Legal Immigrants and their Influence on United States of America - Research Paper Example

Legal Immigrants and their Influence on United s of America Introduction In the world today it is seen that poverty is increasing in almost every state. This poverty becomes a reason for people living in developing nations to move to developed nations for a better future. This whole process is known as immigration and is known to be causing problems for the developed nations. However these developed nations do not tend to understand the positive impact that immigration brings along with it. Legal immigration is a process through which people migrate from one country to the other legally. The opponents of legal immigration put forward several factors which are affected by the immigrants. However these opponents fail to rationalize the concept by not laying down the positive impact that the immigrants bring to the country of migration. Economy, Social Security, Culture and Education are four sectors which are being impacted positively by these immigrants. This essay would further provide the advantages of legal immigration to the United States of America. It would also provide with the arguments that the opponents propose in response to the positive impacts that these immigrants bring along with them. Impact on Economy Several studies have been conducted to find out the effect of legal immigrants on the economy of the United States. A report “Raising the floor for American Workers: The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform” proposes that if the legal workers are allowed to enter the territory of United States then the GDP of the country can be increased by an estimated $1.5 trillion. The legal immigrants are helping to improve the economy of the United States from a rational perspective. Studies done in different states have showed that the immigrants have paid great amount of taxes to the government and this has improved the economy of the United States. The legal immigrants also work in departments of the United States where the natives do not want to work. These legal immigrants bring skills along with them and work in different sectors. These immigrants take over different jobs and help the economies of scale to build up so that the cost of the production is decreased. In other words these immigrants are bringing a positive influence on the whole economy of United States (Immigration Policy Center 2011). Impact on Social Security The impact of immigrants on the social security can only be analyzed if the roots of the system are understood. The Social Security System is a type of system which works to benefit the retirees. The system works on the money which is being received through the taxes paid by the workers. It is here that the role of immigrants comes into play. As the immigrants tend to take up jobs they form an enormous portion of the workforce and hence these immigrants help to pay for the taxes which add up to the social securities. The immigrants enter into the United States when they are the peak of their working years hence these immigrants cannot benefit from the Social Security System for at least three to four decades. However they start paying for the taxes as soon as they take up the jobs which mean that they are providing the benefits to the retirees. The 2004 Trustees report puts forward that “: “The cost rate decreases with increasing rates of net immigration because immigration occurs at relatively young ages, thereby increasing the numbers of covered workers earlier than the numbers of beneficiaries” (Trustees Report 2004). The United States of America consists of an ageing population who take benefits from the Social Security System. It is these immigrants who help to cater to the demands of the ageing population of America by providing the taxes to the social security (Fienleb & Warner 2005). Thus it can be said that immigration is greatly helping the social security funds and the ageing population of the United States. Impact on Culture Immigrants are also believed to benefit the culture of the host nation. The immigrants who migrate to America try to assimilate with the new culture and also bring forward their own culture. These immigrants not only adapt to this new culture but they enrich it by diversity. It is a way through which the American culture can be known throughout the world. Chavez believes that the integration of immigrants into the American culture is more than what is usually thought. The immigrants tend to marry outside their ethnic group and the example of Hispanics can be given here who usually marry outside their ethnic groups. Diversity is the most important advantage of these immigrants as they bring along their culture with them too. This culture can help the Americans to know about different cultures and expand their views and perspectives about the different cultures (Geigenberger 2008). With immigration there is development and understanding of other cultures and religions. The immigrants receive a chance of adapting according to the culture of the country where they have migrated. On the other hand the nationals of that country receive a chance to view the different cultures of the world and analyze them. America is culturally rich and is home to the immigrants from different parts of the world. This assists in the promotion of harmony in the U.S., as people from two different regions learn to live together and are exposed to different views and perspectives of the world. Thus immigration assists in broadening the human mind (Gabaccia 2002, pp. 8-15). Impact on Education The immigrants also tend to bring forward diversity in education in the American culture. Education forms an important part of the immigrants as it is seen that the working class of immigrants have a higher rate of bachelors. Immigrants from Asia are educated and competitive and help to enhance the economy of United States. These immigrants not only help in enhancing the education but they also help to put forward the views that they have learned throughout their life. Bilingual education is considered as one benefit which can be provided by these immigrants as this type of education promotes a better learning environment (Giegenberger 2008) Opposing Viewpoints Although the immigrants provide with a lot of benefits different sectors of the United States they are still criticized by many. The opponents believe that these immigrants migrate to their country and take up the jobs which could have been taken by the citizens of the country (Borjas 2001 p. 63). Some of the opponents also put forward that the culture that immigrants bring along with them contaminates the original American culture as they cannot assimilate in the new culture. The crime rate is also believed to be increasing because of these immigrants as they cannot assimilate in this new culture. The opponents put forward that the economy of the United States is being put on stake by allowing these immigrants to enter the territory and use the resources which were rather meant for the citizens of America. Rebuttals However all these points put forward by the opponents can be refuted if the situation is viewed from a rational perspective. The economic impact of the immigrants is beneficial than the negatives that they may put on to the natives. The immigrants take up jobs which the natives would not take for lower wages and at the same time help the funds of the state. In other words they are helping to boom the economy of the United States. Regarding the culture of United States it is known that cultural diversity helps to broaden the human mind and creates peace so that the human race can live together (Frazier & Tettey Fio 2006 p 10-16). Conclusion Immigration is a process which helps to boost the economy and other sectors of a country if handled in the right way. Legal immigration should be kept under control so that it does not cross the limits as for now the immigrants are proving to be a great advantage for all the sectors of United States. Cultural diversity and assimilation can prove to be very helpful for the culture of United States too. References The Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform. Immigration Policy Center 2010 Social Security Online. The Trustees Report 2004. < http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/TR04/trTOC.html> Feinleib, Joel, and David Warner. United States.SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD ISSUE BRIEF #1: The Impact of Immigration on Social Security and the National Economy. Washington, DC: , 2005. Web. 16 July 2011. . Frazier, John W, and Eugene Tettey-Fio. Race, Ethnicity, and Place in a Changing America. Binghamton, N.Y: Global Academic Pub, 2006. Print. Gabaccia, Donna R. Immigration and American Diversity: A Social and Cultural History. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2002. Print. Borjas, George J. Heaven's Door: Immigration Policy and the American Economy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001. Print. Top of Form Geigenberger, J. (2008). The lasting value of legal immigration for the United States of America. Mu?nchen: GRIN Verlag. Bottom of Form Read More