With the current state of the world, that is, in an age where more and more, markets are becoming centralized as well as business and economic culture, one concern remains prevalent in many countries, chiefly among the United States. This concern is immigration. Yet it appears that as things become more unified and the world progresses such a concern has no place in the new order of things. Why does this still remain such a huge issue? For starters it may have to do with how people of a certain nation identify. One’s identity remains a very important thing to many people. Any threat to such an identity will no doubt become a cause for concern; a common ground for people sharing an identity to rally against. When a persons way of life becomes ostensibly threatened such a false enemy may become the seed of opposition or a cause to rally together as one in a given country.
So what is meant by ones identity? Such a query has no easy answer. An identity may be and often is made up of many different factors. These include but are not limited to ones race, ethnicity, origin (country one was born in), political affiliation, religious affiliation, etc. In the United States it appears that ones identity relies on more than just being born within her borders. A person must be fully assimilated with American customs and norms to be an American. Such a mind set gives much fodder to politicians and pundits alike when things in the country become awry. As far back as the Alien and Sedition Acts immigrants have been an easy scapegoat to use in order for politicians to distract the general public from more pressing issues. Immigrants are easy to target as both a foreign invader-literally an unwelcome guest coming into your home to capitalize on what should be yours-and a group which has come to threaten your way of life. Fancying itself as a liberal land of tolerance and progress America in reality is one of the most conservative places on earth. Any hint of change will soon throw the natives into a sort of hysteria.
It is unfortunate for not only Americans but foreigners too that this is currently the dominant narrative. Diversification of policies and intellectual thought has for centuries proven to be a great grounding for progress both financially and innovatively. As one may know by listening to conservative pundits and politicians alike a supposed drain made by immigrants is that they do not pay taxes yet gain financially by employment within the borders of the U.S through employment opportunities not available in their country of origin. This argument is weakened by two counter-arguments. For one the accusation illegal immigrants do not pay taxes is absurd. Many immigrants who are illegal still pay income tax from fake social security number. Being the case they are contributing to the retirement pool without any hopes of ever claiming that money. Secondly many families living her must purchase goods at local markets for their own well being. Through the purchase of goods immigrants, both legal and illegal, pay taxes.
The ideology of ant-immigration hurts in another way. A person who has left his or her home in order to make a living in a foreign land is more than likely to contribute not only his or her labor to his or her new home but also invest in it too. Given the state the U.S. economy is in at the moment such investments should be welcomed with open arms. Instead politicians continue to feed into the popular mindset rather than attempt to tap a new resource for financial gain.
It’s a sorry thing when we can gain so much from our foreign friends yet so many are afraid that by allowing immigrants a better way of life, perhaps even access to the top jobs, we are somehow taking away from ourselves. In a world that becomes more consolidated it appears many a mind follows the wrong trend.