Immigration from a teen’s viewpoint
Imagine you are an immigrant. You and your family have always been poor. You slave away almost every single day, saving pennies to go to the promised land, America. You finally obtain all the necessary documents. When you get to the land you’ve heard so much about, people constantly ask if you are illegal, saying you should go back to your own country. This is the tone set in America for immigration.
Abbygail Linker
Immigration is a complicated and controversial topic. Some people are illegal, but does that mean no one should be able to start over in a new country? What is the solution?
My solution is to increase border security. Put checkpoints across the whole border, and have guards strategically placed along the entire border. Have more extensive background checks.
We also need to improve on how the majority of Americans view immigrants. In 2016, more than 43 million immigrants moved to the United States. That is almost 14 percent of the American population, and the numbers are still rising. Immigrants who are legal should be treated as Americans, because they are. I believe that the points I have mentioned will help get rid of all the stigma around immigration.
Opposite to that, the direction America is going regarding immigration is not a good one. Banning legal immigrants from specific countries is not only morally wrong, but makes the president and all of his supporters seem racist. Building a wall along our borders might be seen as an act of hostility, not to mention that it is going to cost millions of dollars. It will also tear apart animal habitats and eco systems. I feel that the intention of these actions is good, and in no way am I trying to discredit the president, but I truly believe that this is a step in the wrong direction for immigration in America.
Our country was founded by immigrants. Thomas Jefferson once famously said, “All men are created equal.” That includes legal immigrants, who are not just foreigners, but people. People who are just like you and me.
Abbygail Linker is a seventh-grader at Trinity Junior High, where she is involved in volleyball, drama, band and speech. She enjoys writing, reading, having fun with friends, and helping animals in need. Abbygail is the daughter of Joni and Cecil Linker.
