossing is their kids, and their no doubt

about that, they come her for a reason not just to steal and to be criminals, they come here for

their families and most importantly they come for their kids and what they could have in the

future. Majority of latino immigrants escape the violence from their homeland to seek a better

living and a better lifestyle for their kids and their safety it's all thank to them.

So many try to ignore what's really going on around them and the danger and hate thrown

to these Immigrants, they think all they are trying to do is steal jobs, be criminals, and be a bad

influence to the americans. Not everyone's the same, everyone has a different purpose for

crossing but i know this, many immigrant parents come for their kids and their future, they come

to seek acceptance and come to search for a much more better opportunities that they give here
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than they do back at their homelands, they come for the sake of their kids because they know

they're kids will one day grow to be someone in life and not turn out to be criminals or killers or

any other stereotypes americans say about immigrants, it's all thanks to our parents for make this

happen.
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Star, Daily. “Many Forget U.S. Is a Nation Built by Immigrants.” ​The Daily Star​, 10 July 2010,

www.thedailystar.com/opinion/columns/many-forget-u-s-is-a-nation-built-by-immigrants/article

_339014e1-f97a-5dbd-8a60-cf2c32677455.html​.

Zahra, Tara. “Opinion | America, the Not So Promised Land.” ​The New York Times​, The New

York Times, 14 Nov. 2015,

www.nytimes.com/2015/11/15/opinion/sunday/america-the-not-so-promised-land.html​.

Doppelt, Jack. “Jack Doppelt.” ​Immigrant Connect​, 16 Mar. 2017,

immigrantconnect.medill.northwestern.edu/blog/2017/03/16/why-do-so-many-mexican-immigra

nts-come-to-the-united-states/.

“Undocumented Immigrants Pay Taxes.” ​ITEP​, itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-pay-taxes/.

McCarthy, Niall. “How Much Tax Do America's Undocumented Immigrants Actually Pay?

[Infographic].” ​Forbes​, Forbes Magazine, 11 Oct. 2016,

www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/10/06/how-much-tax-do-americas-undocumented-im

migrants-actually-pay-infographic/#35dcd84f1de0​.

Ben Casselman. “Immigrants Are Keeping America Young — And The Economy Growing.”

FiveThirtyEight​, FiveThirtyEight, 31 Oct. 2016,

fivethirtyeight.com/features/immigrants-are-keeping-america-young-and-the-economy-growing/.

Hesson, Ted. “Why American Cities Are Fighting to Attract Immigrants.” ​The Atlantic​, Atlantic

Media Company, 21 July 2015,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/07/us-cities-immigrants-economy/398987/​.
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www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2014/01/poverty-latin-america​.

Glickhouse, Rachel. “¿Podrá Sobrevivir El Bilingüismo Hispano En Estados Unidos?”

Univision​, 23 June 2016,

www.univision.com/noticias/lengua-espanola/podra-sobrevivir-el-bilinguismo-hispano-en-estado

s-unidos​.