Dear future president, 

    My name is Travis and I am the son of an immigrant. My mother immigrated to the United States around twenty years ago. In order to immigrate, she had to have multiple health screenings, immunizations, references, interviews, a background check from her home country, and pay a hefty visa fee. Even with a streamlined process because my father was in the armed forces, the process still took over six months. There are approximately forty-two million immigrants who live in the United States. Immigrants are an important part of the United States and it is a good thing that people immigrate. However, roughly eleven million of those immigrants are in the United States illegally. Illegal immigrants are a detriment to society and should be deported.

    Illegal immigrants are a detriment to society because they don't pay taxes, they are criminals, and they take jobs. Illegal immigrants avoid police and government when they can, so they don't pay taxes. A lot of the time they also work under the table or for seasonal employment. When eleven million people aren't paying taxes they are taking advantage of public benefits such as roads, parks, emergency services, and schools without paying their share. Billions of dollars are shelled out for healthcare and schooling for illegals and their children. Illegal immigrants are by definition criminals. They have broken immigration laws to enter the United States or have stayed beyond their visas. As previously stated, illegal immigrants avoid police and government when they can so many fall into illegal habits and commit crimes. Many gangs are made up of illegal immigrants such as Ms13, 18th street gang, and many different mafias and cartels.  Around thirty percent of the prison population is made up of illegals. Illegal immigration takes jobs from American citizens. Because the majority of illegals are working age, they take up eight million jobs. Those are eight million jobs that could be going to American citizens to improve our economy. Remember these are jobs that don't get taxes taken out either. Illegal immigration is a complex problem with a simple solution.

   The solution I recommend for this problem is simple. You must provide the US immigration and customs enforcement agency and the border patrol with more funds and stronger legislation.  You must empower them to better prevent entry of illegal immigrants and to deport them whenever possible. This strategy may sound harsh, however, this is a growing problem and without strict laws and severe punishment there will be no foreseeable end. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I wish you the best for your presidential term. 

Sincerely, 

Travis