Sample Research Paper

          Wanted: low skilled worker, to work eighty hours a week, earn less than minimum wage, and work in hazardous conditions with no benefits or legal rights. As an American citizen, who would take such an inane job offer? No one would if he/she were a legal citizen of our country, but every day thousands of illegal immigrants take jobs just like that. Illegal immigration is a controversy that has grown in ferocity over the past few years. Though it has always been in the forefront to those living in the southern Border States, never has illegal immigration been at such a pronounced level of national recognition. A recent article notes that more than 10 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, and 1400 more arrive every day (Katel). With these kinds of numbers, this group of people is negatively impacting our nation. Illegal immigration must be curtailed and stopped. {clear thesis-stance on the issue} Illegal immigration burdens our taxpayers, endangers our nation, and robs American citizens of jobs and higher wages. {major supporting reasons listed}

          The opposition, though, offers counterpoints to the aforementioned reasons against illegal immigration. {clear transition indicating the shift to the opposing side} Those who promote illegal immigration see it as a vital part of an educated, materialistic economy and workforce. The opposition perceives illegal immigration as filling the United States' need for employees in low-skill labor jobs and benefiting the U.S. economy by keeping vital services at a viable cost for middle-class America. The opposition's strongest point for illegal immigration is the terrible conditions of illegal immigrants' home countries and our nation's difficult and cumbersome procedures for legal immigration. {a transitional paragraph listing all opposing reasons}

          To begin with, the proponents of illegal immigration view illegal immigrant's willingness to fill jobs that American workers are unwilling to take. {a transition introducing first opposing reason} According to the New York Times business section, over the last few decades, the number of Americans who do not hold a college degree or have dropped out of high school has decreased significantly (Porter). In fact, fewer than ten percent of American men withdraw from high school (Jacoby). Because the U.S. workforce's educational level has improved, employers are having a hard time recruiting workers for menial jobs that require a large low-skilled pool of workers. For example, a vice president of a small window cleaning company in Dallas struggles to find workers willing to work for $10 an hour with benefits. The vice president searches even through the Texas Workforce Commission, and she still struggles to find workers willing to work (Reddy). The overwhelming consensus from businesses is that they need more workers. An article in the Dallas Morning News reports that the recent uproar over support for guest worker programs hinges upon the insufficient numbers of workers to do menial jobs since the U.S. workforce is aging and becoming more educated (Reddy). Businesses, especially small businesses, are struggling to find workers to work at decent wages that allow for business expansion and the creation of more jobs. Even young workers are not willing to participate in such labor-heavy work. According to a recent article, the worker growth rate in the United States is declining, and more and more young workers do not want jobs that are seasonal or temporary (Geller). Illegal immigration and guest worker programs fill a vital need within American small businesses. These companies need a workforce willing to work for lower wages, an arrangement that allows these companies to survive and maintain competitiveness with larger corporations.

          It is true that American workers have become more educated and tend to shy away from manual labor; however, there is still a population that needs work and should not have to compete with a workforce that has arrived in the nation illegally. Then too, Harvard economist George J. Borjas found that the presence of illegal workers has dropped wage earnings not only for high school graduates by 7.4 percent, but also for college graduates by an estimated 3.6 percent (Tella). That is a drop in wages that if continued would place even college graduates below the rate of inflation in just a few years. With no sign of illegal immigration being checked, there is a real possibility of a strong negative economic impact on the United States' most educated workers. {refutal of the first opposing reason}

          A second alleged advantage of illegal immigration {a transition indicating second opposing reason}, as pointed out by its supporters, is that the economic impact of illegal immigration is benefiting every American consumer. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, illegal immigrants hold 17 percent of all jobs in cleaning and building maintenance, 14 percent of all construction jobs, and 12 percent of food preparation jobs (Geller). These jobs all have something in common; more often than not, these jobs support luxuries that would customarily only be available to a small portion of the U.S. population that could afford to have a few indulgences, such as a housekeeper, a new addition to a house, or a night out for dinner. But because these jobs are held by illegals, employers and business operators are able to keep wages suppressed and pass the savings on to the consumer. As one contractor in the Denver area observed, he frequently hires immigrants for construction because "If people are willing to pay an extra $20,000 for their $200,000 house then fine. But if not then we need to talk about the consequences of throwing out 12 million people" (Geller). American society and business have created a need for a low-skilled, low-paid workforce. As more and more Americans become educated and aspire to the American dream of materialism, the demand for illegal immigration will exist and be fed. A business journal article notes that the most commonly perceived effect of depressed wages, for consumers, is evident in the grocery stores. Prices have continued to drop in the produce department even though American wages have increased in recent years (Reddy). Another author writes about prices that, if illegals were unavailable for employment, then "agricultural work would still get done, but a head of lettuce might cost $30, if tended by Ivy League graduates" (Buckley). American consumers are reaping the benefits of having a large population of low-skilled workers. Furthermore, the arguments that the presence of illegal immigration in the labor force is detrimental to Americans sounds logical; however, it has been found that illegal immigrants have the opposite effect. Economists at Harvard found that the presence of illegal immigrants actually increased the earnings of more educated workers, including high school graduates (Porter). Thus, illegal immigration fills a gap in our society. America has changed; baby boomers are retiring and freeing up more jobs, more Americans finish high school than ever before, and we have a stagnant birth rate. Proponents argue that illegal immigration is vital to a more educated, affluent society.

          To argue that Americans are more educated than the typical illegal workers creates a justification for the actions of these immigrants and those who hire them as unreasonable. Illegal immigrants are being subjected to unfair labor practices because of their status in our nation. "They [illegal immigrants] dare not come out of the shadows to claim the normal civic and economic rights of American citizens" (Salins 106). Illegal immigration does not have a place in our society; that's why it is deemed illegal. Illegal immigration benefits neither our economy nor the illegal immigrants. To exploit another nation's workforce for our own materialism is appalling. {refutal of the second opposing reason}

          Yet another argument provided by supporters of illegal immigration is that the flow of illegal immigrants can never be curtailed until the world finds economic, political, and religious peace. {third opposing reason} Even though our nation has stringent quotas on immigration, literally millions are willing to leave behind their nations because of the appalling conditions and choose to live at the bottom of our society as illegals. A recent article in the San Fernando Business Journal states that the economic conditions of the illegals' countries are so intolerable that they do not have another alternative than to immigrate to the U.S., whether that is legal or illegal (Cevallos). The economic conditions, especially of the nations to the south of us but around the world as well, are atrocious. Many of the illegal immigrants that have come to our nation are just seeking an opportunity to provide for their families. Supporters say our nation's economy has a need and so do illegal immigrants; better immigration laws and an improvement in immigration procedures would only foster a better situation for all sides. A current journal article enumerates these concerns by observing that the U.S. must establish economic policies that will permit Latin America its own resources to invest in projects to the benefit of their countries, instead of using those much needed financed monies to pay back debts incurred to other nations (Cevallos). Thus, the rise in illegal immigration is in effect our own doing. Not only do we have a market in both retail and labor that is hungry for low-skilled workers, as a nation we also have instituted economic and political policies that drive conditions in other nations which weaken them and contribute to other nations' citizens emigration to the U.S.; tightening the U.S. borders will not fix the conditions in these nations that drive emigration. According to the U.S. border patrol, crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is a dangerous endeavor, yet every day thousands attempt and every year thousands die from drowning, heat exhaustion, and unknown reasons which are usually linked to abuse by human smugglers (Guerette and Clarke). The conditions of illegal immigrants must be difficult given the risks taken to cross the border for a job that pays to feed their families.

          Granted the conditions in Mexico and many other nations that provide the majority of illegal immigrants in this nation are awful. However, to argue that America cannot control its own borders because it endangers the lives of those in other nations is unreasonable. This is our nation, and the legal citizens must have a say in the directions we are to take. Allowing big business to appeal to our emotions so that they can maintain their cheap workforce is wrong. Until American unemployment is at its lowest point, allowing an unchecked flow of illegals to cross the border is detrimental to our economy and society. In fact, the economic value of illegal immigration has been found to only be one percent of the gross national product of the U.S. (Hanson and Spilimbergo). Illegal immigration is detrimental to all involved except those profiteering from the process. {refutal of the third opposing reason}

          What the supporters of illegal immigration fail to take into account is the numerous negative consequences of illegal immigration that are experienced by our nation. {a strong transition to show the shift from opposing arguments to arguments supporting the author's stance as expressed in the original thesis sentence in the introductory paragraph} One negative impact of illegal immigration hits American taxpayers right in the wallet. Illegal immigration is a tax burden to every legal immigrant and American citizen. An accounting of southern Border States' budgets finds that illegal immigrants account for over 108.2 million dollars of taxpayer money. Most of this money is spent in the areas of law enforcement and social services, such as healthcare (Salant). Illegal immigrants are chewing up parts of state budgets that could be spent on programs that are more beneficial for legal immigrants and American citizens. Illegal immigration also is affecting national budgets in areas besides border security. The Department of Justice concludes that over 14 percent of our nation's federal prison population is comprised of immigrants charged with illegal entry into our country (United States). Taxpayers are paying through state and federal taxes to apprehend and support immigrants who are moving into our nation illegally. Also, the illegal immigrants who are pouring into our nation are extremely undereducated, which places further burden on tax-supported social services. Statistical evidence shows that over fifty percent of illegal immigrants have not completed high school, and the weight they place on our nation's budget is in the billions (Ponnuru). Research conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies concludes that the tax revenue generated by illegals is $16 billion, but the cost to the government is $26 billion (Tella). Having a high number of low-skilled, undereducated illegal immigrants moving into our nation is creating an uneven yoke on our social programs. Illegal immigrants are filling one side of the yoke, and the other side is left to those who pay taxes to have security in the social programs that were established to protect the American citizens, not illegal immigrants. With a steady flow of illegal immigrants into our nation, there must be more enforcement and control in order to protect the American taxpayer. Taxes are to be used by the government for the benefit of our society. To have billions of dollars spent on a demographic of the U.S. population that has no legal right to be here is unreasonable.

          Another recent concern regarding illegal immigration is national security. A recent article in the National Review states that, in order to maintain national security, the United States must be aware of who is in our nation (Ponnuru). Illegal immigration poses a serious threat to that security. Author Peter Salins writes that the fact that the 9/11 terrorists were mostly undocumented migrants sheds new light on the dangers of illegal immigration (106). By the very nature of illegal immigration, it is impossible to track and be aware of who is in our nation and what their intent is. Without establishing control of the immigrants in our country, how are we to protect ourselves? Another even more disconcerting fact about illegal immigration and national security is the correlation between illegal immigrants and organized criminal activity. The president of the Americans for Legal Immigration identifies illegal immigrants with the same people responsible for drug trafficking, sex slaves, and illegal weapons trade in our nation (Katel). Such equating of immigrants with animals is a serious danger and threat to our nation. A recent article in Organized Crime Digest notes that several states have also found a correlation between illegal immigration and organized crime, and, because of this growing concern, these states are giving more power to local authorities to apprehend illegals (States). Securing our borders and providing more resources and manpower to our immigration services are essential to protecting our national security not only in regards to terrorism but also in regards to criminal activity. Representative James Sensenbrenner Jr., Republican-Wisconsin and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, declared, "We will never have homeland security if we don't have secure borders" (Katel). National security requires having secure borders. Allowing thousands of illegal immigrants to disperse into our nation on a daily basis is a danger to our nation's security.

          Clearly, illegal immigration is detrimental to our taxpayers and threatens our nation's security, but it has by far had its longest running negative impact on our nation's economy. A study conducted by Harvard University concludes that U.S. high school dropouts would make eight percent more in wages if it were not for illegal immigration (Krugman). Employers often take advantage of illegal immigrants because of their legal status and education level, for these employers are looking for cheap laborers who have no legal right to sue or find protection in our worker safety laws. A recent article in the New York Times explains that, as the number of low-skilled workers from illegal immigration increased, wages for Americans who are at the bottom of the American pay scale decreased significantly (Krugman). Some contend that American workers are unwilling to perform certain jobs and that illegal immigrants fill those jobs. Then too, an article in the American Economic Review explains that, as apprehensions of illegal immigrants increase American unemployment rates decrease (Hanson and Spilimbergo). This correlation clearly demonstrates that, when given the opportunity to work, American workers will work. Our economy is neither improved by illegal immigration, nor does it benefit every American worker. Most Americans who are unemployed would greatly appreciate the opportunity to secure the jobs being held by illegals.

          Illegal immigration is damaging, and its negative impact affects every single citizen in our nation. It is no longer only a problem for those citizens living within the Border States. Illegal immigration has far reaching deterimental effects on our nation. The U.S. has always found pride in our diversity, but illegal immigration does not shine light on our nation. Illegal immigration is a dirty underbelly of our nation's melting pot. After people arrive in our nation every day as undocumented immigrants, they begin to disperse throughout our nation to hide and work in perhaps some of the most corrupt and seedy areas of our society. This migration poses a serious threat to our nation's economy and security, and, if the nation continues to allow illegal immigration to go unchecked, the U.S. will find it to be the downfall of the culture and nation.

Works Cited

Buckley, William. "Stopping Illegals." National Review 55 (2003): 55. SocINDEX with Full Text. EBSCOhost. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 24 April 2006 <http://search.epnet.com>.

Cevallas, Marolo. "The United States Holds Blame for the Root Cause of Illegal Immigration." San Fernando Business Journal 10 April 2006. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <http://lexis-nexis.com>.

Geller, Adam. "Economics of Immigration Could Defy Laws." Associated Press Online 2 April 2006. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <http://lexis-nexis.com>.

Guerette, Rob T., and Ronald V. Clarke. "Border Enforcement, Organized Crime, and Deaths of Smuggled Migrants on the United States-Mexico Border." European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 11 (2005): 159-174. Criminal Justice Periodicals. ProQuest. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <proquest.umi.com>.

Hanson, Gordon H., and Antonio Spilimbergo. "Illegal Immigration, Border Enforcement, and Relative Wages: Evidence from Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico Border." The American Economic Review 89.5 (Dec. 1999): 1337-1357. JSTOR. JSTOR. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 2 April 2006 <http://www.jstor.org/jstor>.

Jacoby, Tamar. "Debating Immigration." National Review 2005. Criminal Justice Periodicals. ProQuest. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 20 April 2006 <http://proquest.umi.com>.

Katel, Peter. "Illegal Immigration." CQ Researcher 11.2 (2003). CQ Researcher. Congressional Quarterly Inc. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 4 April 2006 <http://library.cqpress.com/>.

Krugman, Paul. "North of the Border." The New York Times 27 March 2006: A 19. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale Group. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 3 April 2006 <http://infotrac.galegroup.com>.

Ponnuru, Ramesh. "Illegal Detour-Thinking Reasonably about Immigration." National Review 27 March 2006. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 4 April 2006 <http://lexisnexis.com/universe>.

Porter, Eduardo. "Cost of Illegal Immigration May Be Less Than Meets the Eye." The New York Times 16 April 2006. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <http://lexisnexis.com/universe>.

Reddy, Sudeep. "Immigration Raises Economic Debate: Lower Wages or Higher Prices? The Dallas Morning News 9 April 2006. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <http://lexisnexis.com/universe>.

Salant, Tanis, et al. "Total Costs by County Function and State." Illegal Immigrants in U.S.-Mexico Border Counties: The Cost of Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Medical Services 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale Group. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 3 April 2006 <http://infotrac.galegroup.com>.

Salins, Peter. "The Assimilation Contract: Endangered but Still Holding." Reinventing the Melting Pot: The New Immigrants and What It Means to Be American. Ed. Tamar Jacoby. [United States]: Basic Books, 2004. 99-109.

"States Focus on Impact of Illegal Aliens on Street Gangs, Sex Slavery." Organized Crime Digest 27 (2006). Criminal Justice Periodicals. ProQuest. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 20 April 2006 <http://proquest.umi.com>.

Tella, Alfred. "Immigration Economics. . . and Flows." The Washington Times 13 March 2006: A17. Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Jefferson Community Coll. Lib., Watertown, NY. 19 April 2006 <http://lexisnexis.com/universe>.

United States. Dept. of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Immigration Offenders in the Federal Criminal Justice System, 2000. October 2002. 4 April 2006 <http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS35756>.