Dear President,

After several months of preparation you finally did it. Your hard work and dedication has payed off. Now it’s your time to make a change. Are you going to be the president who changes the world for the better or are you go to lay back and not do anything at all to help major issues in our country? Among the many issues that we are experiencing, immigration is most important to me. Traveling over to this gorgeous country shouldn’t be that hard considering our reputation as a free country. I understand that we have precautionary measures which is a good thing to have, but we wouldn’t have so much illegal immigration if we lowered the cost and time it took to become a citizen. Some people come over for freedom from their original home and it estranges potential citizens when they see the long process of becoming an American. Immigrants are the foundation of America, if they hadn’t traveled here in the first place we wouldn’t have a country. They add cultural diversity and influence the goods produced in the United States.

I attend a public high school as a junior in Virginia. Over my life-time I have been influenced by many cultures and ethnic backgrounds. It is better to have a diverse society rather than one that is bland and always the same. I once had a friend from Ghana, Regina, who taught me about her culture and her home. It was a vibrant place full of many memories that she was sad to leave, however she left because she was seeking a better life. For me, it was very interesting to experience someone else’s heritage outside of the United States. With the allowance of immigration, she was able to come over with her family, showing the positives of immigration. Some people view them as a threat to our country which may be understandable based on previous events.

Stated in the article, “ 37 Maps that Explain How America is a Nation of Immigrants” , in 2013 the UN reported 19.8% of the world’s migrants live in the U.S., however the U.S. doesn’t have the highest population of immigrants per capita. Other countries with a smaller population have a larger flow of immigrants. In 2000, yet another law was passed that made getting into the U.S. much harder. On average, according to “Reference*”, it takes around 6 to 8 years to become a legalized citizen. Meaning through all that time, immigrants aren’t given the opportunity to vote and may be payed less. Money is also an issue when it comes to becoming a legal citizen. As of 2015, the article “Steps to Become an American Citizen”, says that the cost to become a citizen is $680. For an immigrant that is a lot of money to put towards becoming a citizen. There is an organization called the Hull House, that helped finance immigrants in 1890. If the U.S had more organizations like this, the illegal immigration is guaranteed to decrease.

Many people don’t go through the process of becoming an American citizen because they can’t afford the costs of entering the country. Most immigrants come over for job opportunities and freedom from their original country. With a shorter process of becoming a citizen, more immigrants will be dedicated to finalizing their citizenship. Eight years of their life is a lot and if they could complete the process quicker, then they are more likely to have a better lifestyle. We as a country also have to be open to accepting immigrants, however this has not been the case in recent decades. In an article, “ These are the Real Reasons Behind Illegal Immigration”, it mentions an act that was passed in 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act. This limited the amount of legal permanent visas issued to Mexicans creating a negative vibe towards Mexicans that can affect the number of illegal immigrants entering the country. If they weren’t treated so poorly, then they wouldn’t have to come over illegally.

Don’t let diversity fall because of laws and racial neglect The system need to be simplified and the costs need to come down and that’s when you will see a decrease in illegal immigration. Separation from foreigners is not the answer, but creating trust and unity is. Will you let our country continue to suffer from illegal immigration or will you diversify the United States?

Sincerely,

Rebekah E.

Works Cited

Bray, J.D. By Ilona. "Steps to Become an American Citizen - AllLaw.com." AllLaw.com. Martindale & Nolo, 2015. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

"How Long Does It Take to Become a U.S. Citizen?" Reference. IAC Publishing Company, 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

Ignant, Chanelle. "Are Immigrants More or Less Welcome Today in the U.S. Than in the Past?"KQUEDLearning. KQED INC., 2016. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.

Lind, Dara. "37 Maps That Explain How America Is a Nation of Immigrants." Vox. Vox Media, 12 Jan. 2015. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

Planas, Roque. "These Are The Real Reasons Behind Illegal Immigration." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.