Introduction
All along, United States has been known to be nation of immigrants. In this case, they have ultimately shaped the country’s future and history in a broad way. This can be traced from the early settlers who came and made what could later on be known as the United States (Reimers 21). As a matter of fact, there is an argument that United States has been a country that is specifically built for immigrants. This argument holds water because the country has also been built by the same immigrants.
Therefore it should be known that the issue of immigrants is a hot debate that has been going on for a long time. Most of these immigrants have been coming to the United States because of various underlying reasons. In this case, we can say that some of them come by choice while others escape from various hardships that they might have experienced in their places of origin.
We can not deny the fact that these immigrants have shaped the country’s destiny in a broad way. As a matter of fact, they have controlled the country’s destiny. This means that whenever we try to understand them, we will understand the American people and their country. These immigrants have occasionally come from distinct and different places and therefore made the country a melting point. This is as far as their culture and ways of interaction are concerned.
In the long run, these cultures have created and formed a unique culture that can be said to be America’s culture (Lowe 19). Immigrants come in search of various freedoms and this can be religious, economic, social and other spaces. For instance, some people like Quakers ran away from their homes in fear of religious persecutions. In this case, they changed Americas approach to religious freedom. This paper will therefore try to argue to what extend America should remain a nation of immigrants.
Discussion
Overview
America is a nation that has been built by these immigrants and therefore the extend to which the country should remain a nation of immigrants is a hot debate that can bring a lot of controversies. As far as economic aspects are concerned, the country has been shaped by these immigrants in specific places.
For instance, Virginia and New York were specifically formed for economic purposes. The country’s food and attitudes were changed by various slaves that came from Africa and other places. Therefore, this shaped the future of United States based on different cultures.
All along, people from different paces like Europe and Africa have been living in the country’s states and this number has been increasing as time goes by (Lowe 23. As a matter of fact, most Europeans came in the country to fulfill the freedom to pursue their economic and industrial dreams that they could not be granted in their own countries and homes.
Japanese and Chinese came to the nation to take advantage of the gold rush and this is another development that can not be assumed or washed away. America as a nation of immigrants has faced a lot of racism and xenophobia activities over a long period of time and this is another twist to the whole issue of immigrants.
As much as this made various people uneasy, it shaped the country’s culture and destiny in a broad way. As a matter of fact, this took over a century to be fully appreciated. In this case, we are talking about the cultural and ethnic makeup that has been seen in the country. It should be known that immigration is still taking place in America although the country’s citizens are still divided about it (Preston 28). This is as far as drawbacks and benefits of these immigrants are concerned.
Argument
There should be no limitation as per to what extend America should be known as a nation of immigrants because they have shaped the country in by all means. As much as these immigrants can increase the cost of healthcare and social services, they are the pillars upon which the nation has been built on.
In this case, some people have argued that immigrants are not treated well but they are a shining beacon upon which the country interacts and relates. The country has established itself as a nation of economic plenty and freedoms around the world because of these immigrants and we can not wake up one day and say that immigrants should be restricted (Sampson 31).
Every society is expected to face problems that might revolve around good treatment of immigrant and this should not be used as an excuse. As a matter of fact, the nation prides itself as a place where people who are longing to be free can be accommodated without any problem. There have been a lot of dissenting voices as far as America’s immigration is concerned but this should be approached with a sober mind.
The country has all along established itself as a nation of immigrants and it should not turn its back on this. Hard line immigration policies should not be allowed to restructure America’s society because it is a mixture of various cultures. This can be proven because in recent years, there have been instances of border restrictions but it has only increased the number of illegal immigrants. Therefore, these policies will not work in any way but there should be measures to give immigration a positive outlook and approach.
Enforcing such policies is a serious political ploy that can end up fragmenting the country at this stage where such issues are not supposed to take center stage (Williams 18). The country should remain a nation of immigrants because this has worked well for the nation. There might have been some shortcomings but all this withstanding, the nation has gained a lot from immigrants.
America has been diversified because of these immigrants and we can not say that they should be restricted in any way. All Americans have immigrant blood in their veins and this shows how complex the issue of immigrants is. The nation has benefited a lot as far as the economy is concerned and the country should be allowed to accommodate immigrants (Preston 37).
Most of those people who complain about immigrants seem to be unhappy about non Europeans only and this should be avoided at all costs. The country should give room to immigrants and the poor because this has formed the framework of its own lifeline and there is no need to deviate from this. To keep the promise of the nation as it is well known, the country should remain a nation of immigrants. Immigrants have shaped the nations history and it is argued that we should never run away from our history in any way.
Conclusion
All along, the country has achieved a lot of success because of being a nation of immigrants and this means that there is no need to have a limit by which the country should remain so. More than 12% of the country’s population is made up of immigrants and this is a fact (Sampson 29).
There is a serious socio economic importance of immigrants and this can not be down played in any way. As much as the immigrant community has been raising its political voice as time goes by, this should not be used as an opportunity to restrict immigration into the nation. As a matter of fact, they should be given political freedom and a voice that they were initially denied in their countries. This is based on that fact that other people immigrate because they want political freedom and voice.
Wholesomely, there should be no limitation as far as immigrants are concerned because they are a huge benefit to the country’s economy. It should be known that these immigrants pay taxes and start businesses that have benefited the country in a broad way. Therefore, there is no justification as per to why they should be restricted from entering America as a nation of immigrants.
America as a nation of immigrants’ works well because they (immigrants) have filled key job sectors that could not be taken by natives. The soundness of the country’s social welfare needs to be rejuvenated and this can only be enhanced by new skills and ideas (Williams 27). As a matter of fact, it can only be catered for by such immigrants who have brought in a new lease and approach to life.
Works Cited
Lowe, Lisa. Immigrant Acts: On Asian American Cultural Politics. New York: Center for Migration Studies, 1996. Print.
Preston, Julia. California: Study of Immigrants and Crime. New York: The New York Times, 2008. Print.
Reimers, David. Still the Golden Door: The Third World Comes to America. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 1985. Print.
Sampson, Robert. Open Doors Don’t Invite Criminals. New York: New York Times, 2006. Print.
Williams, Mary. Immigration. San Diego: GreenHaven Press, 2004. Print.