English 1A/ Conklin
MW 11:00 – 1:00
5/1/08
Illegal Immigration Understanding We read: French President Nicolas Sarkozy says, “America did not say, ‘Come, and everything will be given to you.’” Instead, he said, "Come, and the only limits to what you will be able to achieve will be those of your own courage, your boldness, and your talent” (qtd. in “Speech,” pars.12). Sarkozy is correct about the American ideal, it has driven millions of people here for the past 200 years. because this ideal is what drives millions of people since the first settlers came in 1492 to America. For some immigrants, this drive for a better life is so strong that they risk and sacrifice their lives in their attempts to attain it. For example, some immigrants are willing to come to America illegally. Norbert Santana, a writer for The Orange County Register, writes “the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the Pew Hispanic Center and the Center for Immigration Studies generally agree there are about 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S.” (pars. 18). There is no accurate method of counting how many illegal immigrants actually live in America; however, there are enough here to cause conflicts. Some illegal immigrants come to America for a few years to make money, and then they take their fortunes back home, while others come to live and to raise their families. All of these immigrants are unwelcome by many Americans because they perceive the immigrants illegal entry into the United States (U.S.) as a blatant disregard of the law. Many of these same Americans also believe that once Immigrant and Custom Enforcement (ICE) finds illegal immigrants, the U.S. government should deport them back to Mexico. Some Americans feel that illegal immigrants hurt the economy by stealing jobs from unemployed Americans and a few even believe these immigrants are terrorists. However, these prejudices cause