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Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants

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Should the United States Grant amnesty to immigrants who came here illegally? By: Chris Myers

Should the U.S. grant amnesty to immigrants who came here illegally? The answer to this question is yes, they should. What 's wrong with granting amnesty to hard-working, tax-paying individuals whose only crime is their immigration status? Amnesty is not only the best solution to our immigration problem, it is the only feasible solution. Here are some reasons to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants now. Immigration is good for the economy. Despite all the fuss about immigrants stealing jobs, immigration actually provides a benefit to the economy, whether those immigrants crossed the border legally or not. Why you ask? Because of what …show more content…

While illegal immigration is a crime, the act of crossing the border without authorization is a mere misdemeanor. Immigrants, in fact, may help drive crime down. The vast majority want to stay in the country in order to work, so they naturally steer clear of breaking any laws. And as The Future of Freedom Foundation 's Sheldon Richman pointed out a few years ago, all manners of violent crimes dropped dramatically since 1986, the last time an amnesty was granted to illegal immigrants. Yes, 14 percent of federal inmates are illegal immigrants, but they are largely there for immigration violations. On the state level, Richman notes, less than 5 percent of inmates are illegal immigrants. Not exactly the makings of a crime wave. An important one would be that immigration is a natural right. Judge Andrew Napolitano explained that immigration is a natural right. What does that mean? A natural right is a right inherent to our humanity, and the freedom of movement is such a right. The idea that immigration needs to be “authorized” by the government flies in the face of that freedom. Immigrants who come to America seeking the opportunity to work and pursue happiness, or those brought here at too young an age to have any say in the matter, ought to be able to stay to pursue those opportunities. Conversely, employers ought to be able to enter into contracts with any would-be employees they please. The government doesn’t own the country and political borders are

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