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Illegal Immigration

&loginpageThe topic of illegal immigration is a hot one to say the least. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), there are over thirteen million people living in the United States illegally. Every day, people pour across the U.S.-Mexican border as well as the southeastern part of the country from Cuba. Our northern border with Canada is often overlooked, but up until recently, one could literally drive across it unchecked, required only to state their American citizenship. This provides an open highway for possible terrorism. I’m going to focus on the immigration from Mexico, where the nation is split on a solution to what is undeniably a problem. While illegal immigrants provide a cheap labor force for employers in fields most Americans see as undesirable, the issue is whether or not illegal aliens benefit American society and the economy more than they tax it. The aliens do not pay taxes, yet they utilize public education and healthcare, clog the jails, and bring foreign diseases into the country that we may not have cures for. I firmly believe that illegal immigration must be stopped before it gets any further out of hand.
There is no doubt that illegal aliens do provide a beneficial service to the United States. Industries such as meatpacking and agriculture depend on undocumented workers for their labor forces, since employers don’t have to pay them minimum wage or file tax information for them (Haines). Produce prices would be through the roof if the workers commanded the rate of pay required by law. However, law enforcement agencies are starting to crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers, in some states requiring them to submit proof of legal residency and citizenship before hiring (Vitello). An example of this involves Keith Eckel, a tomato farmer in Pennsylvania who requires upwards of 125 laborers per season to harvest his large tomato crop. But due to the new legislation forcing him to hire only legal...