Immigration in America. Literature & Language Essay

Immigration in America
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Introduction
Immigration has been a critical issue in the United States political agenda for years. It is essential to note that American is among the countries with the highest number of immigrants across the world; it is estimated that there are over forty million individuals in the United States who were born in other countries. The population of immigrants in the country is very diverse since almost every country in the world has its citizens in the United States. There has been a steady increase in the immigrant population in the United States, and it is estimated that non-natives account for about 13.6 percent of the country’s population. The natives Americans have contradicting perceptions about the increase of migrants in the country; ideally, there is a group of people who perceive migrants are individuals who create unnecessary competition in different areas such as in jobs and that they also unfairly acquire government benefits. On the other side, some people consider immigrants as essential in American society because they help in promoting a diverse community and promote innovation in various industries. This paper asserts that immigrants crucial for American society because they promote integration, provides cheap labor, they pay taxes and promote innovation.
While the number of lawful immigrants in the United States has continued increasing, the number of unauthorized non-natives in the country is also high. Foreigners who are in America may choose to become United States citizens through naturalization; this, however, possible after meeting specific minimum requirements such as having lived in the country for more than five years. Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals apply to become citizens, while millions of others who do not meet the criteria required for naturalization continue to remain as immigrants (Radford, 2019). Although America has immigrants from across the world, the countries with the highest number of citizens in the United States include Mexico, China, and India, among others. The increase of the immigrants has been perceived differently by the American people, although some people see immigrants as essential in promoting the diversity of the country, other see migrants as a threat to the American culture because they are less likely to integrate fully into the social and political life of the native-born residents. President Donald J. Trump, who the American people elected after pledging to develop and implement extraordinarily measures to fight immigration. Besides, the President has employed different measures such as the construction of the border wall with Mexico, which is aimed at preventing Mexican immigrants from crossing over to the United States (Radford, 2019). Besides, president directives have resulted in deporting millions of undocumented immigrants and banning people from particular countries and regions from moving to America.
First, immigration has helped in promoting integration. When the immigrants arrive in the United States, they facilitate crucial changes that occur among the non-natives and the native-born Americans. When the American citizens assimilate and integrate with the migrants, their perception about immigrants’ sociocultural dimensions tends to change, and this makes it possible to reduce issues related to discrimination and bias against other communities (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015). For instance, proper integration makes it possible to appreciate people with different beliefs, cultural practices, and skin color; this, in return, makes it possible to develop a unified population where people feel secure despite their differences. When native Americans live with the migrants harmoniously, it becomes possible to exchange cultural practices, and this makes it possible to establish a culturally rich society. Additionally, integration helps immigrants in participating in other critical national building activities such as working, and it also motivates them to compete effectively with the natives in other sectors such as education. This form of competition among the citizens is critical in promoting the growth among the people, thus facilitating the development of the country.
Immigrants help in proving labor in key sectors. Ideally, non-native people in the United States provide labor in sectors such as mining, construction that are considered undesirable by native Americans. It is estimated that about one-fifth of the employees in the agriculture, construction, and foodservice industries are made up of migrants (New American Economy, 2020). Additionally, it is critical to note that the occupation of immigrants in low-skilled sectors has provided the natives with opportunities to participate and compete for other high-skilled areas, including medicine and engineering, among others. Besides, immigrants have also made it possible for employers and companies to access labor at low prices. The business owners who require temporary workers who are willing to complete...