An Open Letter to ACLU and Brandon Lewis
Dear Brandon Lewis, ACLU, and those against the restrictions placed on immigration,
Hello, my name is Elizabeth Huynh, and I attend Summit Public Schools: Shasta. In our 9th grade English class, we are working on a project that is based on the question of should the United States should interfere with foreign wars. While completing this project, I realized that those trying to escape war cannot due to the stricter bans the U.S. has placed on immigration. During Barack Obama’s presidency, the United States allowed 84, 995 immigrants to come into our country. However, since present president, Donald Trump, came to office, he has limited the immigration numbers to 50,000.
I understand that President Trump wants to protect the United States, but at the same time, he is sending away people who seek a better life for themselves. As Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, said, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” In a way, President Trump should not be given as much freedom due to him denying freedom to others. Most importantly, I wanted to write to you all because you have the platform and the influence to cause a change to this issue. Therefore, I believe that the United States should loosen the restraints put on immigration because they have not been a substantial threat to our country recently, and they have bettered our economy.
This topic is important because the United States is a country where people can have a new life, where people who are different are supported, and because we cannot grow without the help of their foreign ideas. As Robert F. Kennedy said, “Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.” Kennedy speaks about how America is a place for people who want to start fresh, or for people to rise and grow to their full potential without any limitations.
In relation, I know that my family, both my mom’s and dad’s sides, have dealt with the experience of starting from scratch. Along with their families, my parents were caught in the dispute between North and South Vietnam, also known as the Vietnam War. At the time, they didn’t have anywhere to go and if they stayed any longer, a possible result would have been death. Luckily, they escaped Vietnam and were able to find their way to the United States. Here, they were able to start a new and happier life for themselves. If it had taken longer for them to become legal citizens or if they were banned from entering, the possibilities of them having a better life would be smaller.
Some argue that loosening restrictions on immigrants will raise the chances of various dangers to enter our country. First of all, it is important to consider that many innocent people are coming to our country because they want to escape their country’s dangers. They have not been a threat to this country, according to Charles Kurzman, a professor at the University of North Carolina. He states that “No one has been killed in the United States in a terrorist attack by anyone who emigrated from or whom parents emigrated from[…]the seven countries targeted in the 90-day visa ban.” Kurzman’s research shows that immigrants have not been a threat to our country since the September 11 attack in 2001. While this is a serious problem we need to acknowledge, creating a faster citizenship process with no restrictions based on religion and ethnicity, might be an action we can take to solve it.
The current citizenship process takes two or more years and requires lots of time, money, and paper to be spent. Because the process cannot be done electronically, countless amounts of paper are used to photocopy, fill out, and sent to the U.S. embassies. The amount of time that is consumed is not only a problem, but the amount of money required can range from $725 to thousands of dollars if they choose to have an immigration attorney. But for some immigrants, they do not have the time nor money to complete this system.
In addition, those who are in the Muslim religion or come from Muslim-based countries cannot enter the United States due to the threat they seem to carry with them. They are automatically judged as terrorists and a threat to our country when truly, they are seeking a more peaceful life. This inhumane treatment of foreign people goes against the first Amendment, which states that everyone has the right to practice their own religion free of judgement. As the ‘land of the free’, the U.S. shouldn’t restrict immigrants from coming to our country based solely on past experiences and assumptions.
So why does a better life and freedom come with such a high price?
Secondly, based on a study done by the National Academy of Science (NAS), it has concluded that immigration conveyed a “significant positive gain” to the United States’s economy. An example of a “significant positive gain” that immigrants provided for the economy was the increased demand and supply for a variety goods. As immigrants travel to the United States and find jobs, employee wages have become larger, but it can be seen negatively by the employer, who see more employees as a cost. To add on, the increase in immigration will “lead to higher incomes for productive factors that are complementary with immigrants”(National Research Council et al.137), or in other words, with an increase in immigration, the incomes for companies working with immigrants will be increased. Because of this research, we’re able to see the effect immigrants have on the economy of America.
Because of this relevant issue, I strongly encourage you to consider creating a way that won’t completely abolish immigration laws, but make the process more efficient and equal. This new system will make a difference because our country thrives off the diverse cultures and ideas that immigrants contribute to our nation. Our country is seen as the land of opportunity, and with a newer and unbiased citizenship process, we will uphold that value. Now that you have seen a different view on the immigration limitations, I hope to see these changes in the future, and thank you for taking the time to understand my thoughts about this topic.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Huynh
