Dear Mr. Trump,

America is surely a multi-cultural country with people coming from all around the world. According to the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), “The U.S. immigrant population stood at more than 42.4 million, or 13.3 percent, of the total U.S. population of 318.9 million in 2014, according to ACS data. Between 2013 and 2014, the foreign-born population increased by 1 million, or 2.5 percent.. “ (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/, APRIL 14, 2016 ) As an immigrant myself, it was a 10-year wait for my father and my immigration papers to be finished. It took 10 years for our papers to be filed, 10 years for our green cards to process, 10 years away from family. I am asking you to let us in. I am asking you to lend a helping hand. We choose to live in America for a better life. So why not make it easier for us?

A research conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies says that these are the types of jobs most immigrants do: Maids and housekeepers: 51% native-born, Taxi drivers and chauffeurs: 58% native-born,Butchers and meat processors: 63% native-born,Grounds maintenance workers: 64% native-born,Construction laborers: 66% native-born,Porters, bellhops, and concierges: 72% native-born,Janitors: 73% native-born. (http://blogs.voanews.com/,August 24th, 2015) All of these jobs help the economy and society. These immigrants give to our communities and to our country to help the public with their everyday lives. Not only do immigrants work in these category of jobs, but they also work in the army. According to P.J. Tobia, a foreign affairs writer, “The Department of Homeland Security, which handles and tracks deportations, doesn’t count how many veterans have been deported, but experts who study the issue say the number is in the thousands and that veterans have been deported to more than 25 different countries.” Why do we deport these people, these soldiers, who served our country? Why? They have already done enough for this country, how do we give back to them? By deporting them and sending them away from what they call home? The government is truly unjust to these people.

However, there is a negative side. Yes, there are a number of illegal immigrants who live in the U.S. According to the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), "Most Americans equate illegal aliens with a higher incidence of crime... in fact, data show that the American public understands the facts better than the academics. Adult illegal aliens represented 3.1 percent of the total adult population of the country in 2003. By comparison, the illegal alien prison population represented a bit more than 4.54 percent of the overall prison population. Therefore, deportable criminal aliens were more than half again as likely to be incarcerated as their share of the population.” This research shows that illegal immigrants are most likely to bring violence to the country. Not only does the FAIR conclude this statement, but also does the public. Richard Spencer, the president of the national policy institute says that he believes America has been a "failed experiment" and that by 2044 when the U.S. Census Bureau predicts people of color will outnumber whites, they will be "a defeated people."

Although there are illegal immigrants who bring violence to the country and a race of people who feel inferior of immigrants in the near future, there is another side of the story. Armando Ibanez, a 32-year-old undocumented worker in Los Angeles, crossed the border illegally 14 years ago. His mother, along with his brother and sister, snuck into the United States a year before Armando. Ibanez told CBS News, "Not having food to eat every day and seeing your mother struggling -- seeing your mother struggling to provide food, that's one of the sad memories I have from Mexico. In general, I think you have to live in fear of being separated from your family anytime, any moment." His story is even more heartbreaking as he says, "We want to stay together. Knowing that's not for sure makes me feel frustrated. It makes me feel frustrated because my life can change any second... I think the price of the American dream is living afraid." According to the Department of Homeland Security, those who entered the country illegally prior to January 1, 2014, and have never been convicted a serious offense or disobeyed a prior order to leave the country, will not be a priority for removal. Instead, security threats, gang members, and convicted felons will be at the top of the government's list for deportation. I agree that those who have brought or yet to bring violent acts to the US are the top priority or deportation, in fact, the only people who deserve to be deported. We have to start thinking that these people are humans too. They just want a better life. And yet they are still in fear.

On a final note, I know you have a lot of problems against immigrants and you don’t work well with all your citizens. Hopefully, you can be more of a positive advocate to all people and instead of making people feel scared of their future, please think through what you have to say because as president, what you say is what the people know. A single mistake in wording can affect your reputation. Immigrants are good for the economy and we have to remind ourselves that America is a multi-cultural country. We are a nation of different races. We work together for our families, for our well-being, and for our society. Let us unite as a nation into making our world a safe, happy, successful and equal world for the future of the American citizens.

Sincerely,

Aaliyah Villarete