Illegal Immigration

“Argument Against Illegal Immigration” America has traditionally been known as a “melting pot,” welcoming people from different countries. However, during the past few years, there has been an influx of illegal immigrants that a lot of people view as a threat to the sovereignty of our nation. This flood of undocumented immigrants has spawned a debate about whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to cross national borders and stay in the country to start a new life. In June 2008, an article titled “Argument for Illegal Immigration” was published in the Los Angeles Times where Milton Friedman discusses illegal immigration and its benefits to our nation. According to the article, “…immigration, over the Southern border, can be a good thing for the economy.” While some people might agree that illegal immigration has its benefits, these benefits are outweighed by the drawbacks. The United States should put more money into security to patrol its borders because illegal immigration is more harmful than it is beneficial not only to the country, but also to the citizens of the United States.

Illegal immigrants should not be allowed to cross the borders because it results in a burden on tax-based resources, costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Supporters of illegal immigration argue that undocumented immigrants help the economy whenever they pay taxes into the system and don’t get back anything since they are ineligible for most public benefits. However, illegal immigrants are taking more than they give. The Center for Immigration Studies reported in 2004 that “Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household.” This means that Americans are spending a large amount of their tax money on public benefits that are being exploited by illegal immigrants. These public benefits include