Against Illegal Immigration: Why a Young Liberal Changed His Stance on the Border

Literally two to three hours prior to writing this editorial I was solidified in my position against any type of wall or separating the United States from Mexico. I found it to be an egregious waste of money as the wall would not even be covering the entire border. I also was solidified in my stance against illegal immigration, which was a centrist position on the subject. However, watching a special event on CNN, I was swayed more than I could have possibly been.

Before I begin to divulge why I changed my position, I believe it is vital to list my beliefs in whole, as to prevent anything from being misconstrued. In the situation where families have moved to the United States years ago, albeit illegally, and have given birth to US citizens while at the same time simply trying to provide the best way of life for their family, I believe they should be allowed to stay. 

If the people have proven that they are of no danger to anyone and have contributed to society as a whole as many immigrant groups have, there is no reason to remove them from the country. I also believe that many jobs that Americans supposedly refuse to do are become of the amount of pay they would receive for the work. If the salary was increased, then the jobs would not have to be occupied by illegal immigrants.

I also firmly believe that because of illegal immigrants, schools in the United States that are already stretched thin are declining. Under federal law, any child, illegal or not, has the right to attend public school. These schools are now forced to accommodate children who do not speak English in most cases and then have to spend millions state-wide in order to teach them. While the cause is honorable, the government has an obligation to its citizens first and foremost, which is hampered by the presence of illegal immigrants in schools.

Now, the reasons I have changed my stance on ‘border security’ is the presence of terrorists attempting to use Mexico as an avenue into the country. Initially, I was shocked and doubted such attempts as I did not believe that this was possible.