Thread: Illegal immigration a hot topic in election year

Illegal immigration a hot topic in election year



Monday, May 26, 2008
By Kelsey Benson

A controversy that happened earlier in the campaign among several presidential Republican Party candidates was the growing inability of people in the U.S. to be educated in using the English language, the official language of our country. Several candidates resorted to teleprompting translations of their debates into Spanish. One candidate, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., boycotted this program.

Former Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo is best known for his extreme opposition to illegal immigration. Last fall there was a debate in southern Florida between several Republican Party candidates that was broadcast on Telemundo, a Spanish-language network. The purpose of Tancredo’s protest against it was because he felt a Spanish-language debate would be aiding the multitude of illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Every immigrant must take a citizenship test in English to become a citizen. Tancredo’s point was that if they are a citizen then they must also learn to understand English. So why did so many candidates agree to the Spanish broadcasts?

I personally agree that if someone is not fluent in our native language then how can they understand our legal system? Are they really informed enough to vote for our country? I am not anti-immigration, I am anti-illegal immigration.

Other candidates have said that a broadcast in Spanish is merely a courtesy for those who do not speak English fluently. Others saw Tancredo’s outspoken opinion as damaging to a presidential campaign, for many legal citizens of Spanish descent may have friends who are illegal aliens, or can sympathize with the agonizing process of becoming naturalized. Although Tancredo had spoken out on this issue, I see little action being taken by other candidates.

Spanish broadcasting of debates is just the tip of the iceberg for this growing situation. There are thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants living and working in our country. U.S. citizens are providing for their family’s education and at times even their well being, while these illegals are contributing little back to our economy. For example, do illegals file federal income taxes?

Presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., supported a bill proposed by New York state’s governor to allow illegal aliens the rights to have a limited driver’s license in that state. Honestly, I find that enraging. That kind of action is not supporting the foundation of our constitutional government. We have immigration laws for a reason and laws such as the one passed in New York are only promoting illegal immigrants to further push their way into the U.S..

I realize many families in the U.S. at one point immigrated to the U.S. We are a nation of families from all around the world, but I feel that our nation should take action against the growing number of illegal immigrants. I do agree with several Democrats that it would be devastating to uproot and remove all current illegal immigrants. Several have developed families and worked their way into communities. So the government should take action to get these immigrants naturalized and penalize companies taking advantage of illegal aliens by paying them low wages and avoiding taxes. A plan should be put into action to strongly protect our current borders and prevent more illegal aliens from entering our country.

One of the reasons that I feel so strongly about this subject is because I know several immigrants whose families worked hard to make it to America. I have a friend whose family moved to the U.S. from Vietnam and presently has aunts and uncles in Vietnam fighting every day against a communist government. One day he and I had a discussion about how frustrating it was for him to know that his family was struggling to enter America properly when thousands of illegal immigrants were flooding the borders every year.

When looking at the 2008 presidential candidates’ campaigns, immigration issues should definitely be a part of someone’s decision on who to vote for.

Kelsey Benson is a senior at Heritage High School. If you’re a high school student with an informed opinion, send it to The Columbian, P.O. Box 180, Vancouver, 98666, or e-mail it to letters@columbian.com.

www.columbian.com

Kelsey Benson is a senior at Heritage High School.

Kelsey's knowledge of the issue as well as her mature presentation are impressive.

Presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., supported a bill proposed by New York state’s governor to allow illegal aliens the rights to have a limited driver’s license in that state. Honestly, I find that enraging. That kind of action is not supporting the foundation of our constitutional government. We have immigration laws for a reason and laws such as the one passed in New York are only promoting illegal immigrants to further push their way into the U.S..

I realize many families in the U.S. at one point immigrated to the U.S. We are a nation of families from all around the world, but I feel that our nation should take action against the growing number of illegal immigrants. I do agree with several Democrats that it would be devastating to uproot and remove all current illegal immigrants. Several have developed families and worked their way into communities. So the government should take action to get these immigrants naturalized and penalize companies taking advantage of illegal aliens by paying them low wages and avoiding taxes. A plan should be put into action to strongly protect our current borders and prevent more illegal aliens from entering our country.

SHE MAKES ME SICK!!

English is our "common language" not our "official language", as Congress stupidly refuses to make it our "official" lnaguage. Certainly would make it easier if they would.
And part of our immigration problem has to do with "chain" migration, like Aunts and Uncles.
This country can only support so many immigrants....and I, for one, am sick and tired of the people who do NOT want to be Americans, but seem to want to immigrate here for BENEFITS and other unknown reasons.