Dear Editor,
I thank you for sharing your perspective in your recent opinion piece on immigration. The right to free expression is the fundamental core of democracy. However, I must note that the style and tone that the article conveys may be biased.
The opinion piece mentions, “They [immigrants] are in pursuit of everything from increased civil liberties to opportunities to work and grow financially and everything in between”, suggesting a degrading tone. Is it a crime to want to pursue and work for a better life, to strive for a better tomorrow? It is not wrong to seek out those opportunities to become more, or to build a more financially stable life to help your family or yourself. These needs are apparent even in a place we think is far from human society: nature. Ecologically, living organisms are attracted to areas with abundant resources, such as food, water, or nesting areas. Immigration is simply part of the world around us. It’s how we evolve as people, and how our diversity disseminates.
Secondly, the opinion piece states, “…they [undocumented immigrants] have…a heavier reliance on government services.” According to the Migration Policy Institute, undocumented immigrants do not rely more on government benefits or programs than native citizens as they are ineligible for the majority of them. These include Medicare, Social Security, Children’s Health Insurance, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
As for American taxpayers spending “approximately $150.7 billion” on the “influx of these immigrants [that] disproportionately harm[s] communities with larger minority populations, according to a 2024 Boston University Study, “immigrants help fuel local economies by sparking innovation and driving up wages. The effects of a migrant influx can last for decades, too, enhancing a region’s attractiveness to foreign investors and opening long-term export opportunities, even 100 years later.” Immigrants pay billions of tax dollars every year.
The U.S Immigration system is not perfect. We NEED a better system, but illegal immigration is just one piece of a disoriented puzzle. It is not wrong to merely illegally immigrate. It doesn’t make you a criminal, or make you more likely to commit an offense/not adhere to laws. In fact, a 2024 study on illegal immigrants’ incarceration rates in Texas between 2012-2018 by the National Institute of Justice found that, “undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter the rate of native-born citizens for property crimes”.
Misinformation spreads in America like wildfire. We should all strive each and every day to inform ourselves of recent public studies to capture the most accurate perspective of American government and livelihood.
With great sincerity,
Lisbeth Flores
