Immigration Essay
English 92, Instructor Anna Mills

Should the U.S. offer illegal immigrants legal status, also called amnesty?  

There are somewhere between twenty and thirty-eight million illegal immigrants in America today.  Illegal immigrants work in many jobs and in some cases pay taxes.  They can send their children to public schools and receive some emergency medical services.  In most states, they cannot get driver’s licenses, receive higher education, or apply for most higher paying jobs, which require legal status. Recently, Congress has considered several different proposals to offer illegal immigrants who live in the United States a way to gain legal status.

Who is for amnesty and who opposes it?  
Republicans and Democrats can be found on both sides of the issue.  Robert Byrd, a Democratic senator, wrote an article in your packet opposing amnesty.  Another article against amnesty comes from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative, largely Republican organization.  Many legal immigrants oppose amnesty as well.  On the other side, many Democrats and liberals support amnesty, as do many Republicans, though some do not want to use the word “amnesty,” which is a controversial word. Republican and Democrats collaborated on a bill this past June that promised to legalize some immigrants while toughening up on border security.  George Bush supported this bill, but it did not pass in Congress.

What do you think?
Amnesty may be an issue in upcoming elections, and all the candidates for the 2008 presidential election will be asked to state their positions.   Would you vote for amnesty?  After reading these articles, you will need to choose a side and make an argument to support your decision. 

There are many different ways to offer amnesty to illegal immigrants.  Some policies would require immigrants to pay fines or return to their home countries before receiving legal status.  If you would support only one particular form of amnesty, you can explain that in your thesis.  

Directions
This issue hits home for many of us.  Most of us are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants.  Some of us are illegal immigrants or have friends and family members who are illegal immigrants.  Some of us are legal immigrants or descendants of legal immigrants. It’s important that we discuss this issue with respect.  At the same time, be honest about your opinion. As always, you can write an “A” paper on either side.

You are required to use at least 6 facts or quotations from the reading packet.  Each time you use a fact or quotation, mention the author or title of the article and give the page number. If you feel you need more information, you can do more research, but this is optional.  The class website includes links to further articles on amnesty. You are also welcome (but not required) to use examples from your own experience or from the experiences of friends and family.