Closed Borders In America

In 1986, a 16 year old girl named Collette journeyed from her home in the island nation of the Bahamas in order to study chemical engineering at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. She was following the wishes of her father and pursuing higher education and a better life in the United States. Her story is one of many, a testament to the strength and prosperity of the United States. Some come here legally, some come illegally, but all share one thing, they believe that this country can provide them and their families with a better future than their home country. Some believe that the borders of the US should be opened up to all types of immigrants. Former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani says that immigration is the driving

Many like the late diplomat George Kennan, claim that America can only support so many people and taking in increasing amounts of immigrants will only harm people who are already here. Kennan claims that like how water seeks its own level, so prosperity absorbs poverty and then gradually becomes more and more impoverished. While Kennan and other closed border advocates are correct in some aspects, they miss one major point about the culture and history of America: America was literally founded upon immigration. The ancestors of the founding fathers emigrated from Britain to America. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the rise of New York as a "melting pot" where dozens, if not hundreds of different cultures were combined into one. Immigration is the backbone of our society and the premise that to save America we must cease all immigration is quite illogical. Immigration is a key issue in American society. Some say we must let more people in, others say we must keep everyone out. We must strike a balance between too much and too little. I believe by enforcing illegal immigration laws and keeping criminals out, we can continue to have a stable flow of