Responses to Pro Arguments

Question 1

By keeping illegal immigrants as illegals, we allow them to depress wages by
working at a more competitive rate than American citizens and take away jobs from Americans.

Answer 1

50
1.) More American citizens will increase need to comply with labor regulations and lead
to unemployment.
2.) Illegal immigrants, generally, do not compete with American citizens for jobs.
3.) Illegal immigrants do not depress wages.

Question 2

It is important for Latin American youth to engage in politics.

Answer 2

59

1. ) Engagement is already taking place in the status quo
2. ) there are other factors independent from immigration that prevents Hispanic civic engagement
3. )

Question 3

Enforcement only immigration policies have not effectively solved illegal
immigration issues.

Answer 3

68
1.) Enforcement is not successful because there isn’t enough money allocated to it.
2.) Adding amnesty to immigration policy would just further undermine enforcement
policy.

Question 4

It is important that current/future generations of illegal immigrants in the U.S. can
contribute to society.

Answer 4

77
1.) Increased opportunities for immigrants in general are already happening in the status
quo.
2.) Increased opportunities for students are already happening in the status quo.
3.)Giving pathways to citizenship is not a meaningful way of providing opportunities for
immigrants.

Question 5

An American identity is not based on solely being born a citizen

Answer 5

84

1. ) Immigrants often has multiple allegiances.
2. ) Being a part of American society also means obeying its laws.
3. ) Citizens are still not given adequate opportunities to assimilate in the short term.

Question 6

Undocumented immigrants commit a disproportionate amount of crime. Offering
the opportunity of citizenship would give the U.S. an opportunity to further crack down on crime
and discourage crime committed by those aspiring to be Americans.

Answer 6

93

1.) Illegal immigrants do not commit much crime in the first place.

Question 7

Giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship will prevent them from hiding from
hospitals and insurance programs because of their fear of detection. As a result, more former
illegals will get cured rather than to continue to spread disease. Moreover, adding illegal
immigrants (who tend to be more healthy than Americans) to the healthcare system will save
hospitals from closing.

Answer 7

101

1. ) Illegal immigrants tend to be healthier than Americans who have been in our public health system for years, so it would be unbeneficial to add them to our failing system. (This also answers arguments about illegal immigrants bringing over disease to the United States.)
2. ) We shouldn’t give illegal immigrants full citizenship just due to health concerns.

Question 8

By giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, we remove the harmful effects of
illegal immigration, as now these individuals pay taxes and add to the above-ground (non-illegal)
economy.

Answer 8

105

1. ) Illegal immigrants increase economic productivity.
2. ) Illegal immigration provides a net economic positive.
3. ) Legalizing former illegal immigrants would expand the tax deficit.
4. ) Illegal immigrants provide a range of benefits; why not keep them classified as illegal?

Question 9

A pathway to citizenship would increase military recruitment, and benefit the US army through an increase in diversity.

Answer 9

113
1.) The military does not need more recruitment and already has extremely high minority
representation.

Question 10

By not needing to pay taxes but having access to public services, illegal immigrants
directly cost American taxpayers for taking more than they put in.

Answer 10

119
1.) We should add illegal immigrants to the insurance pool to garner the same benefits
rather than making them citizens
2.) Giving illegal immigrants citizenship would cost the U.S. trillions.
3.) Illegal immigrants pay taxes and don’t use much government programs.

Question 11

Current policies undermine the ability for illegal immigrants to work in skilled
professions; citizenship opens the door to brain gain for the US.

Answer 11

127

1.) Data mining is a bad policy.

Question 12

Granting Citizenship to illegal immigrants grants them legal protections for their
rights.

Answer 12

133

1. ) A pathway to citizenship undermines rule of law.
2. ) Rights can be granted to illegal immigrants without a path to citizenship.

Question 13

Creating a path for citizenship decreases the prevalence of punitive practices and discrimination on illegal immigrants.

Answer 13

140
1.) Illegal actions must be criminalized.
2.) Perceptions about Hispanics or illegal immigrants are significantly ingrained into our
society.

Question 14

Increased remittances will benefit the Mexican economy.

Answer 14

148

1. ) Remittances are falling now
2. ) Remittances undermine the local economy and create a cycle of dependence.
3. ) Remittances exacerbate income inequality in Mexico.
4. ) Remittances allow corruption to occur in the government.

Question 15

A Pathway to citizenship will decrease income inequality in the US.

Answer 15

156

1.) Citizenship pathways will increase illegal immigration and push people out of work.