Argumentative Essay About Enclaves

Immigration Enclaves

America’s founding fathers were not born in America. To be clear, they immigrated from Europe and created their own, new country that has since withstood the test of time. Since their arrival, America has been and will continue to be a nation of immigrants. Today, new immigrants in America assimilate into tightly-knit communities of fellow immigrants who share their ethnicity. These communities, commonly known as enclaves, make culture and society as a whole more vibrant and provide necessary resources for new immigrants.

To begin, enclaves make America more vibrant as a whole. Without ethnic enclaves, America would not be the distinctively rich culture it is today. In the argumentative essay “In Defense of the Ethnic

For example, in a 1997 paper by two Harvard economists, it is noted that enclaves “give new immigrants access to information and connections acquired by earlier arrivals, and may provide [new immigrants] with role models” (Source C). This information illustrates that, without the space that enclaves provide, American immigrants would not have access to the resources they need to succeed in America. Further, not only do immigrants receive necessary resources through enclaves, but they also can connect with their culture, which is a necessary aspect of the lives of new immigrants. In Little Havana, one can see the many ways in which the people who populate an enclave illustrate their rich and unique culture-- from musicians playing behind a Cuban flag to vibrant Hispanic street art, and even distinctive cafes which sell “Cuban Coffee” (Source E). This tight-knit community-- which shares not only a common ethnicity but also immigration to America-- is vital for new immigrants coming to America. Without enclaves, immigrants may feel more isolated in a terrifyingly new country, and they might not have access to the utilities which they need to succeed. Not only do newcomers to America benefit from the resources enclaves provide, but they also will benefit from the familiarity and the social aspect of an

Opponents of ethnic enclaves argue that they feel discomfort around and concern for ethnic enclaves. For example, in Denmark, a “ghetto law”, aimed at ethnic enclaves, was established to deal with “high levels of poverty, unemployment, and crime”, suggesting a “discomfort with districts dominated by ethnic-minority groups” (Source C). However, there seems to be little reason for such discomfort. For example, in a 2010 census, it was found that the highest percentage of segregated people are white people who live in white-majority areas (Source D). Thus, ethnic enclaves are a minority group, and not an overwhelming power of concern, so it seems illogical for there to be a notable discomfort surrounding enclaves. Further, in an article published by Richmond News, Joe Greenholtz points out that “Sixty percent of Richmond’s population is made up of ‘visible minorities’ so ethnic enclaves… are a cause for concern… Sixty percent of White Rock’s population is made up of people of European origin, but that is somehow not seen as an ethnic enclave nor cause for concern” (Source B). In illustrating the hypocrisy in the concern and discomfort towards ethnic enclaves, Greenholtz also argues the validity of ethnic enclaves, especially in countries where people of European descent are living in towns where the population is mostly also those of European