The Skyliner

Issue date: 4/5/06 Section: Opinion

The question of illegal immigration, which has always been a hot button issue, is making press yet again. From the rise of the minutemen (private citizens dedicated to protecting the borders and keeping illegal workers from finding employment) to sweeping legislative reforms in both the nation and many states, the issue is competing with the Iraq war in most major news outlets.

I wonder though, who really isn't an immigrant? In the American legal system, those born on American soil are considered citizens or residents, but were every single one of our ancestors also born on American soil? We have all come from somewhere else, or our parents did or our grandparents did, or maybe even further back. The point is that we (our families at least) were all aliens in this country at some point in history.

Really I think the problem of immigration is a compliment. It speaks to the fact that people would rather be here than in their home country, whether it is for political or economic gains or any other various reasons.

The reason immigration is a problem is because of what is brought with the immigrants. They bring a new language, culture and ideologies. In reality it cannot be expected for an immigrant to come without this baggage. A lot of the enmity present now towards immigration is grounded in this. Many feel rural America and small-town U.S.A are being overrun, as "little Mexico" sections of town are suddenly springing up in places where significant change takes years to accomplish.

Really, though, that is what has made America what it is. Throughout the nation's history as people have come here to settle they have brought with them things very specific to the place from which they have come, from Europe to African to Asia, and now Latin America. Those things brought have in turn been assimilated into our own culture.

With the coming of technology and the rise of white-collar jobs in the late 20th century, many Americans have vacated labor and low wage jobs, like farming and factory work. This is has given rise to the need for migrant workers (usually classified as illegal immigrants), and now it seems once opened the flood gates cannot be shut.
It is true that immigrants are "taking" a lot of jobs, because of their willingness to work for lower wages, something many Americans will not do. If those immigrants are removed, those companies surviving on cheaper labor will most likely move to a place where cheaper labor can be found, most likely crippling an economy most experts claim to be weak at best.

Despite the economic consequences, we must also consider the dignity and humanity of these immigrants. Can we really deny them a chance for a better life when we ourselves have not been so denied? It is our greed and disrespect driving this "anti-illegal immigrant" movement.

We cannot think ourselves qualified to judge who is worthy to be one place and not another, and remember that we would not have the opportunities available to us had not one of our ancestors been brave enough to immigrate to America.

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