Dear Future President,

I’m writing this letter to discuss something that is close to the heart of this great nation. It has been a part of our history since the very beginning, it has shaped the way we have grown as a country, it has defined us in times of struggle. I’m talking about Immigration, the moving of a person or people from one nation to the next, specifically ours. This country is a nation of immigrants, the great American melting pot. With the 2016 election rapidly approaching, both candidates have made their stance on immigration clear. One has said that they wish to monitor migrants and completely shut out an entire religious group from entering our country. One has said that they want to make it easier for people already in the country to stay. While both of you have ideas that have been disputed by the American people, I am here to present something that I believe is vital: The D.R.E.A.M Act. This act is the next step in continuing our fruition and a step in the right direction.

We have always been a country of immigrants. We have always had people arriving from other countries, seeking a permanent home on our shores. These people have benefited our economy in the past, and continue to do so. In 1880, immigrants made up 48% of agriculture jobs, 14% of manufacturing jobs and 9% of trade jobs. In 1920, they made an 11% increase in manufacturing jobs. The reason I mention these years, is because these years were times when America was experiencing a change in the workforce. We saw a drop in agricultural work and a sharp incline in Industrial work. Immigrants made up nearly half of all agricultural work in 1880 and ¼ of all Manufacturing jobs in 1920. Today, they hold an even higher value within the American workforce. In 2013, 30% of immigrants worked in management, 17% in sales and 15% in production. In 2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics writes that the amount of immigrants in the labor force today was about 16.7% of the total labor force of our country, proving that over the years, we have seen a large amount of immigrants who hold jobs within vital parts of our society. But what does this have to do with the D.R.E.A.M Act?

As I am sure you are aware, the D.R.E.A.M Act is a piece of legislation that would allow foreign born illegal people who have grown up in the US to stay to be active in the military or pursue high education. United States News, around 65,000 illegal immigrants graduate high school each year but only 6,500 pursue college. However, the D.R.E.A.M Act could change that. It allows them to stay, create a life for themselves that they wouldn’t have had in their own countries. Only 18 of our 50 states allow immigrants without legal documentation to pursue state funded higher education. With the D.R.E.A.M Act, this would allow them to stay in the United States of America and pursue their dreams. Not only would it allow these people to stay and work on their college degrees or go into the military, it would also make us a lot of money. According to the White House Official website, the D.R.E.A.M Act could make America over 2.3 billion dollars over the first ten years of it enaction. Not only does this act help immigrants pursue a better quality of life, it also makes us a lot of money in the process. So I urge you, future president, to look into your heart and see just what this country is about and realize that these immigrants, our fellow Americans should be allowed to D.R.E.A.M too.

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760060/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/12/01/get-facts-dream-act

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2014/08/15/how-immigrants-without-legal-status-can-pay-for-college