Dearest Donald,
You made illegal immigration the hot topic this year. For that reason, the Republican debates focused largely on this one issue. Reform bills are snaking their way through Congress, a homeless documented Hispanic man was beaten because "these illegals need to get deported", and brace yourself! Because apparently a Game of Thrones-esque wall is coming.
What I can't understand is why you think this is a real issue.
You use the term "illegal immigrant" a lot, but it is technically false. Overstaying visas, or crossing a border without the necessary papers is merely a civil offense, and is thus not a crime. It is tried in civil courts (like a divorce or a speeding ticket would be tried) rather than criminal courts, and you cannot be imprisoned for it.
You said in the last debate that illegal immigrants cost the country $2 billion a year. I am fairly certain that number was made up on the spot, because the IRS reported differently. Immigrants who happen to not have the necessary papers still pay taxes. They pay sales tax on every purchase they make, they pay property tax on their place of residence, which contributes to public schools, and they pay federal tax. The IRS estimates that undocumented immigrants pay $7 billion-$13 billion in taxes for Social Security benefits that they cannot even use, including welfare and food stamps.
You also said illegal immigrants bring drugs, crime and are rapists. But in fact, foreign-born people in America are convicted of crime at a much lower rate than US-born Americans. Even though the number of undocumented immigrants has doubled since 1990, crime has been decreasing at a steady rate. Not only that, but crime rates are lowest in states with the most undocumented immigrants.
Immigrants do not take jobs from hardworking Americans. It has been studied for decades, and each time the result is that there is no correlation between immigrants labor and unemployment. If they were all deported, native-born Americans would lose jobs and actually see a 1.13% increase in unemployment.
Finally, you say there will be a place here for those who get in line, and immigrate legally. But it is extremely difficult to become an American citizen legally, and impossible if you are poor. In order to legally immigrate, you must have a close family member already be a citizen or a permanent resident. Some people have to spend up to $18,000 in application and attorney fees to get a green card. After a green card, it costs $680 for an application to become a naturalized citizen. Many people whose ancestors arrived here in the 1900s to pursue the American dream would not be allowed in today.
Your attack on some of the hardest working people in this country is turning the social narrative away from more pressing issues. Your fear-mongering may have earned you a top place at the polls, but at the cost of families who desperately need to be here. Please, kindly, stop the lies.
Sincerely,
The child of immigrants
P.S. We don't have a Muslim problem either.
