Immigration reform is a huge topic of discussion facing politicians today. While individuals living in the United States take strong stances on the issue, most are ignorant to the facts behind immigration itself, including myself (until a few days ago). As a social worker and human rights advocate, I pride myself on believing in fair treatment and equal rights for all, especially those who face discrimination (such as undocumented individuals). I have always believed in a path to citizenship and an open border policy, but now that I know more information, I feel it is important to educate others about this prominent issue facing many Americans today.
Myth: Undocumented people do not pay taxes, drain social security, and live off the working people's dime.
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Fact: Undocumented people actually do pay taxes and social security, and most are not even eligible for welfare programs. Those that are eligible are actually far less likely to use them for fear of deportation.
Myth: President Obama is weak on immigration.
Fact: President Obama is the worst thing to happen to immigration reform... ever. He has forcefully removed more undocumented people than any other president in history.
Myth: Immigrants don't want to learn English or be American.
Fact: First of all, let's not forget that the United States is only one of America. An undocumented person from, let's say, Canada, is still American -- they just are not from the United States. Second of all, due to the high rates of discrimination faced by undocumented individuals and those who do not appear to be stereo-typically 'American,' people who immigrate to the United State actually try extremely hard to assimilate and are super patriotic.
Myth: We need to have stronger border control and a wall to keep people out!
Fact: There is a wall actually, and pretty tough border control. It's shown to do pretty much nothing except increase death rates of those trying to cross. The wall is not up in places that are seen as too treacherous for people to move through, so of course that is where people coming into the country travel. The president also gave a large sum of money to Mexico to increase border control with no restrictions, which ended up lowering immigration into the U.S. and increasing human rights violations in Mexico on a huge scale.
Myth: If people want to get in the country so bad, they should get in line.
Fact: There is no "line." Most of the people that are trying to get into the country are trying to escape from the violence of gangs and death squads that were trained on United States soil (read more about the School of the Americas if you do not believe me). People who are allowed to live in the United States are generally 1. 'highly trained in a skill' (for example, a famous actor, an acclaimed scientist, etc.) 2. escaping political persecution and able prove they are being targeted by the government AND on an approved list of countries AND from an approved time-frame of 'persecution' , 3. joining close family already here, or 4. winners of the green-card lottery. These things can only attained if they enter 'illegally' and go through certain processes though, there is no "line" to join.
Myth: I'm a hardworking American and I can't find a job because the immigrants are taking over my country that belongs to the white man and blah blah blah...
Fact: First, America was stolen by white people and founded by immigrants. Swallow your pride and admit that you may be hardworking, but someone else being here does not mean that they are taking your job. Different people possess different skills and are equipped to do different jobs -- get off your ass, stop complaining, and go get a job.
Myth: Illegal people waste money -- if they all left, the U.S. would be out of debt.
Fact: Immigrants are actually a boost to the U.S. economy -- an estimated $1.5 trillion will be added to the cumulative GDP over 10 years IFa comprehensive immigration reform plan were to be put into action. In contrast, if all those who are not currently documented were to emigrate, an estimated $2.6 trillion will be spent.
Myth: The only reason people immigrate here is to live for free.
Fact: The United States are known around the world as 'the land of the free,' so many people want to come here and seek refuge from political terrors and to gain economic opportunities. The United States also has some of the best universities in the world, so people come here for educational opportunities. There are a variety of reasons, but none have to do with living for free.
Myth: Immigrants are lazy and don't do much with their lives.
Fact: This one has always confused me, because besides the hard work it takes to get to the U.S., there are so many famous people who were not born in the United States, such as:
Albert Einstein (Germany), John Lennon (England), Aldous Huxley (England), Celia Cruz (Cuba), Elizabeth Stern (Canada), Bob Marley (Jamaica), Nikola Tesla (Croatia), Mila Kunis (Ukraine), Wyclef Jean (Haiti), Eddie Van Halen (The Netherlands), Henry Kissinger (Germany), Yao Ming (China), Madeleine Albright (Czechoslovakia), Joseph Pulitzer (Hungary), Irving Berlin (Russia), David Ho (Taiwan), Audrey Hepburn (Belgium), Elie Wiesel (Transylvania / Romania), Igor Sikorsky (Then Russia, now Ukraine), Claude McKay (Jamaica), Kiran Desai (India), Sammy Sosa (Dominican Republic), Juan Antonio Marichal (Dominican Republic), George Weah (Liberia), Ichiro Suzuki (Japan), and many more.
For more information, you can read the 2013 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics and visit UnitedWeStay.
