I had to write an argumentative paper and I chose to write about immigration. I need help developing my ideas and seeing if I incorporated my quotes correctly. I would also like help on how I can elongate my essay because it is supposed to be 8-10 pages long but due to a time crunch because I have been in the hospital, I am a little behind so I can't put as much time into this as I would like.
Illegal Immigrants
Families as a whole travel to America to get away from poverty and the corrupt government to search for prosperity and freedom. These families are willing to go through all the discrimination they will have to endure by coming to America just to reach the "all American dream". Hispanic immigrants have traveled to the United States for decades now and are growing in number everyday. They are becoming politically involved and changing the face of America. Education is key and with the Dream Act now in place, undocumented students will now be able to get an education, apply for jobs, get their residency, and provide and give back to their families who have done so much for them already.
Poverty has struck Latin American countries hard and there aren't many opportunities for them in their foreign homelands. Over there, if you don't have a businesses, you're living off of a salary that isn't even enough to get you through two weeks when supporting yourself and a family. "More than 10 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, and 1,400 more arrive everyday... they are rapidly moving into non-traditional areas...Willing to work for low wages, the migrants are creating a backlash among some residents of the new states" (Katel 1). These people will work for next to nothing to make sure they at least have a job a day be it landscaping or pretty much anything. Immigrants are willing to do the impossible to keep going. "To Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., reform means enabling illegal immigrants to stay here legally because, he contends, the nation's economy depends on them. 'As long as there are jobs to be had... that won't be done by Americans [illegal immigrants] are going to come and fill those jobs,' he said in April." (Katel 395). Americans are used to jobs that have air conditioning, not too hard, and will pay them good money. Immigrants are looking for something that will put a roof over their families head and fill their stomachs with food. That's the difference between an American-born citizen and an Undocumented citizen.
Politically, immigration hasn't really gone anywhere at this point. Many people have given up, but others hold their faith firm in that one day there will be an amnesty and millions of people will be able to visit their homelands and see family that they haven't seen in years. " Pro-immigration groups say...State legislators 'have chosen to scapegoat immigration instead of solving tough economic challenges,'...'There are politicians who would rather treat this as a political hot potato,' says Noorani with the National Immigration Forum., 'instead of offering 'practical solutions.'"(Jost 247). Latinos are beginning to involve themselves more in the communities and are coming out and speaking their minds. "'The Latino community has an opportunity to make itself felt and heard in Chicago as well as nationally,' Jesus"Chuy Garcia, a Mexican-American said as voting got underway in Chicago for mayor." (McCutcheon 291).
Coming out Illegal by Leslie told her story about how she wanted to go to college after being an exceptional student in high school, but was afraid she couldn't go because of her legal status in the United States. Thanks to the Dream Act she was able to attend U.C.L.A as a history major. "The federal bill, a version of which was introduced in Congress in 2001, would create a pathway to legal residency for immigrants who arrived in this country as children, have been in the United States for at least five years and have graduated from a U.S. high school or obtained a G.E.D. To gain status, they would have to finish two years of college or military service." (Jones 1). This bill has helped millions of students all over the country go to their dream universities and pursue their dreams. Hence why it's called the Dream Act. This allowed for them to be like people like you and I, at least legally, because they are human too. This is the first step in a long process that will eventually lead to the legalization of millions of people. And those millions of people will finally have reached their goal to provide a better life for themselves and their families that they had fought for their entire time in this country.
Immigrants come to this country seeking one thing and one thing only. They come looking for something better than what they left behind, something that will bring purpose to their lives. The doors for Hispanic immigrants are opening up and their influence is spreading like a wildfire. They now have a voice in America and their presence is making drastic changes. Immigrants now have the ability to educate themselves and be independent and amnesty seems like it's right around the corner. Everything is changing. It will be interesting to see what the future holds.
I mainly need help developing my ideas and telling if i incorporated my quotes correctly. I also need help putting my thesis statement into one sentence.
