A Retort to Illegal Immigrants and their Supporters

"Well, Americans,
What, nothin' better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out?
You're an immigrant too."

These are part of the lyrics to the song "Icky Thump" by the White Stripes (thanks to songlyrics.com). The song is Jack White's political take on immigration. The song illustrates one of the arguments used by those who support illegal immigration. The argument being America is filled with nothing but immigrants. Well let's dispel that myth.

As usual I'll start by defining "immigrant." Webster defines immigrant as "a person who leaves his country to settle in another" (pg 182). Most Americans today did not leave one country to settle in another, specifically America. A person born in America, as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment, is automatically an American citizen; thus, that person cannot be considered an immigrant to America, even if their ancestors immigrated to America. So let's flip the illegal immigrants' statement against them using Jack White's words: so if everyone who is in America is an immigrant, you are saying the children born to illegal immigrants in America thereby given citizenship rights by the Constitution are also immigrants, and therefore can be deported from the country? Is that what you want? I'm sure if asked of an illegal immigrant or one of the supporters of illegal immigrants, stammering words would come out of their mouths as they try to defend their stance.

Another favorite argument is that many Americans came to America without following any rules - they just came here. This is a true statement. My retort is this statement amounts to judging today by yesterday standards - which does not work. When America was first settled, there weren't any immigration policies. A funny side note: Christopher Columbus, an Italian, immigrated to Portugal. When the Portuguese would not finance his vision of sailing West to reach Asia, he petitioned the Spaniards. So Christopher Columbus, an Italian, living in Portugal, sailed West on his expedition under the Spaniard flag. This led to Europe's expansion and colonization of the "new world." Most people who came to America in the early days did so without passports and without permission of anyone. But that was then, this is now.

In 1820, the first records of the number of immigrants entering the country began (New Standard, p I-42). It wasn't until 1921 that Congress authorized a limit on the number of immigrants allowed into the country. This quota restriction, although the number has changed - the restriction hasn't, remains today. The actual first restriction to take effect was a health check which went into effect in 1875 (New Standard, p I-43). Over the years, America's immigration policy has changed. This change has been in response to the changing needs of the society. Who better to decide what's best for the society, the current habitants or those who wish to join? So in response to the immigration policy of old, to the illegal immigrant supporters I reiterate, that was then, this is now.

An argument for some type of control of who enters the country is terrorism. If we were to let just anyone enter the country, then terrorists who wish to do us harm could enter the country without any impediment (can anyone say 9-11? And those terrorists entered legally!). So according to the illegal immigrants, we should turn a blind-eye to anyone who wants to enter. This would mean we not only allow into the country them (the illegal immigrant by today's standard) and a terrorist who might actually target the illegal immigrant in one of the terrorist plots! I'm sure if asked if they would want that, the response would be no.

The country has set up some realistic rules for entering the country. It should not be hard to follow them - unless they have some other reason for not following them, like perhaps, they are a criminal and they are coming to America to continue in said trade.

A few weeks ago, the President of Mexico addressed the Congress, telling them he disagreed with the Arizona immigration law. My response to him would be, "So Mr. President, if you and your country are so great, why do so many people want to leave? You realize we don't have the same problems with Canada, right?" I wonder what his response would be to that question?


Mike

References:

New standard encyclopedia dictionary. (1984). IL: Standard educational corporation.

Downey, D. (Ed.). (1987). New Standard Encyclopedia. IL: Standard educational corporation.